Community Brag Posts

Freestanding Closet

Submitted by vendo on Fri, 04/08/2022 - 16:44

My daughter's room didn't have a closet, so I built one. This only took a couple of hours to build. I found the bins on Amazon and built to fit. It's 60" wide 18" D and 75" tall. I love this plan, it's super easy to modify the size and configuration!

Built from Plan(s)

Sandbox with Cover

The cover is a tonneau cover for a pickup truck. It's for a 6.5' truck bed so if you notice, I had to ad a 2x4 and one more picket on top to accommodate the extra length. 

The cover would add a ridiculous amount of money to the project but it was repurposed.  I found it on a truck that was in an accident and going to the scrap yard. I think it it came out great and my grandson loves it.

John

Built from Plan(s)

Greenhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/05/2021 - 08:08

We made some modifications to the greenhouse to include a bench with three levels, a working bench and a square foot garden. We also put it on concrete to keep all the weeds out from the bottom as well.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
2500.00
Finish Used
We start our own seeds and plan to grow 15 different varieties of vegetables inside this greenhouse all year long.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Benchwright end table

I took the plans for ana white's benchwright coffee table and created this end table.  This is an exact replica of the Pottery Barn benchwright end table.  The wood was distressed by hand and finished with dye, dark walnut gel stain and three coats of satin poly. 

 

- Brad 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Transtint dye, antique walnut gel stain, water based poly
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

marenras

Mon, 02/09/2015 - 14:33

Your finish work is phenomenal. Closest I've seen to pulling of the PB finish. What color transtint do you use? Any other finishing tips? I've build a couple of knock off PB pieces, but haven't nailed the finish yet.

In reply to by marenras

timberandsoul

Mon, 03/09/2015 - 22:10

Hi. Thank you for the compliments. First of all, using Alder vs douglas fir or pine plays a big difference in the finish look, but start with pine and see where you get using this process. I first mix de-waxed shellac with a few drops of medium brown transtint dye. It MUST be de-waxed shellac. Experiment with the amount of dye added. I spray one coat of that shellac and dye mixture on the wood. The shellac seals the wood allowing for even stain absorption and a non-blotchy finish. The dye obviously darkens the wood. Then I apply one to two coats of gel stain. I like general finishes antique walnut color. At the next step I sometimes add a glaze, and sometimes I don't, it just depends on what I am seeing. Lastly I seal the wood with a water based poly. Good luck!

In reply to by marenras

timberandsoul

Mon, 03/09/2015 - 22:10

Hi. Thank you for the compliments. First of all, using Alder vs douglas fir or pine plays a big difference in the finish look, but start with pine and see where you get using this process. I first mix de-waxed shellac with a few drops of medium brown transtint dye. It MUST be de-waxed shellac. Experiment with the amount of dye added. I spray one coat of that shellac and dye mixture on the wood. The shellac seals the wood allowing for even stain absorption and a non-blotchy finish. The dye obviously darkens the wood. Then I apply one to two coats of gel stain. I like general finishes antique walnut color. At the next step I sometimes add a glaze, and sometimes I don't, it just depends on what I am seeing. Lastly I seal the wood with a water based poly. Good luck!

colleenps

Tue, 03/31/2015 - 10:04

I love the finish you've done on these, and like someone else said it is the closest to PB I've seen yet! I am trying to fix a horrible stain job I did on a project and had a quick question. When you said you sprayed the shellac and dye, do you mean with a spray bottle? Also what kind of de-waxed shellac did you use? I've never used shellac and I see they have flakes and premixed stuff. Thanks!

timberandsoul

Thu, 04/09/2015 - 15:25

Hi There. Sorry for the late response. The spray the shellac with the dye using a HVLP sprayer. Google HVLP sprayers. They are very cheap and will help out tremendously. I don't recommend using shellac flakes, they can be challenging for a beginner. I use premixed shellac. I use de-waxed shellac because you can apply polyurethane over it. If you plan on applying shellac as a top coat instead of poly you don't have to worry about de-waxed.

juliekayg

Thu, 03/24/2016 - 11:41

This is absolutely beautiful and what I've been looking for to match my Benchwright coffee table!! Do you remember the dimensions you used?

dbender49

Fri, 01/21/2022 - 09:26

I really like your take on this PB table. It looks like you changed it significantly from the console table plans from which you derived it, and I have a couple questions. First, the legs do not look like 2x4s; what are the dimensions you used? Second, the bottom shelf is much thicker than the 1x12 from the plans; what lumber did you use? And how is this bottom shelf attached to the legs? Square-notched to fit around the corners of the legs?

Daybed with Storage Trundle

Submitted by Crafty-Mom on Sat, 01/27/2018 - 10:38

This was my first project from Ana's website and I'm hooked! I'm a beginner, but thank goodness for my Dad's help because I have a lot of learning to do!

I wanted the drawer to be 1 drawer instead of 3. I feel like it looks cleaner (without having to adjust 3 drawers constantly to make it look good when you push them in). I was thinking the bed could actually be used as a trundle bed in the future too! I use this to store toys right now and it is Awesome!

I increased the bed size to fit a twin mattress and increased the height of the bed slightly so that the drawer would be a little bit deeper. We also added a back to the bed and carried around the trim to make all sides look the same. We added a bumper to the back and sides of the inside of the bed so the drawer is easy to push in and fits in snug. Finally we reinforced the bottom of the drawer with more 1x4 boards so that if a child does sleep in it, it would be more sturdy. I now have kids come over and jump into the drawer (literally) and I'm glad we reinforced it.

The changes we made did add to the cost and our time (as well as being newbies), but I think it's worth it and the bed turned out beautiful!

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Marquee (I'll have to find the name of the white color we used). We almost went with chalk paint, but after talking to the HD guy, he talked me into this paint and I'm glad we used it! So much cheaper and turned out beautiful.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Nisssc

Mon, 10/12/2020 - 07:51

This looks great! Any suggestion if I want cubbies instead of a trundle? Also, cubbies only on side as bed would be against the wall. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sandy

Grill table with stainless steel top

Submitted by krochelle on Tue, 08/20/2013 - 08:00

I made this table to go next to an outdoor grill to be used as a food prep area or just a surface for holding ingredients (instead of using the deck railing!). The top is stainless steel which fits tightly over 2 3/4" pieces of plywood laminated together. The bar/handle in front is made out of galvanized pipe. All wood was treated.

Legs - 4x4 posts
Bottom shelf - 1x6's
Sides - 1x4's
Top - 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood laminated together with a stainless steel top (custom fit) over top
Towel bar - galvanized pipe (cut and threaded to size at Lowe's), floor flanges and 90 degree elbows

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used Kona stain but since it was over treated wood the stain did not take as dark as it should have. I will have to restain this piece after it has completely dried out.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

spiceylg

Tue, 08/20/2013 - 09:07

Love this. Where did you get the stainless steel top? Did you have to special order to fit?

In reply to by spiceylg

krochelle

Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:33

Sorry about the late reply! Yes, I just gave my dimensions to a local steel supplier and they made the top. I think I have about $40 into the stainless. They didn't weld the corners but I've never had an issue with them.

krochelle

Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:46

No...I didn't have any plans when I built it but it's a very simple concept. I chose to use all treated wood since I knew it would be sitting outside unprotected. However, my 4x4 posts weren't square so this caused a lot of problems and everything was built to fit. I believe I just used 4x4's, 1X6s (for the bottom shelf) and 1x4s for the sides (top and bottom). For the top, I just laminated 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood together to bulk it up and then had the stainless top built to fit. It fit perfectly so I didn't glue it to the plywood. This makes it easy to remove and clean, if necessary. For the galvanized pipe (towel bar), I bought it at Lowe's and had them cut/thread it to fit my dimensions.

Lift Top Coffee Table

Submitted by JJones0925 on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 20:48

Instead of attaching the top to the coffee table base as done in the plans, the top is attached using a set of coffee table lift top hinges. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Modified Simple Outdoor Dining Table

Submitted by ewood on Tue, 05/31/2011 - 08:04

Wanted a Patio table and when I saw the plans on this site I really liked it; I just changed the plan a bit. Everything was screwed from the underside of the table, also I attached the legs with 2" lag screws.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Bookshelf wall unit

I fell in love with a set of bookshelves from a big box store (ahem, T@#get) but was disheartened to find that they would not help me get the corner shelf ordered to Canada from their website.

With inspiration from Ana, I decided to design and build the whole thing myself. It cost 1/3 the price, and as my first wood project, I'd say it turned out pretty well.

I made my design to work best with the wood available local to me, and to fit specifically in our room. The biggest challenge wasn't wood-related at all, but was actually dealing with the electrical outlet that I needed to attached to the base of one shelf.

Check it all out at my blog; http://projectjumanji.blogspot.ca

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

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

Pot holder

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/12/2021 - 06:21

Working off your idea. Added another holder. There will be a bottom drawer for bigger stuff.

Built from Plan(s)
Finish Used
Will be painted
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Farmhouse Potting Bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/16/2023 - 11:27

Proud of this, my very first build. Thanks to Ana White for the detailed, easy to follow plan. Can hardly wait to start the next project!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Pergola and Outdoor Furniture

The pergola is finally complete! I'm sure I'll be adding some more things, but for now....I'm happy. I can not take credit for the Pergola, my husband built that, but there are lots of projects inside to tell you about. I built the sofa, coffee table, 2 chairs and 2 planters. It's a great spot for entertaining or just sitting with glass of wine. I really loved the Rectangles Daybed , but I really had no use for a Daybed, so with a few modifications, I came up with the sofa version. To make it more comfortable I used the slanted back idea from the simple outdoor sofa plan.I love how it turned out and it was fairly inexpensive too. Lumber cost was around $50. I used 2x 6′s, 2×2 furring strips, 1×2 furring strips and 1×4 furring strips. You really have to pick through the furring strips, with some patience I was able to find pieces that would work well for my project. Using the more expensive would would make things much easier, because there would be much less sanding and filling involved…but I love a bargain!! When I first built the sofa for this collection, it was for our covered porch. I was not intending to build any matching pieces. When we moved it to the pergola, I decided to build these 2 chairs. I used plan from the simple outdoor chair and modified the back to match the sofa. The lumber for the chairs cost about $25 per chair. I bought some 2X2 quartz tiles from the Habitat ReStore for $3 each! I thought they would work perfectly for the tabletop. I sketched up a quick design to match the other pieces and came up with this. I used 2×3′s and 1×2′s. The lumber cost was about $15. I also used the Square Planters with Finials plan. I love these planters do much and they were so simple! Thanks for all the fantastic plans and inspiration!!

Finish Used
white paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

teresad2297

Thu, 05/12/2016 - 21:30

What a lovely space! Including the water feature behind the pergola. I'd love to pull it straight from your photos and drop it into my yard! (I'd better get to work!!)  Thanks for sharing.

 

Seasonal And Holiday

First Project

Submitted by dragondad on Thu, 08/06/2020 - 11:34

Well, I started with one chair and finished with a full set. Not bad for a first timer. Definitely room to improve. Little tip if you're going to make this amazing set... raise the backs as they are too low with thicker cushions. I built a casing to go on top after the fact. Pretty happy with how it all turned out. Thanks Ana for the plans... now onto the next project!

Comments

Afternoon farm table

Submitted by Lizzardt04 on Wed, 09/20/2017 - 13:24

I saw this super simple farm house table plan on my Facebook feed from Ana and I just had to do it !!$50 in lumber a Saturday afternoon and I was done!!!! Followed all her tips and it turned out great

Estimated Cost
$50 in lumber
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Danish oil medium walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kids table and chairs

Great little project. Finished just in time for Thanksgiving.

Andy

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Mirrowax, polyurethane semi gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Thu, 11/26/2015 - 07:14

You did a super job!  These are absolutely adorable!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Corner Media Console

Submitted by craw4dz on Thu, 02/27/2020 - 10:39

We had just moved into our new house and were using an end table for our TV stand I just didn't like it.  I found this and modified it so it's shorter and fits in our room better.  I also opted to not put doors on it and use it to display items instead.  This was a relatively easy build and I'm learning new things with every build I make.  It took about 2 days to complete not including filling holes/paint/stain.  I love it, it looks so great in our room and I am planning on building end tables to match as well as replacing our buffet with movies in it to match also.  Thanks for the easy-to-follow plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Whatever white paint I had on hand (haha) and Varathane Kona with a satin poly for the top.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Cottage bedroom bookcase

Submitted by yhaas on Thu, 10/29/2015 - 20:42

I used 1 x 10s to make the bookcase a little shallower, and left the back open. Thanks for the great plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Varathane diamond finish water-based polyurethane, satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Sandbox with lid

This was my first EVER wood working project.

With that being said, it took me more than just an afternoon.
I used cedar, and all the materials on the cut list had to be sanded , since I didn't like the roughness of the cedar.
I also made the box 4x8. I didn't take into account that that would require a minimum of 48 inches for the top planks. So, some of my top planks are shorter.

I also wished I had a little more instruction from which side to screw the screws in. May sound a little needy for some of you, but I never did anything with wood before. The instructions simply read attach top planks to arm rests (or something int that manner) and I wish it would have told me from which side to screw in (or give me a picture). Looking at some of the brag posts helped a lot.

Because its larger size, I decided to make the seats 3 top planks wide (and also the back rest) and made another middle cover piece to bridge the additional gap when both seats are folded down.

Also, the cedar was VERY expensive, and all the screws, hinges, and handles almost cost me as much as the wood.

The sand to fill the box ran us another $80 (for good plays and), but that was because we made it so big.

All in all, a rather pricey sandbox, but worth it because of the large custom sizes, and the cute little seats.

Pictures show the sandbox without sand, and with some of the handles still missing. I also still need to fill the holes.

Will add a picture of finished box filled with sand when it is available.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Fireplace Mantle with Drawers and Hidden Storage

Modified plans to include game storage drawers, a flip open mantle for DVD player and hidden charging port, and hidden cupboards on both sides for DVD storage. I scoured the Internet for months before drawing this up to fit my space and tackling all on my own! I love it and all of my other Ana White inspired projects!

Casey O.

Seasonal And Holiday