Community Brag Posts

Small Cedar Fence Picket Storage Shed

Submitted by Pembat on Sun, 10/06/2013 - 20:37

Built this in a weekend, took about 1.5 days. I ended us using 2x4's instead of 2x2's, I think it resulted in a much stronger frame. I also built a base for it to sit on. I got pre-stained cedar fence boards, and overlapped them 1" instead of a 1/2". Pretty easy project, I ended up siding the back on the ground, installing it, and then adding the side walls without the siding (just the framing), and then sided them in place. The doors work perfectly. I took my total inside dimension between walls, made sure the opening was square, and then divided that by two to get the width of each door. I then took another 1/4" off that, so each door had an additional 1/8" gap, it worked perfectly. When I set the doors, I put them on a piece of roofing closed as I screwed in the hinges, and then opened them and removed the roofing. I opted to run the door siding horizontal to use up a bunch of waste wood. I'm happy with the outcome. I also found some 6" self starting lag bolts and lagged through the back of the shed into studs (through the siding) into the garage behind it.

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

Diy Upholstered Settee

I started off with Ana's plans and kinda went rogue from there. The idea of creating those curved back legs scared me so I thought I'd sacrifice an Ikea dining chair and use it as the legs. When I ruined one of the legs I decided that I'd come too far to back out and that I must continue. I adapted many conventional methods to make the settee but I'm super pleased with the outcome. For the full step by step on how I completed the settee, please check it out here Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum Ultimate in American Walnut, Rustoleum Ultimate Polyurethane in Satin.
Navy Blue Upholstery Velvet, French Natural Nailhead Trim.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Modern Slat Top Outdoor Bench

Submitted by TxDork76 on Wed, 04/23/2014 - 20:59

This was a super easy and fun bench to make.

I ended up having enough 2x4 and 1x4 scraps for the legs and only had to pick up a a couple of 2x4s.

TIP: Others pointed said that you should paint slats before assembly... I highly recommend it as well. It was a bit of a pain trying to get between the slats to prime and paint though would likely be easier w/ a sprayer..

Finished it with some oops paint in a nice color and a 3 coats of spray urethane.

Great beginner project for sure. It may take a couple of days to finish but most of that time is spent waiting for paint/urethane to dry between coats :)

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats primer, 3 coats Exterior latex paint, 3 coats spray urathane
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

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

DIY Sauna

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 02/15/2024 - 10:17

Outside sauna.

Charles

Scooter

I am going to be a first time Grandma and this project has been on my mind to make for him as soon as I saw it!!!
Assembly was a little tricky as I felt I needed to be sure it was very sturdy and safe. I also felt a bit out of practice as I haven't been making stuff as much as I was in the past, it may be more of a beginner level project, but I definitely needed my dad's guidance and assistance. (Thanks dad!)
I felt it needed a thicker wood for the body of the scooter so I used 1.5" wood instead of 3/4".
I am unsure on the time to make as I worked on it in the evenings after work. It did take more time than I expected, but I am super picky and wanted to add some extra touches to it.
I found the perfect monkey and bodysuit with scooters on it and that made it the perfect baby shower gift!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Acrylic paint, triple thick satin poly finish.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

brookifer86

Sat, 08/04/2012 - 06:26

Oh my goodness, I LOVE this! The modifications you made are brilliant too! I've been trying my hand at building more, and it seems like I'm plagued with splitting and such. Now I know to try 2x instead of 1x wood! I also love that you sandwiched the supports between the rockers instead of on top. Great ideas to make this build better!

MichelleC

Sun, 02/02/2014 - 17:35

I love how yours turned out!!! I want to build this for my daughter for her 2 year old birthday but was afraid the 1x wood wouldn't be strong enough so I was considering the 2x, and I'm definitely going to do it now after looking at yours, thanks! Her birthday is in one week so I have to stay focused this week!

cutepickles

Fri, 12/04/2015 - 16:35

You did an amazing job.  So adorable!  May I ask what you used to cut the thicker stock? I don't have a bandsaw and I'm wondering if it's a "must have" tool for this project. ;)

 

Thanks! :)

Outdoor Furniture Set

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/08/2020 - 16:56

This set was the first thing I've built. I did it completely by myself and am so proud! I started with the coffee table to get a hang of the tools the. Moved on and made the sofa, love seat, and two chairs. I had a little trouble finding cushions but eventually found some at Lowe's. The cushions are just so expensive. I didn't love the color of the stain on the coffee table and the plan was to sand it and retain after staining the rest but I actually like how it stands out. It took a long time to finish because I had to work on it whenever I had spare time but a motivated individual with some building experience could do this all in a weekend or two. Coat of wood and screws for the whole project was $350. All the cushions were $518.

Estimated Cost
$875
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Great Patio Set

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 13:02

I wanted sturdy seating for my patio. Ana White had the perfect plans for my L shaped seating and coffee table. It was simple to put together and we love it!

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Farm table and two benches

Submitted by kllyhdsn on Sat, 12/23/2017 - 11:00

We made this table and two benches from the plans! We used 3” self tapping deck screws because we couldn’t find any in the 2-3/4” mentioned in the plan. Love the result! We used danish oil in medium walnut.

Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish Oil in Medium Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Reclined Back Outdoor Sofa and Chair DIY

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 04/09/2022 - 07:12

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

Modern Patio Chairs/Love Sear

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 09/25/2022 - 15:57

Super easy and fun project! We altered the original plans to build a loveseat and had zero issues. We did add some extra support below.
I did not find 25”x25” cushions within our price range so I settled for 25”x22.5” and they work but ultimately 25x25 works best.

Moses Basket Rocker

Submitted by bd on Sat, 04/19/2014 - 14:15

Pretty much followed the plan, except I raised the height of the platform. I intended to make the legs longer, but I forgot and cut them to the length on the plan. It looks like the sides of the basket aren't supported as well, but the basket stays in just fine.

I also added little wings on the end to support the ends of the basket. I wanted to be able to remove the basket from the cradle without screwing it in, but also wanted the basket to be secure so I added the little wings. It was easy.

Overall a pretty easy project, except the rockers are time consuming. They're not hard to make, you just need to take your time.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Sample paint on the clearance shelf - can't remember the color name.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Modular Closet System Using French Cleats

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/13/2024 - 09:25

French Cleat Modular Closet System. This is the first carpentry project I have ever built. I bought myself a Makita Track Saw for my birthday in March. I was working and I have chronic health issues so I just paced myself. Left side first. Then the right side. Then I just finished the shoe component today. I had a U shaped inefficient builder system for the last 20+ years. I can't wait to do my other closets and build out several other projects. I love this site and the great plans that are here! Thank you, Ana!

Annette Hickman

Tow Mater Adirondack Chair

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/06/2017 - 10:02

I made this chair for my 3 year old son who is obsessed with Disney Cars based off of Ana's 

Super easy little Adirondack chair plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$75
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Various
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Easy Build Basement Shelves

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/20/2025 - 11:26

Basement storage shelves -
I’ve been wanting shelves down here for a long time but I couldn’t see how to do it with the spray foam walls and plastic over gravel floor. I modified Ana’s plans to make the top shelves extend back and anchor to the upper studs. Thankfully, the floor was level and I only had to put foam under the feet to protect the plastic. It’s not pretty but it gets the job done!

Church Pulpit

Submitted by BBLinda on Sat, 06/08/2013 - 10:34

A good friend of mine, a pastor of a local church, asked me to build a pulpit for their recently finished church up in the countryside of Grenada. She showed me a picture of what she had in mind and based on that, I drew my own plan in SketchUp, and then built it out of Yellow Pine boards and Plywood.

Note to the dimensions:
After I drew the plan, and just when I was at the lumberyard to have the plywood and boards cut, I thought I might have had it estimated not wide enough, so I decided on the spot to make it 2" wider and the top panel 2" wider and deeper too. So if you'd like to build based on my plans, please consider if it's wide enough for your purposes.

This is what I used (corrected measurements here):

2x 2x8 26" long YP Boards (Base)
1x 18 1/2" x 6 1/2" Plywood (Base Support Panel)
1x 26" x 16" Plywood (Top)
1x 18 1/2" x 9" Plywood (Shelf Panel)
2x 45" x 9 1/2" Plywood (Side Panels ) - these are cut angled, see plans
1x 44 1/2" Wood Moulding (for the "stopper" on the top panel, and the "back" of the top shelf.

Estimated Cost
~ US$ 115 (material is very expensive here on the island, and I guess you could build it for about half or 2/3 of this in the USA)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MINWAX Polyshades / American Chestnut Satin (375)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ricardito Clark

Tue, 02/04/2025 - 18:21

How did you put it together? Did you use dowels or biscuits or another way. Thanks!! Your plans are great!! This will be the third project of yours I’ve done. Very thankful.

Chicken Coop

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/10/2022 - 12:26

Great for a small flock of 5 or less.  

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday
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