Community Brag Posts

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

Bookcase with large drawer beneath for my son's nursery

I built a bookcase with a large drawer beneath for my son's nursery. This build was based on Ana's plans for the Cube Drawer Bench and Hutch, but I changed a few things to make it my own. This was my first real attempt at making any kind of furniture, or anything else, really, and I'm fairly happy with the way it turned out. More importantly, my wife loves it.

I learned a TON from all the resources on this website. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Cost
$200? Maybe a little more.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
I originally tried staining using a deep mahogany color from Sherwin Williams, but I hated it. It looked nearly purple. I ended up sanding that off and refinishing using General Finishes "Georgian Cherry" Gel Stain - 2 coats. I then applied two coats of Minwax Satin Polyurethane. The gel stain was exactly what I hoped it would be.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

misterwilbur

Mon, 02/10/2014 - 16:54

Thank you!

I attached the hutch to the drawer by drilling 4 pocket holes on the inside of the bookcase where the bottom meets the top of the drawer. I also used wood glue. I was concerned about the hutch moving around, and the possibility of it tipping over, so I decided to go ahead and build the two components as one piece, essentially.

Also, in order to add some additional strength and stability, I combined the frames on both components so that I would have vertical 1x2's going down the entire length of the backside of the piece. I also added horizontal 1x2's on the backside of each shelf. All these things combined really gave it a lot of extra strength.

Fire Pit Swings

My wife saw something like this on Pinterest and desperately wanted one. The one she saw was hexagonal in shape. We didn't need as many swings so we went with just a plain square shape. We used 6x6s for the legs and posts across the top and used 4x4s for the angled support pieces. We built the swings using the plan from this website. All the materials can be picked up at the blue and orange stores. However when it came to the springs for the swings, the blue store was 1/3 of the price of HD. The legs are 12' long and buried 4' under the ground and cemented in for strength. Luckily I am retired military and was able to rent an auger for 1/2 the price of HD or the blue store. You could do it by hand but it saved us hours and lots of back pain. We found our dimensions for the size we wanted and spray painted dots on the ground where the posts were going to go. We dug the holes and stuffed the 6x6s in them. Using a post level we made sure they were plum. We braced them and added the quickrete and left them to setup over night. The next day we had to make sure all the tops were level with each other. This is where having some knowledge of physics paid off. I took clear tubing and screwed it above the height that I wanted on one post and then screwed the other end to another post. Fill it with water until the water level on the first post is where I wanted it (8 feet high) and it will automatically fill it level on the other end. There is a picture of this above. Water will always level itself out. I had to do this because my yard is at a slight down hill grade. We marked it and cut the tops off to make it level. After attaching the 6x6s on the top with 8" lag bolts it was time to paint. After painting was done we built 3 swings from Ana's plans. We shortened them by 6" to give room to walk between the legs and the swings. All in all it was a great project that only took two dedicated weekends. My wife still has to paint the swings though.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$600ish
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
We used an oil base Black Barn Paint from the blue store.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

jkread

Wed, 05/27/2015 - 22:38

It sounds and looks like the top 6x6s are mitered and sit on top of the end of the vertical posts. I'd say at least one lag bolt each way to hold the mitered corner together and then at least one in each piece down into the vertical to hold it in place.

carewarner

Mon, 04/27/2020 - 10:24

WOW, LOVE!!! This is simply gorgeous! What a warm and welcoming addition to your yard. And thanks for sharing your method of finding level for your posts on your sloped yard. I absolutely love it!

Seasonal And Holiday

2x4 sectional outdoor sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 05/12/2020 - 08:10

My first Ana White project. My friend Shelley and I are RN's, and she got me hooked on woodworking. I started with cushions from Lowes ( in the sizes that you recommended)to see if I loved the sectional for a few years. I loved it so much I decided to have custom Sunbrella fabric ones made. Even though the custom ones were more expensive, it has been worth it. They go perfect with my California Mission style home. Now I want to add the armless one and make it a U-shape. I did add a piece at the bottom back of each sofa to hold the cushions in. The seat cushions would slide out the back when sitting on the sofa. I made the coffee table to match. Our family loves it!

Estimated Cost
building materials for sofa $250. Custom Sunbrella Fabric cushiosn $2000
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stained with Carrington Minwax and sealed with spray Shellac
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Hidden Desk

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/08/2016 - 12:24

I shrunk the size and dumbed down the plans to fit my skill level.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
175
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Texastia

Mon, 10/10/2016 - 09:08

I love what you did! It looks so great! I prefer this style, which is more simplistic than the other. Great work!!

 

Jessi_ites

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 14:56

Thanks! I wish I would of set up an account before I posted so I could get notifications.  I honestly didn't think anyone would notice it :)

Jessi_ites

Tue, 10/11/2016 - 14:58

I am so excited that people noticed this :)  Is there any way of putting this under my account?  I didnt make an account until today and I would like to get notifications.   I have my project on my facebook page and can prove that I made it with other pictures. Thanks!

crstorm

Mon, 01/20/2020 - 07:44

I would love to see this in a farm-house (rather than rustic) aesthetic along with drawers under the seats for extra storage. Maybe on casters with a fold up extension on the other side? So many ideas running through my head with this!

Modified Camp Loft Bed *Full Size*

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/29/2020 - 16:36

Our 10 year old daughter has a small room so we decided a loft bed would be ideal, as it would open up some needed floor space. However, spending $1000 on a loft bed from a store was inconceivable, so we were THRILLED to find this camp loft bed plan on Ana White!

My husband modified the plans to accommodate a full-size mattress, added two inches of height to the underside, and removed the stairs.

Cost of wood was just under $300 as prices are high in our area at the moment. Still far less than any store would offer a bed of this size and configuration, so still a win!

The build took two full weekends. He had to be able to disassemble the piece in the garage in order to take it upstairs to reassemble in her room.

It was painted white with Kilz Interior Sealer and Stain locker. It was a HIT and now our son wants one too! :) Great project that affords her SO much more floor space for her books and eventually a chair underneath.

Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Kilz Interior Sealant and Stain Blocker
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

tfbucfan

Mon, 07/11/2022 - 23:47

How did you do the slats? I am trying to make an oversized loft bed and nervous about the supports for under the mattress

Toy Chest

Submitted by tomm3289 on Tue, 12/29/2020 - 11:48

Built this for my grandson for christmas. First woodworking project I've done.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$160
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Toy Chest

Submitted by brittanyj on Wed, 01/21/2015 - 08:31

Made this toy chest for my niece this Christmas.  Pretty easy build.  Used some leftover wood and plywood for the top to cut down on cost.  Instead of edge banding, I used some screen moulding.  The wooden owls were purchased from Hobby Lobby and glued on to match her room, as well as the "C" on top.  Cutouts routered on both front and sides to better protect fingers, and for looks. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
walnut stain, poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Flip down kids table

Submitted by EDanido on Thu, 03/21/2013 - 04:22

I saw this plan a couple of months ago, and knew right away that this is what we need for our kids - their old table was always filled with papers, crayons and they never had enough space to store whatever they did.

I made the table longer so that it would be enough for both of them, and added foldable legs to support the table top.
Since I didn't find the right hinges for the legs, I used a piece of 1x1 with wood dowels which are attached to the inner side of the legs when unfolded.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$ 40 - but I had to buy the wood for the table top twice...
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

sawdust

Fri, 03/22/2013 - 16:08

Well, I now know what I'm doing tomorrow! I'm going to make a small hinged one to go in our entryway because we have nowhere to put stuff while we're getting our shoes on. Yours looks great!

"Cube" storage unit

Submitted by kds199 on Fri, 10/14/2022 - 09:49

My wife and I wanted a nice way to hide more of our son's toys in the living room that didn't look tacky. We actually bought the cubby bins before even deciding what to make. (From target of course.) I made the bookcase out of wood shelving that already looked kind of beat up when I bought it knowing that the wood stain wood bring some character to it.

I only changed the plans slightly by making the legs flush with the inside so I could trim the ends and customizing the size of the cubby openings to fit the bins. (Mine aren't actually cubes.)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of stain...minimal sanding to keep the surface looking rough
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Square Picnic Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 15:01

This is a bit larger than Ana’s plan. I added additional support to the table top and added a braced opening for the umbrella. I also went for a more rounded finish by rounding all the corners of the table and benches with my jigsaw and then sanding to create smooth curves.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Simple Nightstands

I absolutely love the way these turned out! I drew up an example in Sketch-up using Ana's plans for the Simple Nightstand as a starting point. 

The top is made from 5 boards, 19 inches in length, joined together underneath with a kreg jig. I made two of these, identical. Each nightstand took exactly 50 kreg screws, not intentional, it just worked out that way. I used a brad nailer to attach the trim along the bottom shelf (which I could have avoided with a a little more planning in the beginning), also to attach the side panels that you see on the sides and back, and to assemble the majority of the drawer, using kreg screws to attach the front.
I'm in love with the drawer pulls, a metal twig shape bought at blue! I'm debating whether or not I want to paint them with some brown paint and distress them a little bit, but not sure if it would just end up looking hokey since they are obviously not real twigs.
It took me several hours to build these, mostly because I had to kind of work out a few details as I went, but I'm confident I could do it quicker if I had to do it again. The finishing is what takes the longest!
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$110 includes enough Select Pine, kreg jig screws, and drawer pulls to make two nightstands
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Two coats of Cabot stain, Pecan color. Three coats of satin polyurethane, with a light sanding between each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

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.

Low Loft Bed for Toddler

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 11/12/2022 - 17:08

I built this low loft bed following Ana’s plan as soon as I found out that I was pregnant with baby #2. We needed a “big boy” bed for our 3 year old, and I couldn’t find a loft bed on the market that was priced reasonably or looked sturdy. This the biggest challenge I have taken on to date, and I was certainly sore after building. I don’t have a workbench, so I worked on the floor of my garage and used a couple of saw horses that my dad had next door. I am so proud of this and can’t wait to build more after baby boy comes!

Comments

Treehouse/Playhouse

Submitted by Bigbill99 on Sun, 01/10/2016 - 00:07

Thank you! You've helped me look like a true carpenter who knows what he's doing! My whole family is impressed with my woodwork lately, and now I'm addicted. I've done your seesaw, bar table and stools plus the treehouse in 2 weeks. Thank you for sharing your plans!

Estimated Cost
$500.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Spar urethane
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Coffee Bar with Built-In Beer Fridge and Wine Storage

Submitted by Chuck1979 on Mon, 07/08/2019 - 10:39

We made a beverage station for the corner of the kitchen!

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Semi-gloss white paint and Dark Walnut stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

gunnare57

Fri, 07/31/2020 - 09:43

Hello! Was looking to see if this is something you would be interested in building for us? We are in love with this project but don't have the tools or means to do it ourself..

Can talk about pricing / size etc.
Thanks!

Kitchen Storage Shelf

Thanks to you we were able to build my mom a shelf for her kitchen with a combination of two of your plans! My mom loved the top of the “Farmhouse Potting Bench” but also wanted shelves like the “Rustic X Console Table”. We combined the two and adjusted measurements to fit our wall space. We didn’t do a complete X on the side because we wanted it with one slant, but loved how it turned out over all! 

Kayla