Community Brag Posts

Bedroom to walkin closet

Submitted by Jonesey on Fri, 11/18/2016 - 21:55

Bedroom conversion to walk in closet.

Inspired by Ana White we turned a spare bedroom into a walk in closet.  We ripped up the old carpet, polished the concrete floors and built over 30 feet of custom closet.  We also added two shoe racks and a linen closet.  The shelves are 90" tall and that enabled us to double up on the hanging pipe.

Thanks to all here on Ana White for the inspiration!

 

Estimated Cost
$800
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Clear polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Dress Up Center for Peyton’s 3rd Birthday

Submitted by lmm7rn on Thu, 08/06/2020 - 17:19

We made this adorable dress up center for my niece’s 3rd birthday. Peyton and her sister Ava will be able to use this gift for years to come! It’s strong and sturdy and built to last. The cart itself is quite large and will hold loads of dress up costumes. Can’t wait to give it to the birthday girl this weekend!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Flip Top Storage Bench

Ana's Flip Top Storage Bench. I made this ASAP, after I saw it in the book, and then online. I thought it was going to be longer and was thinking it would go great in the mudroom, but after it was finished it turned out to be the perfect size for a fireside seat.

This is my first time using hinges....are they supposed to show? By the time I got them on and working I was pooped and didn't want to test my luck. Maybe I'll have to get some more decorative looking ones!

Used my Kreg Jig, still had splitting issues.
Used finishing nails around the shelves to secure a bit.

Oh and HD didn't have a 1x12x12 so I had to get three 1x12x6 . Bet that cost more, but I'm happy to have some more scrap wood to play around with.

Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
Lost my reciept....maybe that's a good thing?!
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
minwax color expressions walnut, about 2/3 of the tube.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Maira (not verified)

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 09:27

You did a great job on this table. What color stain did you use? And did you put a coat of poly on it?

Yes, the hinges are supposed to show. I made this table about two years ago when Ana first posted the pans, but I don't use it as a table. I use it as a bench in my entryway to hold gloves, hats, etc. It's held up great all these years, and now I'm thinking of building another one for by my garage door, since that's where we come in and out most times.

ValerieMcClintick

Sun, 10/21/2012 - 09:38

Thanks, I used Minwax color expressions in walnut, I haven't put poly on it yet, I thought I might just put a wax over it to make it a bit smoother. I don't really know what I'm doing quite yet, so I'll have to learn my options!

I'm thinking of making the longer version for the mud room....should go quicker on round two right!

:) Valerie

abbpim

Mon, 10/22/2012 - 09:06

I think in order to get your hinges to be more minimally showing you can inset them by using wood chisels to shave a rectangle of wood from the surface where the hinge lays. I've used hinges on a couple things so far and that's what my husband said to do but I was being to lazy to get some chisels. You can get them at any hardware store for pretty cheap I think. Now I'm not positive on any of this since I haven't been doing this hobby for too long. Your bench looks great by the way!

Wall Hanging Cabinet

Submitted by ananda on Thu, 08/07/2014 - 20:25

This cabinet is made of our local Torrey Pine: “the rarest pine species in the United States, an endangered species growing only in San Diego County and on one of the Channel Islands”-Wikipedia. It has special meaning to us because we love hiking at the Torrey Pine State Reserve! And the purple one is poplar, which I used on the sides.

The design is inspired by early American jelly cupboards and shaker cabinets. We wanted an open cabinet with shelves so we can see and appreciate those pretty bowls and potteries we love. We also love the charming country style of those primitive furniture pieces.

The entire post is here- http://www.apieceofrainbow.com/diy-make-a-wall-cabinet-from-scratch/

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
tung oil
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Kitchen Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/22/2016 - 18:28

This Farmhouse table and bench were made, stained, and painted over the course of two weekends. This makes a great project for a beginner woodworker to cut their teeth on.  You can make something fantastic while learning various woodworking techniques (i.e. joinery, planing, sanding, and staining). The chairs were purchased separately at the At Home store for $150 each. 

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Special walnut stain and 3 coats of satin clearcoat on top. The legs are stained, then painted with spun cotton paint (behr), then scuffed for a Farmhouse look, and finally sealed with 2 coats of satin clearcoat.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Folding Work Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/11/2020 - 16:03

First build.

The plans and cut list were a tad off but I made a saw guide a cut it down from 36 to 24 after assembled.

I had HD do all my cuts but have since done my own!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Not sure bought tools, wood and hardware at same time ($160)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Little Blue Bed

I used scrape wood for the headboard to save money. Wood cost approx $15, paint from oops section $3 and screws from my Kreg jig box set.

This was my first real project and I'm hooked.

Thanks Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Olympic One in Semi-Gloss Teeny Bikini
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Husky farmhouse table

Submitted by Dhoppe on Sun, 08/10/2014 - 20:11

My first DIY project that I built as a wedding present for my soon to be wife. Got my inspiration from Ana White's husky farmhouse table. I made the table a 4'x4' top and a counter height 36".

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$165
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax dark walnut base stain sanded, minwax classic gray stain, then paint and sand to finish the base. Table top is two coats of minwax classic gray with three coats of minwax fast drying polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Mid century dresser

Purchased a dwell studio mid century dresser, and only the legs arrived. The company let me keep the legs since the dresser was out of stock, but I had it in my head that I wanted that dresser so decided to replicate it! These were my first drawers ever and getting the inset spacing perfect was challenging but fun! 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax water based wipe on poly, American decor maxx gloss paint in white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Patio Benches and Table

Followed Ana's plan and built two benches table. Pretty happy with the results.
Cost was about $250 including the paint which was $100.

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
BEHR MARQUEE Exterior Semi-Gloss. Two coats with sanding in between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Collapsible Candle Display Stand

Submitted by ivyfamily5 on Sun, 07/28/2024 - 14:28

My teen is selling handcrafted candles at her first craft fair, and she needed a beautiful display. Ana White’s Cupcake stand was our inspiration. I added my own tweaks to make it come apart for easy transport. The shelves are tight enough to make it stable, but slide off with a little muscle. My favorite part was teaching my daughter to sand and stain.

 

Built from Plan(s)

Sweet pea bunk bed

My husband and his father-in-law made this bed together for our daughter. It took about 3 months working every other weekend. My father-in-law is an engineer and he modified the bed so we could more easily assemble and disassemble it to get it up the stairs and into her room. My mother in law painted it, added the flowers and made the roof shingles out of craft foam sheets.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

booksnotbombs

Wed, 08/13/2014 - 11:55

What a lucky daughter you have! How old is she? I'm 28, and I'd LOVE to have this bed! ;) You can tell a lot of work went into this and the details. Great job.

White Bunk Beds

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 11/29/2016 - 21:51

This was a pretty straightforward project. The building itself was simple and quick, although the sanding and paint took a while. I wish I had sanded before putting the boards together to make a cleaner look. The bolts had to be awkwardly close to the edge to avoid the 2x6s on the headboard and footboard, but it ended up working ok with some serious pre-drilling. I used 9 1x3 slats to create the platform for each mattress (18 total). It would probably be better with 12 so they are closer together. 

Overall, the bunk bed is super sturdy (and heavy!) and the kids LOVE it. 

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Custom DIY Guitars

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/02/2024 - 14:23

I’ve been making guitars and charcuterie boards to keep myself busy

Nightstands Per Daughter's Specifications From Ana's Plans

Submitted by pondrider on Mon, 08/18/2014 - 13:12

Our newlywed daughter was searching for nightstands for their new home. When we gave her a Daddy gift card for the Ana-White plans Nightstands she accepted as she would be able to decorate per specification and not because of some store color. She also received a superior product to what she was shopping.

Estimated Cost
Estimated cost for both is less than $75.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted per our daughter.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

pondrider

Wed, 08/20/2014 - 09:43

I wish I had figured out how to post it better with clear linkage to your plans and a better picture but our daugter is happy. The locker I built 4- 5 moves ago is a real success story.

Gray Farmhouse Console Table

Submitted by boneill on Mon, 08/17/2020 - 18:56

Happy Fall Y’all. Love the Gray / White Farmhouse Colors. I can share the plans I modified for this build if anyone wants to build their own .

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Gray Stain, White Paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

dheald

Sun, 09/06/2020 - 07:05

Hello! This looks great and it’s exactly what I’m looking for in an alternative build. Would you be willing to share the plans with me?

Thanks!

Seasonal And Holiday

In Drawer Knife Organizer

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/06/2024 - 10:53

Thank you for another amazing plan! I used another readers tip and notched some 1x2 with my table saw to add steak knife storage. I’m completely in love with this all-from-scrap, done-in-an-evening, organizer!

Andrea F.

Built from Plan(s)

Laundry Dresser

Submitted by rosiejane on Fri, 11/02/2012 - 23:32

Really happy with the final product and the hubby is glad I have finally finished a project. This project was an answer to the piles of washing crowding our small laundry. I found 3 sturdy family sized (huge) rectangular laundry baskets for $10ea at Kmart and then used Sketchup to adjust the plans to allow for the bigger baskets (Sketchup is so much fun to use). I ended up having to buy an extra piece of wood for the top because I forgot to allow for the thickness of the sides when measuring the top and base. (I know, I know, measure twice cut once...) I used the piece I had cut for the top as the base and then got a new piece for the top. When I finally got all the pieces cut to size it all went together pretty quickly. I used melamine for the box because it was cheap and I wouldn't have to paint it. It did chip a little bit along the edges when I cut it but it's not too bad. I used 30 x 30mm pine for the basket supports and had to countersink the screws 1cm so I could use 30mm screws. I used iron-on melamine edging to finish the exposed edges of chipboard and used paint on the back and supports. Actual construction didn't take long but the painting took about a day by the time I'd done one basecoat and two top-coats.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40 (AUD) incl. screws. Already had the paint.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Dulux Prepcoat & Dulux Aquanamel White on back and basket supports. The rest was white melamine.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

rosiejane

Mon, 11/05/2012 - 01:06

Thanks for the feedback. I cut the melamine myself. I clamped a straight edge on top of the melamine (allowing for the distance from the edge of the saw to the blade) and then used my jigsaw to cut. My local bunnings didn't seem too interested in cutting specific sizes. They were happy to just cut lengths down so I can fit them in my car but said their saw could be inaccurate up to 10mm from one end of the cut to the other. (Personally I think the guy just couldn't be bothered) Since I wanted my project to be square I figured it was much easier to just do it myself.
With sketchup I just play around and learn as I go. I got the hang of it pretty quickly although I'm still figuring out some of the more complicated stuff like using the protractor tool to do angles etc.

Npledger

Thu, 01/01/2015 - 22:05

I love this. These baskets are very sturdy. Is there anyway you can post the measurements. I have never made anything but this looks perfect. I have never used sketch up. Please let me know if you are able to post the measurements. Thanks!

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