Community Brag Posts
Simple Square Cedar Outdoor Dining Table
I've been planning on building a patio table for this coming spring and summer, but didn't know where to begin. I found Ana's wonderful site and now I don't know where to stop! So many great ideas.
After seeing ewood's great table I decided to make one similar. I made my square table based on Ana's and ewood's basic designs. Thank you both. I also made a bench based on Ana's design.
Comments
Sun, 03/18/2012 - 16:36
Beautiful and Solid!
That looks like it could handle a big and boisterous group. The cedar and the finish are beautiful.
Thu, 03/29/2012 - 07:37
Great for larger families!
I have a family of 7 (soon to be 8, I hope), and was trying to figure out how to fit us all on the rectangular table. This is the solution! I can simply make 4 benches to go with it! Thanks for the idea and the picture!
Mon, 04/09/2012 - 07:24
Questions :)
Love this table and your modifications to ewood's table. I was wondering what size are the legs on your table - I can't tell if they are 4x4s...which is sort of what I'd like to have on mine. And they are under mounted, which I love because I want to make ours with the ability to remove the legs for reduced storage space in the winter. If you could would you mind putting a few close up photos of how the outside corner came out and the underside of the corners. It would be much appreciated.
Mon, 04/09/2012 - 07:27
Questions :)
Love this table and your modifications to ewood's table. I was wondering what size are the legs on your table - I can't tell if they are 4x4s...which is sort of what I'd like to have on mine. And they are under mounted, which I love because I want to make ours with the ability to remove the legs for reduced storage space in the winter. If you could would you mind putting a few close up photos of how the outside corner came out and the underside of the corners. It would be much appreciated.
In reply to Questions :) by K_W (not verified)
Sat, 04/14/2012 - 13:35
Yes - I used 4x4 legs
Hi - sorry it took a little while to get back to you. Yes the legs are 4x4's. I used knotted cedar 4x4's for the legs and made them 29" tall. I wanted to be able to disassemble the table and put it away for winter, so I attached the legs using carriage bolts, 2 per side (4 total per leg). I drilled holes using a pilot bit, then used a spatter bit to make the larger holes for the carriage bolt.
I didn't bother to counter sink them, but if I made another I think I would try that to make a more polished look. The legs are sturdy, the table doesn't wobble at all, but I am sure that someone with more furniture building experience might have a different/better idea.
I've added a couple more photos showing the corners, outside and underneath. I've also added my very basic plans that I used to make the table, one of these days I will study Ana's post of how to use sketch-up, until then this is what I worked with.
Wed, 06/06/2012 - 09:26
Question
Can you tell me what size (width) boards you used on the frame pieces of the table, and what size on the inner boards? From your diagrams, it looks like the frame is made of 1x4s, but the inner pieces look smaller. Thank you !!!
Your table is absolutely beautiful. It looks like a very high-end piece of furniture. One of my favorite things is how the carriage bolts are installed -- I wouldn't change a thing on them!
Tue, 07/30/2013 - 16:36
Sorry it took so long to
Sorry it took so long to reply - I didn't see your post. So far the table is holding up well.
You're right, the top is made from 1x4's, including the inlaid slats. To support the top, I cut 1x4's down to 1x3's so they remain hidden by the side 1x4's of the frame.
Tue, 10/16/2012 - 18:02
Question
Love the table - looks absolutely fantastic! I have been looking for a decent square outdoor table for ages and this one certainly fits the bill.
Can you please add a photo of the underside of the table and advise how you fastened inner boards on table top. Thanks.
In reply to Question by Aussie Paul (not verified)
Tue, 07/30/2013 - 16:40
new photo of bottom
I added a new photo of the bottom. Hopefully this will help show how I attached the top. I have a number of additional photo's I can send to you if you like - this site limits the number of photos I can add.
Everything is attached from the bottom to hide the screws. I used a kreg jig and it helped so much - i really recommend it.
Wed, 08/14/2013 - 12:35
Table plans
I love the look of this table, man - I think I'm gonna steal some ideas from this.
I have a question about your top, though. The slats look to be 1x4s, which I can understand, but the edges seem to be a bigger size.
Did you use 1x6 boards for the edges? 1x8s? Something else?
Thanks for your help.
Mon, 09/02/2013 - 11:03
table top
Thank you - please take any ideas from it that you can. That is what I love that about Ana's site. You can take these great ideas and make them fit your own style...
You're right - the table top is made of 1x4's and 1x6's. When i put the top together I made the frame first. Then I added the exterior 1x6's. Next I added the center 1x6. Lastly I cut each 1x4 to size and added them.
Sat, 05/17/2014 - 07:15
Materials List
This is an amazing table, it is beautiful! I am somewhat new to wood working and was wondering if there was a material list? I plan on creating this in AutoCAD first, so I have a visual to work off of. Also what did you use for spacing in between the boards or what was the allowance of space.
Thanks again, your work is beautiful!
Sat, 05/17/2014 - 07:15
Materials List
This is an amazing table, it is beautiful! I am somewhat new to wood working and was wondering if there was a material list? I plan on creating this in AutoCAD first, so I have a visual to work off of. Also what did you use for spacing in between the boards or what was the allowance of space.
Thanks again, your work is beautiful!
Wed, 06/17/2015 - 11:48
Material List
Great table…any chance you can share the plan and material list? Cheers
Wed, 04/22/2020 - 20:37
Question for Plans for Simple Outdoor Table
In looking at the plans and the underside of the table, there are some measurements missing that make it a little hard to decipher. It would be good to know the lumber sizes e.g. 1x4x8 etc. the underneath side seems to have some additional boards that don’t seem to be in the drawing. I was just wondering if it might be possible to get some additional details?
Sun, 05/24/2020 - 08:05
Question on underneath tabletop screws
This is a beautiful table and I'm going to try and replicate in a rectangular version. Primary question I have is what length screws you used to affix the framing pieces underneath to the top side so that the wood doesn't split and that the screws don't pop thru the top. Any help you can provide would be appreciated, if even you still look at this page. Thanks in advance!
DIY Greenhouse Project -Added elevated raised beds & temp/humidity control
We loved this greenhouse plan from AnaWhite and wanted to be able to grow in 3 seasons so we modified the design to include humidity & temperature control & 18" deep elevated cedar beds inside with 4x4 posts for support and trellis option. We added electricity in order to have a lighted workspace and the ability to put in a circulating fan to control mold and fungus. We added 2 work tables (2x2') on the inside of the door left and right side door in order to do seed trays & store supplies. This was a wonderful project for my husband and my plants inside are doing incredibly well compared to my outside garden beds here in zone 5. Products used:
Foundation
We had a landscape company come and scape/dig a platform and then fill/compact with crushed rock
My husband then used rebar driven into a 4x4 frame in order to secure the frame to the ground and create a base upon which to build the greenhouse
Active ventilation
AC Infinity Cloudline T8 Inline duct fan
Air king range hood wall cap 8" on the bottom outside of the greenhouse wall for air intake + flex 8" duct to the fan itself
Shelter logic autovent automatic shelter vent kits (1 on each side of the front wall) in order to allow air intake from the bottom back of the greenhouse under the elevated beds to flow to the front of the greenhouse and out
Circulating fan- Hurricane wall mount fan 16" - this fan has 3 speeds with tilt function and small mounting bracket
Soil - sourced 3 yards of 50/50 loam/compost from local landscaping supply
60% loam
30% organic compost
10% organic topsoil + perlite
Soil beds
-cedar frame 2 feet wide along sides, 3 feet wide on the back wall
-galvanized metal roofing with holes drilled into it for drainage
-landscape cloth lined
Comments
Wed, 09/09/2020 - 13:09
Thanks for that update! I…
Thanks for that update! I was wondering how to vent this project, as Green houses need the ventilation. Good to know dollar amount also. Great photos.
Wed, 09/09/2020 - 13:09
Thanks for that update! I…
Thanks for that update! I was wondering how to vent this project, as Green houses need the ventilation. Good to know dollar amount also. Great photos.
Wed, 09/09/2020 - 13:09
Thanks for that update! I…
Thanks for that update! I was wondering how to vent this project, as Green houses need the ventilation. Good to know dollar amount also. Great photos.
Cedar Planter Boxes
They were simple to make and the plan was easy to follow. The only modification I made was adding the 1x3 topper in place of the longer legs sticking out of the top.
Comments
Fri, 07/19/2013 - 06:36
These are great!
Adding these to my to-do list for spring (yes, I plan ahead). I'm thinking of elevating and elongating them to fit around a bay window.
2x4 Essential Adirondack Chair
I used Western red cedar to build my chairs. The build was a little more expensive but well worth it. The chairs were stained with Cabot’s Australian Timber Oil ( Jarrah Brown). Thanks for the plans Ana, your site is awesome and you do a great job! Mark
Comments
Mon, 11/16/2020 - 12:31
Very beautiful!
Thanks for sharing Mark, definitely worth the extra investment!
Laundry Basket Rack
This was a great last minute Christmas gift. Took me a little over two hours. Made completely out if pallet wood.
Comments
Sun, 12/26/2021 - 13:19
Great pallet project!
It looks great, I'm sure the recipient loved it! Thanks for sharing:)
Outdoor Sectional
Modified the plans of the outdoor sofa and sectional piece to create this set, then added cushions from IKEA.
Comments
Wed, 02/21/2024 - 10:27
I'm building the sectional…
I'm building the sectional this weekend, and saw your addition to the end piece and am going to steal your idea. Very nice.
Custom Counter Height Garden Boxes
Click the blog link for a full description of this project. Thanks for looking! - Clint
Easy Garage Shelving
I used Ana's Freestanding Shelf plan and customized it to fit my needs. I incorporated laundry and recycle storage, a rolling bench and built in for our chest freezer. If you want to see it being built with some added tips, that video is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8w7XGiVMbs&t=258s
Easy DIY Garage Shelves
Easy to build, easy to customize, perfect for totes
Reclined Back Outdoor Sofa and Chair DIY
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!!
Comments
Large 6 X 8 Sandbox
We wanted to make a large sandbox for lots of kids. We love that it has an easy cover and two large benches to sit.
Supplies and Steps are shared at http://myhomedonemyway.blogspot.com/2013/07/building-6-x-8-sandbox.html
Comments
Wed, 02/26/2014 - 13:37
8 X 10 foot Sandbox
I hope sharing this will inspire others of things that they can make. Check out my blog for other DIY projects: http://myhomedonemyway.blogspot.com
Pull-out Shelves
Stationary shelves are such a hassle, especially in a deep pantry cabinet! Now I can actually SEE the contents of my pantry cabinet. Thanks for the inspiration and tutorial to get it done!
Comments
DIY Outdoor Daybed
I built this outdoor daybed to add a cozy and inviting space to my backyard. It was a fairly easy build, which I managed to tackle by myself. Head over to the blog for more details.
Loft Cabin Bunk Bed
Best Christmas present according to my 4-year-old twins :) I combined ideas from Jen Woodhouse's "cabin bed" and "loft cabin bed" after seeing another brag post from someone who had turned it into a bunk bed. I added a separate platform for the lower mattress for uniformity and to provide some air circulation for the mattress. I also opted for a 2x6 as the bottom weight-bearing beam because I wanted to be able to add an extra couple pocket screws since this mama likes to play in the top bunk too! My girls took turns sleeping in the top/bottom for the first 2 nights, and have been camping out together in the top bunk ever since... and my husband and I are finally getting to sleep in on the weekends because they never want to come out of their room!
**Side note -- I'm not sure how my pictures got flipped but I have no idea how to fix it!
Varathane weathered grey for roof & stairs
Rustoleum "Chalked" in charcoal for window trim
Comments
Wed, 01/08/2020 - 06:09
This is exactly what I am…
This is exactly what I am looking for. How tall is it? Can you post plans of how you modified it?
Fri, 10/02/2020 - 09:33
I am SO sorry but I haven't…
I am SO sorry but I haven't been on here since I posted the bunkbeds (almost 9 months ago!) I had written out all of my modified measurements on the Jen Woodhouse plans but have since lost it somewhere in my garage :( Here is what I can tell you at the moment: short side of "front" & "back" panels = 77.25" ; I kept the angles on the sides/roof the same, so the highest point of roof = 89" (I have short 8' ceilings so this leaves ~7" space up top). I used what I believe were 5" tongue & groove flooring panels instead of plywood for all sides, framed by 2x4s and 2x6 underneath for a little extra support. The height from the bottom of the top bunk to the floor is 38", and I added a 2x6 piece between the bottom legs of the 2 side pieces, flush with the outside edge. I built a rectangular frame for the bottom mattress using 2x6" on the long sides and 2x4 on the short sides -- the 2x4s are raised off the floor in order to allow for air circulation under the mattress and act as the end slats (they're flush on top with the rest of the slats, which I used 2x4s instead of the 1x in the plans)... instead of the 2x2 supports for the mattresses I used some scrap 2x3s from my kids old toddler beds which I had also built but tried to recycle as much of the wood as I could for this project, plus the 2x6 gave me a little more wiggle room -- if you use 2x4 you won't have space for 2x3 supports. The front "door" opening is 22.75", which I based on my size and me being able to get in and out easily (as mentioned above, I like to camp out with my kids sometimes!). The window openings are 12" w x 13.5" h, but the height is measured after I made a 1x3" window ledge which is flush with the inside of the wall; the rest of the windows are framed with 1x2s and 1x3s.
The full width of the side panels is 38" and the front/back are 78.5" -- I based these on the mattresses which I had already bought (Novaform twin from Costco -- since they're memory foam they're a little easier to "squeeze" in the top bunk than I would imagine a regular mattress would be).
I think that covers everything, sorry again about replying so late!
Fri, 10/02/2020 - 09:42
2 more things: The bottom …
2 more things:
The bottom "frame" was meant to be removable for easy assembly/disassembly as my family moves a lot! That is why I used the inner 2x4s to hold the long side rails together, and the short-side 2x6s which are attached to the side frames are merely fore the illusion that it's all one piece. I did place a couple 2.5" screws through the inside of the 2x4s right into the legs of the upper bunk to make sure it stays in place.
When building the front panels with the windows, I decided on door opening first, then window opening (based on the size of the tongue & groove flooring), then calculated the width of all the pieces to create the window opening. I used pocked holes to connect the tongue & groove flooring to the "frame" created by the 2x4 pieces, and TONS of wood glue in between the boards. Adding the window frames with glue & nails helped provide a little more stability to the windows, although once the glue was dry there was zero movement around the window but I never know with my extremely-destructive twins! Now they're able to climb all over the bunk using the window ledge for support and it's no problem.
Mudroom Closet Makeover
The concept of hidden boot storage at the back is genius!!! I knew as soon as I saw your plan that I needed that in this space! Thank you so much for what you do!
Comments
Fri, 01/22/2021 - 11:42
Closet Mudroom
May I ask how you would assemble if you wanted the hinge in the back as in this picture?
Thank you.
Wed, 08/25/2021 - 04:51
Hello, can you tell me how…
Hello, can you tell me how to find the plans for the Mudroom Closet makeover? I’m interested in doing the one pictured on this page.
Thank you
Florida Gator Themed Playhouse
My husband Jon recently built this playhouse with/for a friend of his from work. It took them two months to complete and it's awesome! Jon's friend is also a die hard Gators fan so they made sure to add blue and orange as much as they could. Thanks Ana for giving them the courage to take on such a feat!
Comments
Wed, 03/21/2012 - 01:51
Great Job! All this says is
Great Job! All this says is "GO BRONCOS!" I'm an Idaho girl and I love the BOise State colors, lol! "Playhouse" is an understatement. This is a jungle. This is a huge play structure! and it is awesome.
In reply to Great Job! All this says is by birdsandsoap
Sat, 04/14/2012 - 07:08
Haha! Thanks birdsandsoap! I
Haha! Thanks birdsandsoap! I think it's awesome that you saw something special in a totally different way. Glad you liked our color scheme and project! ;)
Pool Noodle Holder from DIY Planter Box
I modified the plans for the planter box to make a holder for Pool Noodles. I made it 40" tall and used 4-4" fence pickets and 1-5.5" fence pickets. I used a 4" spacer and the openings worked out perfect. I stained inside and out since it would show with 2 coats of the solid stain. It is perfect! Thank you so much for the inspiration and plans!
Comments
Mon, 06/06/2022 - 14:04
Fantastic idea!
This is so smart and looks great too, thank you for sharing!
Farmhouse Dining Bench with back support - 3 seats version
I made this bench for my Farmhouse dining table, modified for 3 seats.
IKEA Hack 6" Tray Cabinet
I'm happy to share with everyone my IKEA hack 6" tray cabinet.
I found a 24" cabinet box in IKEA's As-Is section and took it home for half price ($23)! I would have preferred plywood, but my table saw is a little small and cutting large sheets of plywood is a little scary. When I deconstructed the cabinet, it sustained some damage (as its particleboard), so if you try this at home, be careful! I ended up changing the depth to 22" in order to cut off the damaged piece, but that shouldnt be noticeable with average trays and cutting boards.
I used Ana's 6" tray cabinet plan and modified the dimensions a little for my planned space. It still needs the back, face frame and door (which will be a replacement drawer front from the cabinet manufacturer). I plan on building the face frame at the time the cabinets are installed, since this will go in between the 36" corner easy-reach and the 36" sink base. Once its done, I'll post updated pics!
Great Plan for Garage Shelf!
This was an easy project to complete in an afternoon that does not require any advance woodworking skills
Comments
Wed, 11/26/2014 - 12:19
This project looks even
This project looks even better than mine! I love look with paint! Well done!
Wed, 12/10/2014 - 09:41
Thanks Ana!
This is my second completed project with plans and ideas from your website. Thanks for your good work!
Comments
Rentzm
Fri, 03/31/2023 - 04:23
These are incredible. They…
These are incredible. They look a little deeper, and would be good for vegetables. How deep are they?