Community Brag Posts

Simple modern outdoor chair modified to match my porch.

I built a set of these chairs based on Ana's simple modern outdoor chair. I wanted it to match my front porch which I built a few weeks ago. Thank you for the plans.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Still waiting for it to dry, then I will use a oak stain and outdoor polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

boneill

Wed, 07/29/2020 - 19:24

Looks awesome. Would be great to see how to do this step by step . What size seat slats did you use ?

Seasonal And Holiday

Playhouse

Submitted by Dawnybb on Thu, 11/22/2012 - 09:32

This was so much fun to do! Very easy and I added some personal touches. I made the lower level an enclosed sandbox area with a chalk board on the back wall. On the outside of the back wall, I added a "ball wall" that my kids love. I enclosed the bottom sandbox with plastic "chicken wire" to keep the cats out. :)

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Dawnybb

Thu, 11/22/2012 - 15:34

Thanks! Glad you like it!

The paint was from Dunn Edwards: Roof was "Louisiana Mud", playhouse walls were "Drifting" and then the white was a snow white from Lowe's.

The slide and accessories were also from Lowe's.

m7hennen

Tue, 04/15/2014 - 09:35

I LOVE this! This is exactly what I'd like to build. Do you have plans you can share with us? I think I'd also like to add a couple of swings on one of the sides too. Thanks so much!

In reply to by m7hennen

Dawnybb

Sun, 04/27/2014 - 08:39

I know I messed with the dimensions a bit but I don't remember exactly. I made the playhouse larger (deeper and taller than original plans) . I also cut the roof line on the deck side for more room. I put aluminum over the wood on the roof and then painted. The Ball Wall was made out of plastic gutter pieces that I painted and we used practice rubber golf balls to throw into them. I hope that helps! We sold that house, so I can't go out and measure it :)

eegad1973

Thu, 05/28/2020 - 15:32

You may not get this as this is an old post. Did you dig post holes? I have older kids and I am thinking about building a plan like this but at a 6ft height. Wondered how much it moves around when there are a bunch of kids on there. The house I will build is also 6 ft heigh.

Seasonal And Holiday

Cedar Outdoor Stools from bench

Submitted by sylvialh on Fri, 08/27/2021 - 05:21

one of my first ana white plans was a cedar outdoor table and chairs that I was never 100% happy with but never the less lasted ten years before yesterday when I decided to undo all the screws (I didn't use glue on this one and it wasn't a kreg project - probably why I wasn't happy with it!).

I transformed those simple benches and table into four stools (varying heights for various members of the family) as well as a cedar planter. So the wood was 100% from the previous project so there is a lot of variance in the stain.

I sort of merged the adirondack stool and the farmhouse counter stool patterns as I didn't do both a bevel and a mitre cut I just a 5 degree mitre for the legs.

I used 1x3 and 1x4 for the legs and joined them together to make an L (I saw this on another brag post on the site) because I wanted to reuse the wood that I had leftover from the bench.

I put together the entire project using glues and brad nails but I will be adding some extra screws for longevity.

for the top, I took a 1x4 and traced a slight angle out of the top based on that of another stool I had and cut it out with a jig saw, to make the seat a bit more comfortable than the flat seat on the farmhouse stools. They are very comfortable and this was such an easy mod!

Comments

Farmhouse Style Toy Box / Blanket Chest

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/17/2017 - 11:17

I built this for my daughter after Christmas sinse she had the living room covered in toys. The dimensions are 37" x 18" x 20" 

Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Watco Danish Oil - Medium Walnut (2 coats) with a light sanding between coats with 220 grit, I allowed 24 hours between each coat to dry. To protect the surface I used water based polyurathane matte finish (3 coats) with a light sanding - 400 grit.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

jwelch

Wed, 01/18/2017 - 13:06

Great job! Can you share more about how the legs were constructed and joined? Was this project based on Ana White's "Simple" toy box plan? Any info appreciated.

jgreaff

Tue, 01/09/2018 - 05:51

HI Anna, 

Can you provide more pictures or instructions on how you assembled this toy box? i want to make one just like it! 

 

Thanks!

apezz

Wed, 03/10/2021 - 16:31

Looking at the wall panels they look like the long edge of each panel has a small bevel cut on it. This gives each panel edge a more pronounced or well-defined edge? Is this true? Was it done with a router?

Farmhouse table and bench - white base with stained top

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/15/2017 - 19:36

We went off the Farmhouse table and bench design but had to customize the length of the table and bench so that it fit in our kitchen space. The table was our first ever project and we made a few mistakes but learned from them and built the bench and are hoping to move up to the Farmhouse bed and then the fullstorage bed. 

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Used everlasting in chalk paint for bottom and top then brushed blue over the top let dry then stained the top with minwax dark walnut and wiped off. Applied a few layers until desired look. Dry brushed more blue and white in between stain layers then used polycrylic semi gloss finish
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Four station desk (PB inspired)

Submitted by monty742 on Sun, 03/15/2015 - 08:58

I really liked the PB mega desk, but I didn't want to spend $1600 on it.  After seeing someone's post here (a couple years ago...) asking for plans on that desk, I decided to do it myself.  I took these two plans and made 4 base units.  They are 18" square at the top and 34" tall.  I used 2 IKEA table tops connected underneath for the top, to make a total height of 36" - counter stool height.  I constructed them a little differently than the plans, but no matter how you make them, the idea is the same.  The plan is to take them apart and make 2 desks once everyone is too old and cool to do homework/artwork together.

Estimated Cost
$500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kitchen and Bath finish paint (2 coats) - it's a little shinier than eggshell (I only used it because I had 2 or 3 gallons extra at home :) then 2 coats acrylic top coat matte finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

monty742

Sat, 08/15/2015 - 04:33

Just seeing your comment...sorry for the delay!  I got the stools and the light fixture at a Ballard Backroom (outlet) store near me.  3 of the stools ended up being about $40 each with the sale they had at the time, and the 4th was $60? - bought at a later time than the first 3.

AlisaH

Wed, 11/04/2015 - 07:40

How did you connect the table tops from the bottom so that the tables were secure together? I'm curious what's the best way to do this. Since two of the four seats will be where the seam is, I want to make sure I secure it properly so it's not wobbly. Thanks so much.

 

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 05:06

I'm just seeing these latest comments for the first time, so you may have long finished this project already!  The tops were surprisingly sturdy but I did reinforce them.  I placed the tops on the floor upside down and screwed some metal brackets (about 12" long each) across the joint in four places.  I just screwed them in through holes already in the brackets.  This wasn't the most stable because those tops are particle board and don't hold screws very well...  But since it was already pretty sturdy, I figured it would do.  It has been fine, even with standing on the top (kids who get up there and me hanging the light fixture above).

Once the tops were joined, I placed the bases so there was about a 1" overhang on the top.  To hold the top in place, I used small pieces of wood screwed to the underside of the top at the inside corner to act as a placement stop.  The top is pretty big and heavy even though they are IKEA tops, so they don't have a tendency to move or slide at all anyway.  I'm going to try to figure out how to post another picture of the braces and corner stops...we'll see if I can do it!  Let me know if you have any more questions...again, sorry I didn't see this in a more timely manner!

Pmprdwife

Sat, 01/02/2016 - 05:55

Is the photo above the Pottery Barn version or your product result?  I'm trying to figure out the dimensions for the drawer and shelf configurations.  Thanks!  BTW, I'm totally addicted to your style and personality...my husband loves the productivity inspiration I've received. :-)

 

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 10:17

Hi!

I'm glad you like the desk!  The one in the picture is the one I built, not the pottery barn one!  My dimensions were a good bit different than the PB desk - square bases instead of rectangular and counter stool height instead of desk/table height.  So, I have no idea if I have my plans for this anymore, so I went and measured it again for you!  

So each base is 18" x 18" square and 34" high so that with the 2" top the total height is 36".

 

Each base was made of oak plywood that made with 3 sides, a top and a bottom.  All edges were rabbit joints (3/8" deep in thickness of boards and probably 3/8" wide - not 100% on width of rabbits).  It's kind of a pain to do rabbit joints if you don't have a dado blade for your table saw, so you could use pocket hole screws instead.  I glued and nailed these joints with a finish nailer, I believe.  

I figured a diagram with measurements would be easier than trying to write descriptions...so I'm adding another pic with the dimensions outlined.  Drawing is NOT to scale, so sorry about that!  I really need to learn to use SketchUp.  Let me know if you have any questions!  

Monty742

monty742

Sat, 01/09/2016 - 07:57

Hi!

I'm glad you like the desk!  The one in the picture is the one I built, not the pottery barn one!  My dimensions were a good bit different than the PB desk - square bases instead of rectangular and counter stool height instead of desk/table height.  So, I have no idea if I have my plans for this anymore, so I went and measured it again for you!  

So each base is 18" x 18" square and 34" high so that with the 2" top the total height is 36".

 

Each base was made of oak plywood that made with 3 sides, a top and a bottom.  All edges were rabbit joints (3/8" deep in thickness of boards and probably 3/8" wide - not 100% on width of rabbits).  It's kind of a pain to do rabbit joints if you don't have a dado blade for your table saw, so you could use pocket hole screws instead.  I glued and nailed these joints with a finish nailer, I believe.  

I figured a diagram with measurements would be easier than trying to write descriptions...so I'm adding another pic with the dimensions outlined.  Drawing is NOT to scale, so sorry about that!  I really need to learn to use SketchUp.  Let me know if you have any questions!  

monty742

Thu, 07/28/2016 - 14:13

No you can't buy them from Ikea.  I bought the table tops from Ikea, but I built the bases.  The dimensions for the bases are in one of the additional pictures with the post if you want to see them!

treverandamber

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 07:41

What are the total dimensions of the table top? Thinking of building something like this, but want to make sure it will fit in my space.

Simgre81

Thu, 12/28/2017 - 07:00

Are these just slide in drawers, or did you use some sort of hardware to have them slide in and out?

Tool Caddy

Submitted by docbromo on Thu, 01/20/2022 - 15:21

I repurpose furniture as a hobby and I got tired of having my tools hanging on a wall on the other side of the garage so I bult this rolling tool caddy. It is made out of 3/4" plywood, a couple of 2x4's and some heavy-duty casters. I built one about 3 years ago and realized that there were some things I wanted to do differently so I sold it and bult this one. My wife gave me a subscription to SketchUp and I had fun drawing it up and tweaking it. I left an over hang of 3" on both sides so I could store my clamps. I also attached an electrical cord reel on the right side and reversed the ends so the male end can plug into the wall and I can roll the unit across the room allowing me to be able to charge my batteries. The back side has a 44 drawer storage organizer and also a few shelves for additional tools like a router and a multi-tool. I'm not nearly the craftsman many of you are and I'm sure you could do a much better job. I didn't build it to look pretty but to be functional and it works for me.

Comments

Jayp413

Fri, 01/21/2022 - 09:16

I really like this idea. I have my tools hung up neat all around the garage, but I keep walking back and forth for tools and batteries. It would be great to roll this over to a project and have everything you need right there. Nice work. I will modify one for my needs.

BigMacQue

Fri, 01/21/2022 - 10:06

there are some very thoughtful features on this, notably the wings at the top and the bottom for clamps and extra tools and the different shelf heights. Well done! I'm going to build one just like it and a power strip for battery storage.

Modified Simple Outdoor Dining Table

Submitted by ewood on Tue, 05/31/2011 - 08:04

Wanted a Patio table and when I saw the plans on this site I really liked it; I just changed the plan a bit. Everything was screwed from the underside of the table, also I attached the legs with 2" lag screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

child's airplane swing

Thank you for the great idea!

I built this for my nephew's birthday.

I took the child's airplane swing and modified it to look like the character from Disney's Planes.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

JoanneS

Sun, 08/11/2013 - 05:55

This is soooo cute, your nephew is going to love it!! I love how you gave it a Disney character's face!

Cedar Outdoor Dining Table and Benches

My wife and I loved the version that Finns-Dad made but we wanted it to be rectangular. The top is 1x6s around the edges with 1x4s in between. The frame is 1x4s. The bench tops are all 1x4s with 4x4 legs. There are 3/8 inch lag bolts in the legs. We did 4 coats of the urethane.

This was my first major project, and while there are many things that I would do differently if given the opportunity, we're still very pleased with it.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rust-Oleum Varathane Classic Clear Water Based Outdoor Spar Urethane Semi Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Drop Leaf Mobile Kitchen Island

Submitted by jkjackson on Sun, 03/14/2021 - 11:19

This was born out of the need for more counter space in our galley kitchen. We don't have the space to add an island. Especially around the holidays, it would be great to have extra space for making cookies, serving big meals, etc. I used Ana's Small Kitchen Island Prep Cart plans for inspiration. I adapted the dimensions to fit at the end of our counters when not in use and added a drop leaf to give us almost 4 additional feet of butcher block counter top when we need it. I used scrap lumber that I had for the cabinet and had an extra drawer handle that matches our kitchen cabinets but bought the butcher block, locking casters, drawer slide and hardware for the legs. Also, the weight of the butcher block makes it want to tip when it's away from the cabinet with the drop leaf down so I added a lead counter weight inside the drawer.

Estimated Cost
$150-200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr paint for the cabinet, food grade mineral oil and cutting board wax for the butcher block
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

jkjackson

Sat, 07/24/2021 - 16:59

Sure! I used a 4 foot butcher block and cut it down. The horizontal part is 13 1/2" and the drop leaf part is 32 1/8" attached with a piano hinge. The legs need to be cut and hinged to fit when folded up. This one is made so that the drop leaf fits right under the overhang of the kitchen countertop that it is next to so it's snug against the cabinet and not an issue but, if you want it to be freestanding, the weight of the butcher block will pull it over if you don't weight the cabinet down with something as well. I got a 5 pound lead bar from Amazon in case we need to use it somewhere else. I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Queen Murphy Bed

Submitted by Jenga on Sun, 12/06/2015 - 12:59

Not too bad of a project but had to a good bit of guess work so I could changed the plans for a queen size bed and flip in on its side.

Estimated Cost
$200 if you already have the bed
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White Paint and laminate flooring left over from the floor.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Arilie

Sun, 05/29/2016 - 18:50

Good evening!

I am new at wood working, and would be very interrested in knowing the different measurements you changed to get from a twin to queen murphy bed. If it is posted on this page, I tried but couldn't find it. Thank you for your help. Have a good day.

Marie-Julie

Cute DIY Pallet Potting Bench

Submitted by shampbel on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 20:33

Made from 2 pallets, 2 x 6 x 8, leftover trim from my house, wood branch from my backyard. Attached shelf with pocket holes.

Accents:
-Handpainted lettering; painted prior to glazing entire piece
-Finials made from 4.25 inch spray painted and glazed clay pots and saucers coated with Valspar clear finish and attached together with epoxy; buttons attached to pots with E6000 adhesive
-Buttons attached mostly with small screws; a few with holes too small for screws were attached with epoxy
-Plastic flowers made from mayo and water bottles and lids; sanded, primed, spray painted, coated with Valspar clear coating; attached with screws
-Faucet knobs sanded, spray painted, glazed and attached with screws
-Plumbing pipe filled with plumber epoxy puttty; insert screw into putty before it hardened, then screwed into wood
-Gardening tool hooks made from pant wire hangers with a few beads attached; wire simply wrapped around tree branch

Not sure that I will use pallet wood again since difficult to pull apart pallets, uneven and some split boards could not be used, and required tons of sanding for those boards that could be used. I think I paid more for orbital sanding pads than the cost of buying new wood. Will use pallet wood for other non-furniture projects not requiring a perfect finish.

Estimated Cost
$40.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Kids distressed with hammers, sanded with 80 grit, Kilz Primer (1 coat), Sherwin Williams Exterior White Latex Paint (1 coat), Behr Glaze tinted with Brown Latex, Spar Urethane (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Closet shelving for sloped ceiling.

Submitted by kellystern on Mon, 01/09/2023 - 16:22

I used Ana’s Shelf Help Configurator to build these shelves for a deeply sloped ceiling. None of those well known Closet Organizer Companies could come up with a decent plan for this closet and they charge a small fortune.

Comments

Farmhouse Storage Bed With Hidden Drawer

Submitted by Beekeeper on Wed, 12/10/2014 - 17:35

Ana, thanks for these plans! They inspired me to make my first bed build. I also want to thank all of you that added brag posts! They gave me ideas for some of the modifications that I made. I did this build by mixing your Queen Farmhouse and Queen Farmhouse Storage bed plans. I also added a number of modifications to suit my own preferences. The drawer boxes I changed by building a faceplate (I didn't want the plywood ends exposed), and by increasing in depth to maximize some additional storage. Since I increased the drawer sizes, I went with the euro roller bearing slides. I increased the foot-board height to be slightly higher than the mattress. I also designed the footboard to have a removable inner section with hidden latches on the inside. I did this because I wanted to make use of the "dead space" between the drawer boxes. I then used this space to house a hidden drawer, that is approx six feet deep (I couldn't help myself-I love hidden drawers wink). Because I added the hidden drawer, I changed the opptional center support to 4X4 blockes that were pocket screwed under the center of the boxes. I ended up using birch plywood and fir for this build. For my first bed build I'm fairly happy with how it came out. Thanks again!

Estimated Cost
I didn't keep exact track of the cost of this bed, but I think it was about $800.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I haven't got there yet, but I am planning on putting a mahogany stain and then a polyurethane. All
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Thu, 12/11/2014 - 07:41

This is your first build and you did all of those awesome modifications?! Really impressive and it looks perfect! Congrats and welcome to the community!

In reply to by spiceylg

Beekeeper

Sun, 12/14/2014 - 06:03

Thanks for the compliments! It was a fun learning experience. Making all the modifications definitely slowed down the build, but also made it more rewarding!

beckbg

Fri, 12/12/2014 - 13:18

I just started my bed (mostly out of Baltic Birch) and am wondering where you were able to find such nice 4x4s. Your bed is gorgeous! No luck here. I bought redwood, but really wanted fir for the sharper edges. It's my first project, too. I also bought same drawer slides, but the soft close. Didn't want the slam. I figure building it will be the easy part compared to procuring nice 4x4s! Hope you can help!

In reply to by beckbg

Beekeeper

Sun, 12/14/2014 - 06:01

Thanks! The 4x4s I found at a place called Better Living Building Supply. They had a pretty nice assortment of fir, including the 4x4s, so that is why I chose it for the build. Finding the 4x4s slowed down my start on the build. Our local Lowes only had them in treated pine.

athingvall

Sat, 09/05/2015 - 20:47

Thank you for the pictures, the bed turned out Awesome.  I was wondering about the latching system for the foot of the bed.  Do you think a piano hinge on the lower would work too?  Also on the center drawer did you use rollers or is it just friction?  Can't wait to start the build.

Thanks

Codding58

Mon, 02/15/2016 - 14:11

This is excellent!!!   I really like this, so much in fact that the wife is going to have to get used to it too. lol   But really, GREAT work!    Any chance you could post a pic and or comment about how you attached that removeable end?    i think this is the best part!    Cheers!

Kmaynard19

Tue, 12/10/2019 - 08:42

Beekeeper,  Awesome build!!!  Have you posted your altered plans anywhere?  I'm very interested in your build, I was wondering about some aspects of it and how you approached it.  Plans would clear it up instead of bothering you with all my questions.

NinjaPinky

Sat, 06/20/2020 - 09:06

I, like many others, have been wondering if you'd share your plans for this modification. It just looks so great!

tammis50401

Mon, 11/16/2020 - 15:42

Bed turned out awesome. I was wondering if you have the plans for the bed with a list of supplies it took to make this bed. I so want this bed it's just what we are needing

Great job

Trash / Recycling Cabinet

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 07/27/2021 - 11:21

This was a build I was able to check off my Honey-do List. We use it as a Trash / Recycling Cabinet. Basic cabinet build with tray drawers for the trash cans.

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

Comments

My new and amazing outdoor bench

Submitted by ישראל on Sat, 11/16/2013 - 21:57

Thank you for the easy and fun bench plan.
It was really easy to install.
Even my 2 little daughters had fun (-:

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Bondex walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

Chachamation

Thu, 10/02/2014 - 07:21

This is absolutely amazing!

This "ישראל" person is super talented comes to the final touches!!  From now on, I will start following your work...

Cute corner cabinet!

Submitted by rmurray87 on Sun, 06/02/2013 - 11:24

This project took me the majority of a three-day weekend to complete, but it was well worth it! I had the lumber store cut the beadboard panel for me so that it would fit in my car. This was also the first time I built something with doors on it, which was a bit of a learning curve, but came out alright in the end. I used pocket holes to build the face frame, and attached the shelves to the frame first before attaching them to the 1x8 back. I used 1 1/4" pocket hole screws and 2" wood screws. I left off the trim at the top and didn't bother to cut out the footer, but I think it still looks pretty cute.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Accent color: Appletini from Valspar
Main color: Earthy Mushroom Taupe from Glidden

Everything was given a good sanding and a healthy dose of primer before painting.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Paper Roll Dispenser

Submitted by vendo on Wed, 11/17/2021 - 10:44

This took me about 20 minutes! I love the look of it and that it can just be left out when the kids aren't doing art. A great little item to add to keep the kids busy and inspired. I made a couple of mods from the plan. I used glue and nails instead of pocket holes and I did that bottom board flat instead of on it's side. I also used a little bigger dowel, and bought two rolls of paper on Amazon for $14.I'm giving this to my daughter for her birthday with some fun art supplies, so I think it's a great gift idea for any occasion for those crafty people out there!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Monika

Tue, 04/02/2024 - 06:09

Sometimes, when working with papers, you might need to convert file formats, right? So, I recently came across this website https://pdfflex.com/webp-to-png It's super handy for converting. It's been a real time-saver for me, especially when I need to tweak documents for printing or sharing. I'd desided to share in case it helps someone else out there too!

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