Community Brag Posts

2x4 and 2x6 Chairs and Couch

Submitted by clintusaf on Mon, 05/11/2020 - 16:43

I used the Modern Outdoor Chair from 2x4s and 2x6s plans and slightly modified then to make a 3 seater couch. My cushions(most expensive part) were 24 in x 24 in and purchased from Lowes for $40 per seat. The couch is 79 inches in total length. I also dropped the seat down to the lower level to allow more room for my cushion backs to sit further down into the seat.

Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompsons Waterseal Teak Oil Walnut Semi-Transparent
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Rustic X Farmhouse Coffee Table with Storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 02/05/2023 - 08:54

This project was made from reclaimed wood from my office where they had built a temporary safety railing out of 2x4s and 2x6s. I added a compartment for storage. The top is stained in a classic grey. I painted the body in black followed by white. I then sanded the body to allow the black to bleed through for a distressed look.

Comments

Porch swing bed

Submitted by Beaulook on Tue, 01/28/2014 - 16:29

Started off with the original design but enlarged it to fit an oversize single mattress. The mattress cost me $35 from a local faith farm, while the materials came in around $200. I decided to hang under my backyard pergola. Fun and easy project.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Cedar stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

bhammond

Tue, 01/28/2014 - 21:10

Wow this looks so inviting I might just have to make one too! Nice work-- it looks great!

Shorty

Tue, 01/28/2014 - 21:26

Really great job on your porch swing bed AND an awesome looking patio/yard. Looks amazing all around!

Debbie Perkins

Mon, 07/27/2015 - 22:45

I want this!  I just made a couple of plant stands for my front porch.  My husband asked me what my next project was, why, a swing bed.  (This was only my second project!)  I want to put cup holders in those big ole arms!  We have a house at the beach in South Alabama, so, you gotta "hydrate."  This is an awesome swing.  I can't wait to do mine...pillows to rest on, one foot on the concrete pushing me in a slow swing. Cold beverage in my hand or in my cup holder. Yep, southern girl has a new project.  Love it!

Modern 2x2 desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/01/2020 - 14:10

Love the simple modern look of this desk. The plans were so easy and this was a quick build. Modified the measurements as well as the top. I used a project panel for the desk top.

Estimated Cost
$55
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Tricorn Black paint for the base. Top stain is mix of Minwax Driftwood and Early American.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Greenhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/05/2021 - 08:08

We made some modifications to the greenhouse to include a bench with three levels, a working bench and a square foot garden. We also put it on concrete to keep all the weeds out from the bottom as well.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
2500.00
Finish Used
We start our own seeds and plan to grow 15 different varieties of vegetables inside this greenhouse all year long.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Chicken Run with Turkey House

Submitted by vendo on Wed, 10/13/2021 - 10:03

My daughter helped me build this enclosure. We used Ana's chicken run plan, but just made it taller so we could walk in easily. We added an overhang to store food and pellets under, for the supports we used Ana's easy shelves angle support plan, and finally we used the playhouse base plan for the base of turkeys house. All plans used are linked below. We ran the chicken wire out under the structure and still need to bring in some large rocks or pavers, but so far no issues with predators. Turkey was getting too big to fit in the smaller coop, so we decided to have fun with his house and used cedar fence pickets and some treated 2x4's, built a box and jig sawed the shape of a turkey. As you can see in the first photo the ladder for turkey wasn't big enough, all the other chickens were in his house, lol. So I beefed up the ladder and he happily can put himself up at night now:) Overall a super successful project, I wasn't sure what to do with the top and just at that point, the neighbor walked over and offered the metal, talk about a huge win and the perfect solution! We attached the run to the previous smaller structure and now they have so much more room and are laying like crazy:) Finally, I think this would make a great dog kennel as well...

Full size loft

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 10/01/2019 - 18:46

Built a full size loft bed for my kids but wanted something safer than having them climb up and down a ladder so used the Camp Loft Bed plans to add the platform and stairs. It is much easier for the kids. Going to finish by covering the platform and stairs with carpet.

Estimated Cost
180
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)

Comments

A-Frame Chicken Tractor

Submitted by Tonya P on Tue, 07/09/2013 - 19:46

New to raising chickens, but eager to jump right in to it.
We bought a pre-made coop for the main home for our new chicks and it's very nice, not something I could do myself since I'm not yet at that level, but I saw this chicken tractor and thought it would come in handy for what I have in mind so I made up my mind to build it.
The lumber, chicken wire, staples, and wheels are all store bought new and came to about $75. The materials we had on hand were the screws, hinges, plastic coated metal shelving (used in the nesting area, I thought that would make it easy to clean), paint, and the corner piece of vinyl siding for the roof cap (hubby's brilliant idea, and I painted it green with spray paint for vinyl).
I did not try to build it quickly, I don't really know how much time it took me, but if I had to guess I'd guess total time would amount to about 3 afternoons, by myself.
I wanted to leave the top on the one side open with the option to slap on the other boards if/when the need arises. I have the other t1-11 panels that can sit right in those areas because I stapled the chicken wire in a way that would allow it.
I also added a flip up panel as seen in the pictures for access. I didn't want a small door that I would have a hard time getting to things in there. I'm so glad I added this feature, it sure gives plenty of room for me to maintain the food and water dispensers as well as get in there and catch the little chickies :)
I wanted it green to blend into the wooded background in our backyard. I didn't want to take any beauty away from the cedar greenhouse and fencing we added last year, and this tractor would be moved from time to time and I felt this green that we had on hand was perfect to help it blend in rather than stand out.
This thing is heavy! I have a hard time moving it around and usually need my husband to move it so I won't hurt myself. I am considering some options... I don't like the rope I have on it to pull it, any suggestions would be appreciated.
As with the other items I've made with Ana's plans, this was fun and pretty easy to make. I love this site! Soon I will take on my next project, I've bought and gathered the materials, I'm anxious to get started :)
Thank you for looking :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75 - $85 for the new materials listed
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Green exterior paint we had on hand.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Benchright Coffee Table

Submitted by Felicka on Tue, 04/17/2012 - 20:35

Great fun Easy Project! I am in absolute love with this table and give it the rustic feel and look that we were going for. We tried to get the knottiest pine that we could find with also the different colors. We love that look of pine!

Estimated Cost
$65
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Min-wax Dark Walnut, Min-wax wood conditioner, Min-wax Semi Gloss Polyurethane. We also wet/dry sandpapered the top of the table to give it the extra smooth feel without letting go of the rustic look.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Pam the Goatherd

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 13:26

It's good to know I'm not the only one who likes the knots and swirls and different shades in the pine boards! The last time I was at the lumberyard, when I told the lumberyard-guy that I was building furniture he tried to direct me to the clear pine. I had to explain to him that I like the character that the knots and such give to a piece. He thought I was nuts, but he still helped me find the straightest boards in the rack.

PPEKOSZ

Tue, 07/30/2013 - 08:17

Hi I love your piece and think it came out great. I noticed on the original plans that 2 x6 pieces were listed. Did you use them in your project?

Thanks

Essential Adirondack chair

Submitted by str1523 on Mon, 05/25/2020 - 10:23

Like this chair! Changed the 3 1x10's on the back to 4 1x8's ripped down to 6 ¹⁵/¹⁶

Estimated Cost
40
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)

Comments

Drop down murphy bar

Submitted by nick_h on Tue, 12/06/2016 - 10:54

My attempt at the murphy bar featured on this site. Still have to add the sash locks. Added pallet crossmembers at the back, an x in the leg, and a french cleat to mount to the wall. 

Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Special Walnut Minwax on the bar top and shelves, crisp linen matte latex and dry brushed casual gray for accents/aging. 2 coats of polycrylic for protection. If built again would pre stain and base coat all the wood before build time, then assemble, add accent brushing and spray the polycrylic.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

zannej

Tue, 12/31/2019 - 11:49

This looks awesome! I want to help my friend build this for his kitchen. I've looked at the plans in the link & I'm wondering what modifications you made for the X pattern-- how much did it alter the material & cut list?

Would you please share your material & cut list for this?

Outdoor Sofa and Chair with Slanted Back

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/16/2023 - 10:22

OK, I think this build may be my biggest project yet! It is definitely the heaviest. With the strong winds we can get here in Florida we needed substantial outdoor furniture.
I did make some modifications along the way measurement-wise so the sofa would fit my front porch better. All in all, this took 2 full days. I built the sofa first, stained it the next day and then decided (due to trying to get stain in all the nooks and crannies) to stain the chair pieces first before putting it together.
I am so happy with the results and so far, almost a year later, this furniture looks great and hasn't moved an inch in any of the thunderstorms we've had! Thank you Ana!!

Fancy Jewelry Box

Submitted by Matt L on Mon, 06/29/2020 - 19:52

Great plans and a fun build. I made some modifications. My drawers are 1.5” high and 10” long. It allowed for 6 drawers. Overall height is 13.75” and length is 17.5”.

I used rabbits and dados rather than butt joints. There is flocking in the drawers.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Garnet Shellac at a 2# cut. Wiped on. I used 4 coats sanding with 400 grit after coats 2 and 3. I used 0000 steel wool after coat 4. Then I applied Paste wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Custom Modern Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 08/30/2023 - 08:49

I made this coop twice as wide like Ana suggested since I have 4 chickens and wanted to make sure there was some extra wiggle room in case “chicken math” got the best of us. I made a nesting box to mount on the outside. I also used plywood for the sides like Ana did in the video. I installed a Run Chicken automatic door that opens at sunrise and closes at sunset. I added some hasps and clasps to make sure all my doors would close tightly. I put hardware cloth across the top before installing the roof panels. I stapled and buried hardware cloth around the perimeter for predator protection. I also spray painted the hardware cloth flat black so that it would be easier for us to see inside the coop. I stained the rest of the wood with Varathane Semi-Transparent stain, color “Carbon Gray.” I also added some roosts and cedar shingle siding for some extra protection during our New England winters at to match our house. Working 2-4 hours a day, off and on, with a bum shoulder and weak hands, this took me about a week! Thanks for the great plan, Ana!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Outdoor Play Kitchen!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/28/2023 - 08:57

We modified Ana White’s excellent Mud Kitchen plans, adding a third section and scaling the whole thing slightly larger to be a better size for our 4 and 6 year old grand daughters. It was so much fun to make and accessorize!

Built from Plan(s)
Seasonal And Holiday

Three Bin Laundry Sorter

Submitted by Meyer1120 on Mon, 01/21/2013 - 21:10

Modified the original plan to meet our needs of a laundry sorter. Had problems with the hinges so ditched them. I used dowels with a combination of a chamfer cut on the bottom of the door. Dado-ed the trim on the doors and slide the bead board panels in. The face frame is all held together with pocket hole screws, which I highly recommend because it eliminates nail holes and keeps the face frame square. This was my first wood working project, took me a little long to get it done. Thanks for looking.

Modified January 28

So here are some more pictures of my project. I don't really have any good pictures of the dowels. But what I can tell you is, I drilled holes through the sides of the face frame and the trim pieces and then measured where the holes would be in relation to the "drawer". I then drilled holes in the drawers at those measurements, I was careful to not go to deep. I think I went in half an inch. After that I started at one end and placed the dowels in, then put each drawer in. It wasn't easy but with a little patience it worked. The key is to wax the dowels so they will last longer as well. I also am including pictures of the top and bottom trim. On the top the original plans called for an overhang piece and I didn't like the way that looked. I ran the top board an inch long on each side and then wrapped it in quarter round trim. I did this because I plan on adding the Mimi Hutch Top. The bottom was built per the plan, but I ran into a problem with my bottom trim not being level and you could tell. So I raised the whole unit on 1 1/2 legs then placed it on a level surface and again wrapped it in a decorative trim. The key on both trims was a nice miter joint. Last picture I added was of my stoppers. I took scrap from the 1x2 trim and cut them to an inch and a half or two (can't really remember), then using the Kreg Jig drill bit drilled recessed holes. I then opened the doors until the side 45s were level then mounted the blocks on each side. I feel that it is better than a chain or string catch. Again thanks for looking and I hope I answered all of your questions.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Primmer and paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

moosmani

Tue, 01/22/2013 - 11:29

Dowels! What a great idea! Would you mind sharing how you did it? Could you possibly add some pictures showing the dowels? You did a great job. It looks beautiful.

mullid1

Thu, 01/24/2013 - 09:27

I love what you have made! Could you post pictures of the top and the bottom trim? I'm very impressed that this is your first project!

mullid1

Tue, 01/29/2013 - 09:12

Thank you for the photos and new instructions! You're awesome!!!

VLT

Fri, 03/15/2013 - 12:05

This is lovely; I like the trim job you did. Is there a way to post the plans so we can all get to them. I cannot believe this was your first project!

Liz82

Sat, 11/16/2013 - 18:23

I am a little confused. I love the three bin laundry sorter, but everyone is mentioning plans. I am not finding plans for it on the site. Also, what goes in to hold the clothes? There may be obvious answers, but I am not seeing them. I'd appreciate any help you could give.

towering inferno

Tue, 12/02/2014 - 02:58

I've been thinking of working up one very similar to this, also with 3 bins, but I didn't want to use chain either.  Those stoppers will be ideal - do you put them on both sides or is one enough?  Thanks for the share!

Karahd

Sat, 01/24/2015 - 11:29

Hi-

Im not sure if you still have the plans to this awesome project, but if you do, would you be able to share them with me? Ive been looking to make something like this forever, but just couldnt find any help!

thanks,
karah
[email protected]

petemoore

Mon, 02/08/2016 - 07:46

hi im the same as everyone can you send me the build plans with dimensions etc

many thanks

virginie D.

Wed, 03/02/2016 - 14:49

Hi

It's exactely what i need. so amazing. Someone can send me the plan please? I'm so newbie to do tat all by myself without plans. Thanks you.

virginie D.

Wed, 03/02/2016 - 14:49

Hi

It's exactely what i need. so amazing. Someone can send me the plan please? I'm so newbie to do tat all by myself without plans. Thanks you.

ajbreaux

Mon, 05/02/2016 - 14:22

My wife loves this . if its possible could i get the plans and hopefully have time to build it to give to her for mothers day ? thanks 

Kimhubbell

Fri, 12/02/2016 - 11:01

I would also love to have the plans for the 3 bin sorter. I am barely an intermediate so more specifics would be a huge help! Thanks to anyone who could help.

lworthy

Mon, 07/10/2017 - 04:19

 I absolutely LOVE your laundry sorter!!!! You did a fabulous job and the TRIM, WOW amazing!!!! I've searched Ana's website and cant find the plans' could you please email me the plans to [email protected].  I started building my own furinture back in October 2016 and the reward is amazing... Keep up the good work.

Happy Building,

Lisa

woodmama

Tue, 01/16/2018 - 22:18

I'm too new at woodworking to be able to tackle this right now, but would love to download the plans for future. My most successful project so far is a pretty standard bookshelf. I got a free plan, with lots of guidelines and explanations, at https://tinyurl.com/ydeup8lo -- it came with a 440 page guide, "The Art of Woodworking" that has tips and techniques, and am plowing through that right now.

momto3

Wed, 02/28/2018 - 12:53

This is amazing.  I am very new to woodworking.  Could you send me the plans please?  I would be most appreciatative 

Ljohns

Wed, 03/11/2020 - 23:27

I would love to have the plans for the three bin laundry sorter to build for my laundry room. Are the plans available? Awesome work!

Camp Loft bed - modified

Submitted by Milhouse on Tue, 09/24/2013 - 12:04

I liked the simple design of the camp loft bed, so I took the plan and modified it to fit over top of our existing Ikea daybed. I adjusted the width of the loft bed and made it a little taller, so that I could sit on the bottom bed and read to the kids with out hitting my head on the loft bed all the time.

 

I built the ladder into the side of the loft bed so that it wouldn't interfere with the drawers on the front of the daybed. This worked out well, as it also gives the girls more room to play!

This build is super easy, but I have to say that I don't like working with 2x4s. They are so rough....I spent a lot of time sanding and filling, and it's still not perfect. But I'm ok with it ;) I may add another cross support because it is a bit wobbly (probably b/c I made it taller).

 

 

The finish is a color matched 'All surface enamel' from Sherwin Williams.

 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

roxanne89

Wed, 08/04/2021 - 06:38

Hello Millhouse. I love the loft bed you created. I have the exact hemnes daybed for my daughter and I beg to build the same loft bed. Do you have the exact modified plan you used with the measurements that fit the bottom bed? This would be super helpful!! Thanks in advance!

Porch Planters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/24/2023 - 13:40

This build was a lot of fun! Thanks ANA!

David Marks

Comments

Outdoor Privacy Wall

I built this wall to give us a little privacy when our family wants to lay out and go swimming. Also, to hide our neighbor’s ugly fence! The length for all pieces are 8’ long for no cutting and the widths are 1x2, 1x6, 4x4 with 3/4” spacing and about 100 or so deck screws. I modified the pattern from a photo of a fence I seen on HomeDepots YouTube.

Estimated Cost
140
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Thompson Waterseal - Semi Transparent - Autumn Brown
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Desk with drawers and open cabinets

Submitted by kwall5 on Thu, 07/25/2019 - 20:10

I used a modified version of the narrow drawer unit as the foundation for this desk build. I decided to make wooden drawer guides rather than using manufacturer metal guides. I liked the idea of it having a more traditional wood-on-wood feel and saving a few dollars. I love the simplicity of the base cabinet design and the contrast between the painted base and stained top. Thanks yo all who shared their projects for the inspiration!

Estimated Cost
About $250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Paint, stain, and polycrylic
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
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