Community Brag Posts

IKEA Hack 6" Tray Cabinet

Submitted by Matty3481 on Thu, 01/07/2016 - 16:30

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!

Estimated Cost
$30 (cabinet and an aluminum straight edge tool to help me cut straight lines with my Dremel).
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Face frame will be painted to match factory cabinets
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

10 Dollar Ledges

This is the first Ana White plan I've used and my first project with a Kreg Jig. It was so easy! I used 6' long lumber. This ledge is 4' long and I have a 2' ledge in the living room.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$17
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
"Hammered" finish black spray paint
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Laundry Cabinets - Shorter Brook laundry basket dresser with folding table

Submitted by DTeague on Sat, 08/25/2012 - 07:49

To finish my laundry room off I decided to build laundry cabinets - this laundry basket dresser is perfect! I used 8in. fold down shelf brackets (like the ones in Lady Goats Miter Saw cart). I also cut corners on the back since I was out of plywood after building my laundry cabinets. I used 3 1 X3s to support the back. I used a pine project board for the top which is only 24in deep so I did adjust the plan for that and the baskets still fit!

 

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Golden Oak on top and Valspar Semi-gloss white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

julie05_5

Fri, 11/21/2014 - 14:13

This laundry room looks exactly like mine! Even the paint and tile colors :) I've been wanting hamper storage as well as the folding counter forever and I love that this one can pop up or down easily. Thanks for the idea!

Cedar Outdoor Sofa

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/08/2016 - 18:58

Made an outdoor sofa inspired by Ana White's plan. I made a few modifications including using 2x6's, hiding more of the non-pocket hole screws, using HD pocket holes in more areas and building an incline for the backrest. Cushions are Sunbrella from Lowe's.

Estimated Cost
about $550
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
MinWax Spar Urethane. 2 coats with sanding in between coats using 220 grit
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Library Book Cart

Submitted by Terukosan on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 22:54

I built this book shelf for my daughter.

I made both the top and the bottom shelves an angled.
I used a finishing nail punch to emboss the name.

I mixed 3 different color stains to match the other furniture.

Used 2" caster wheels from Home Depot.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$55
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax wood finish (Golden Pecan, English Chestnut, Red Oak), Minwax Wipe-On Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

tommirhea

Fri, 09/14/2012 - 09:39

This is so pretty, I love the name in it! How wonderful. When you mix your stains, how do you know how much of each? Is is just a trial and error type of thing?

Terukosan

Fri, 09/14/2012 - 12:06

Hi tommirhea,

Thank you for your nice comment!

Mixing stains is just a trial and error. Pour into empty yogurt cup and mix with form brush. I like rustic looks, so, I don't care if color is not even ;-)

Have a nice weekend,

Sunny

tommirhea

Fri, 09/14/2012 - 12:14

Okay, thanks. I think I will try it on the desk I am going to make. I don't always love the color of stains, but never thought I could just dump different ones in to make my own :) I like rustic looks as well, makes it more unique.

Ladder Shelf DIY

Another one bites the dust. Made this out of Ana instructions for a ladder shelf. Like the way this turned out alot. Ana White knows whats up :)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Wood Finsih; Classic Grey
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Crib Mattress Porch Swing

This is s porch swing I made to go in my front sitting room. I re-purposed my sons old crib mattress. It definitely gives the front room the "wow" factor.

Estimated Cost
$40.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Jacobean by Minwax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

REASMOM

Fri, 08/15/2014 - 16:09

I love it! I had never thought of re-using a crib mattress, might have to give this a try :)

Small Hall Tree

This project was something my wife wanted, but I didn't want to spend alot of money. I managed to build this project for less then $25.00 minus the paint. We are not sure what color it's going to be and I think I might add a shelf to it at a later date. We had to cut this down by 19 inches to fit it into our hall way. Hopefully I will get the rest of it finished in the next month or so depending on the weather.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$24.30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
No clue yet.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Farmhouse Table with Hutch

I really enjoyed making this table for my sister from Ana's Farmhouse table plans. I secured everything with Kreg screws from the underside. I added a couple screws from the top in the breadboard ends for added stregth. Im thinking of building another one but making it wider!

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
The base is painted with Behr satin black in 3 coats. I used vinegar and steelwool mix the the whole table was given several clear coats in satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Square farmhouse table

I built this square farmhouse table for a friend of mine. Used the same build as the 4x4 truss table. Just made it square. 64.75x64.75

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Mixed dark walnut. Classic grey and American walnut to match the chairs . Semi glosss Decorator white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farm table for my sister

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 14:09

So my sister moved back to Southern California from New York. She found a great place but needed a table. I made one table and one bench. My sister then found two chairs for the other side. This is the second or third thing I have made/built from Ana’s site. Thank you for making me feel more manly with great instruction. I also built this pre Covid-19 when lumber was not so expensive.

Comments

Tapered plant box

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 10/04/2021 - 18:20

I was looking for an inexpensive way to dress up my deck and when I saw your tapered plant boxes I knew that was the gem I needed. I used pickets from a fence we took down and some 1 inch wood strips. I am planning on making more to line the new fence.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Closet Door with Storage

Submitted by kristen on Sat, 03/12/2011 - 21:07

This was my first Ana White project, and I learned a lot from making it since I was also a novice woodworker. I am very happy with the end result, but it was probably a good thing that this went on the inside of a closet :) It gave me the confidence to go on and build something more difficult with the skills I built along with the storage.

The $30 estimate is only for the wood. Wood putty, sandpaper, screws, paint, etc. will make this more expensive, but you will use all of the extras on other projects since this one won't use those up.

The time involved is a guess--it has been a few months since I completed this. Someone with experience could probably do it faster and someone brand new to building might go slower. So I chose 3-6 hours, a nice in-between number.

Watch your caster size with carpet. That was my only snag with the instructions. Ana has hardwood floors that the casters roll on. I have carpet so I wanted larger wheels in order for smoother rolling. That added height to the caster also, so you want to modify the length of the sides of the storage unit to reflect the larger casters on carpet.

All in all a great plan and useful end result!

**UPDATE--January 30, 2012** We removed the casters from the bottom of this just yesterday and the door opens SO much easier. I would invest in some high quality casters and not the cheap ones I bought if you are going to use these. Without the casters I am only putting light things (stuffed animals) in this. If you are using it for heavier items, I would use the casters but make sure they readily turn. The casters I had did not want to turn as the door moved and they dragged on the carpet instead. Also, the overall height of your unit will depend on the height of your casters, so buy them first if you are going to use them. I still love this though!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White primer and white paint over that. I used the Zero VOC paint you can get at Lowes--I think it is Olympic brand.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Outdoor Sofa

Submitted by dionneds on Sun, 04/10/2022 - 07:16

This was our first big project with our Kreg Jig. We adapted the plans to make the sofa 8' long. On Friday night, my husband did all the cuts and I pre-painted everything. With the help of our son, we had the whole sofa built in a few hours on Saturday morning. I puttied the visible holes, did a second coat of paint, and made custom cushions. The plans were very easy to follow. I followed the others' advice about pre-painting and assembling the back on a perfectly level surface. It came out better than I expected and it's super comfortable!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

kdykes08

Mon, 04/11/2022 - 07:44

I want the plans for this one! I like this style a lot better. I really like how the bottom cushions are at a slant. I suck at modifying plans.

Seasonal And Holiday

Using Ana White’s Garage Cabinet Plans

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/20/2022 - 09:23

Thank you so much for the two videos we watched of you and your husband explaining and demonstrating how to build garage shelves. We used your plans as a guide. We chose to add shaker style doors to create cabinet shelves. We absolutely love them. We are not handy as you can see we had a living room lamp for a work light and a lifetime table as a work bench. Thank you!
The Paulsons

Comments

Large Rustic X Bench

Submitted by hannahclou on Sun, 06/12/2011 - 14:11

For my second project I wanted to build something a little more difficult than a shelf.  The hubby showed me how to use our power tools and I was unstoppable.  I chose this great bench because it fit the feel of our house and I wanted an entryway spot to sit while putting on shoes. 
The finishing took much longer than it actually took to build the bench.  I thought it would be more difficult to get the precise angle measurements  to make the supports under the bench, but it was not bad at all.  I can 't believe I built this pretty bench!  I have the building fever now!

Estimated Cost
$12
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Early American and Polycrylic for the top.
Antique White and Clear Gloss for underneath.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

In reply to by mandylynn523

spiceylg

Thu, 08/18/2011 - 04:33

Hello. My hubby and I are in the process of building this bench. Basically just have to put the top on and finish the staining/painting. We are doing a black bottom and stained top. I have a hard time w/angles so my husband tackled that but I have to say, he had a hard time with it as well. Glad you had an easy time of it! Can I ask how you attached the top?

DIY Modern Box Joint Dining Table

Hi friends!

Jen Woodhouse from The House of Wood here. 

After sharing my new dining room, I got a lot of requests for plans for my dining table, so I’m thrilled to finally deliver. The box joints on the legs add just the right amount of detail to this dining table, don’t you think?

Be sure to tag me @jenwoodhouse if you share photos of your build on social media. I'd love to see it!

You can get all the details for this build on my website jenwoodhouse.com 

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

WHAT ANA INSPIRES!!!

Submitted by redhead_61 on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 09:36

I had a friend doing a class for a church activity on refinishing furniture. I think she mentioned to our leaders that I build furniture so two weeks ago she emailed me to see if I would be willing to participate and take a little time to talk. I said of course, and then in my true fashion of loving a good get-together and having a tendency to overdo things, I said, "we could even do a little project too".

I went onto this site printed off 5 projects under $30 and let anyone that wanted sign up. I figured the easiest way to let people build a project in an hour and a half was to pre-cut and pre-drill everything (Thank you to my new Kreg jig that let me rock that part out no problem)

I ended up cutting and drilling for 26 orders!!! EEK! I was a little like a mad hatter running around helping people that had never even held a drill before (so please excuse the LACK of pictures, including none of me doing anything at all :( ) But I think it turned out awesome and everyone was so excited.

I just wanted to post this as a little tribute to Ana for all the amazingness that you are. Thank you for helping those scared to even start.

Estimated Cost
under $30
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

ferbit

Fri, 08/26/2011 - 10:03

What a fun idea!!! Looks like everyone was having a fantastic time!

Ana White

Fri, 08/26/2011 - 11:26

Thank you so much for sharing this! I can remember when my little sister took woodshop in high school, and we all looked at her like "what is woodshop" and "why on earth would you ever want to take woodshop - woodworking is for retired men!". Not too many years later, I was wishing I had taken wood shop!

This is so amazing to see because you are teaching these beautiful and courageous young laddies skills they will use throughout their lifetime. Not to mention the confidence to tackle other traditionally male trades. And I'm willing to bet, their daughters will be using drills too!

I'm so honored to know you!

And might I add, those projects look GOOD!

romanweel

Sun, 02/03/2013 - 12:17

MAN! I want to do something like this! What a wonderful thing to do to bring all those ladies together! (And tell Miss Red Shirt, I want a T just like hers! "Be Kind"!) Way to rock it out, all of you!

Rustic X coffee table with Minwax Classic Gray stain

Submitted by cariaw123 on Thu, 11/21/2013 - 07:54

This project was quick and painless. I recommend for a beginners project (but expect to get frustrated over building the x's into the side though). I stained our table with the Minwax Classic Gray stain and used the Minwax water-based polyurethane to seal it. I realize that the stain is difficult to see but it is a beautiful stain that has turned into my go-to stain. The stain is not too gray and you can see the natural color of the wood through it. The photo gives the impression a glossy finish. In reality, it is more matte.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80-90
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Classic Gray stain with Minwax Water-based Polyurethane.
NOTE:The stain goes on pine and whitewood VERY differently. The pine pieces come out very dark with the stain being brushed on and immediately wiped off. For the whitewood, you can leave it on for 10 minutes and it'll reach a threshold for the amount of stain it will accept. I just sanded the darker pieces down a little bit to match the lighter pieces. (Does that make sense?)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Wine Rack

Submitted by Bredimi on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 15:35

I loved the Holman Entertaining Shleves from Pottery Barn, however, I didn't like the price. Taking the $10 ledge plans and modifying them, I set out to make my own. I used a 1 x 10 (bottom), 1 x 6 (back) and a 1 x 3 (front). They are 23 7/8 inches long to get the 3 shelves out of 6 foot boards. To get the holes to hold the top of the bottle, I used a 1 and 1/4 inch forstner bit. Since I had gift cards left from Christmas I splurged on the wood and bought the select pine.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
I had gift cards, but my out of pocket expenses for the 3 shelves was $22.89
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
I painted them Valspar Lincoln Cottage Black
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

babysteps

Tue, 01/14/2014 - 10:55

I love your adaptation of the original design. I have been looking for an example of someone who made this plan into a wider shelf. Has it held up well? I was worried about the stress on the joints when you make it deeper. Has yours handled the weight of the bottles?