Built the porch swing and was inspired to build the glider frame by another "Brag Post" Looks great and fits perfectly in my back yard!
This is our 2nd project - we liked building the bookshelf so much, we decided we're gonna keep going and need a good workbench. Got these plans from the Family Handyman Website (http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-Projects/Woodworking/Workbenches/how-…). They claim the cost to be $50, but it was closer to $80 for us - still a GREAT project and easy to put together with the nail gun.
Sat, 04/16/2022 - 07:29
No working link. Cannot find this or the plans.
I used the trestle table and benches plans to make a cedar picnic table...
by Joe
I am not a carpenter, I do not even have a tape measure. I got tasked by my leadership dothan class to build a farmhouse table for the academic dream room which is part of the Bright Key Program. Which is being renovated at Honeysuckle Middle School. Found your plans and got inspired. One glitch they wanted this table to be able to sit fourteen chairs. So I had to make a few adjustments like increasing the main boards to twelve foot. Because of your plans, many urban middle schoolers will have a place to get tutored considering cafeteria tables are so expensive. I am a believer of your plans. The positive feedback I received was well worth my time and would not of been a sucess without your plans. I did mine with pocket holes as well.
Instead of building a free-standing, 4-poster Pergola, I attached one side directly to the house. There are various Pergola design types and shapes. Simply Google for "pergola" images and decide which design you like best, or combine design ideas together (as I did).
Couple things to consider:
A: Is your Pergola more for decorative purposes or actual shade?
My design was more for actual shade (but with a decorative design), which is why I added the 1in x 12in x 12ft Pine boards between the cross beams at the very end (last picture). If your design is more for decorative purposes, you can space out your support beams and cross beams wider (using less wood and money).
You can also choose to use 2x4s as your support beams with 2x2 cross beams on top (essentially furring strips) either close together or spaced farther apart. This would also reduce the overall cost of your Pergola and make it much lighter as well. I chose to use all 2x6s for both support beams and cross beams.
B: What path does the sun follow across the sky over your Pergola?
If the sun passes directly over your Pergola and you want a lot of shade, you'll obviously need to consider this in your design (i.e., more cross beams that are close together).
C: Do you want your support beams and cross beams to inter-lock (by cutting square notches and assembling them like linking logs), or simply stacked on top of each other? (Again, Googling for Pergola images will help you see the differences in designs.)
I chose to interlock all of my beams by cutting notches and fitting them together. Obviously more time consuming to measure each notch, cut, and chisel them but the stability of inter-locking beams should hold up a little better in the strong winds of Las Vegas.
HOW TO (abbreviated)
Overall Pergola Dimensions: 10ft Height, 12x12ft
Tip: Paint or stain all your wood prior to assembly. Much easier. You can always touch-up scuffs and scrapes after it's built.
1. 2x6x12 installed directly onto the house (thru the stucco into the studs) using 3/8in. x 5in. lag screws. (Tip: Seal the top edge of the 2x6x12 that's against the stucco so water doesn't run behind it and down into the lag screw holes.)
2. Install the 2x6 Double Shear Hangers (as many as you need for your design)
3. 4x4 post anchors secured directly into the cement patio using Tapcon 3/16 in. x 2-3/4 in.cement anchor screws.
4. 4x4x10ft posts screwed on top of the anchors. Ensure level on all sides (use a partner to help hold the posts).
5. Attach the front and side 2x6 beams to the 2 posts (again, use a partner to help hold posts while you're up on the ladder screwing your beams to the posts)
6. Attach the remaining 2x6 support beams.
7. Attach the 2x6 cross beams on top (whether you inter-lock them by cutting notches or simply resting them on top, be sure to toe-nail screw them in with 2in exterior screws).
8. Lay 1x12x12ft pine boards on top in between the cross beams and secure with 2in exterior wood screws.
9. Construct the post bases ("sleeves" or "leggings") which greatly adds to the look, as outlined in the "Weatherly Pergola" plans.
10. Touch-up paint / stain any areas you need.
After looking at some terribly overpriced particle board vanities, I found the lovely Rustic Farmhouse Double Bath Vanity plans and decided to go for it. I think this vanity turned out much better than anything I could have bought with the same amount of money, and it will last much longer too!! Thanks Ana!!
Thu, 05/04/2023 - 10:26
Absolutely stunning, thank you for sharing your beautiful createion!
I took a woodworking course through the community college and built this cedar bench for my front porch. I learned so much throughout this process and am proud of how it came out. I am now building up my own arsenal of tools and supplies. I can’t wait to choose my next project!
Plans from myoutdoorplans.com/2x4benchplans
Mon, 06/19/2023 - 17:39
Such a great first project, thank you for sharing. Can't wait to see your next project!
I built this for my daughter after Christmas sinse she had the living room covered in toys. The dimensions are 37" x 18" x 20"
Tue, 01/09/2018 - 05:51
HI Anna,
Can you provide more pictures or instructions on how you assembled this toy box? i want to make one just like it!
Thanks!
Wed, 03/10/2021 - 16:31
Looking at the wall panels they look like the long edge of each panel has a small bevel cut on it. This gives each panel edge a more pronounced or well-defined edge? Is this true? Was it done with a router?
I have been wanting garage cabinets for a long time but couldn't afford them. When I saw these shelves I knew it would be easy to add side panels and create doors for the sections. The size is 8'x8' with the 4'x3' under the ceiling rack. I put a 2"x4" in the middle to divide each section, measured and cut doors from 5mm lauran plywood. I also cut the stiles and rails from the same material to give it interest but mainly to make it thicker to avoid warping as much as possible. I added 2"x4" to create a facing for the doors to rest on. Also used overlay hinges to simplify the hanging as much as possible. I was able to follow the design plan and the only thing I did was add a shelf at the bottom. The cleats were definitely not necessary, it's very sturdy.
Making the doors
The first thing is to learn how to measure for cabinet doors. There are plenty of sites and YouTube videos showing how to correctly measure. If you are doing the same type of doors like I have, with no middle divider, then be sure to pay attention how to correctly measure for those instead of a single door.
The easiest way to make the doors will be getting 1/2 in sanded plywood and use a table saw to cut each door to size. Skip the shaker style trim and put the hardware on and be done. Make sure the hinges will be able to hold the weight of the door.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a table saw but I did have a router and a jig saw, and found a great video on YouTube on how to use a router to cut straight edges without a table saw. I measured out one door and used that outline to cut two identical doors. It turned out that each section was slightly a different width so I had to do two at a time. However, if you have a circular saw you can rig it to make a table saw and make a guide to rip the doors. It all depends on what tools you have available to you.
I have a compact plunge saw and was able to cut the 3 inch strips for the shaker style with it. Honestly, that was the most tedious part and most time consuming by far. That also had to do with the fact that because the plywood is only 5mm thick I cut strips for both the front and the back to make it over 1/2 inch thick to help minimize warping and give the hinges something to grab.
I used the miter saw to cut the stiles and rails to size and a 23 gauge nailer with 1/2 nails and glue to get them on the door. I glued and nailed the front and the back of each side at the same time because the nails are a bit longer than two pieces of plywood. I then turned it over and nailed the other side. The great thing about using a 23 gauge is that I didn't have to fill any holes because they are so small you can hardly see them at all.
The last thing is to use your sander to ensure all of the pieces are even. I used a 60 grit and then followed it with a 220 where needed.
If you want to avoid cutting the strips but still want to have the shaker style, Home Depot sells 1/4 thick Polystyrene flat moulding that will add vertially no weight to the door but the cost can easily add up if you have a lot of doors.
Lastly, if you are wondering why I got such thin plywood that ended up creating more work. The reason is because I wanted to save money on hardware and I didn't trust the inexpensive hinges I got off eBay would hold a heavy door for many years.
Wed, 06/19/2019 - 13:20
What kind of paint did you use? Looks really nice, the whole thing!
Thu, 07/18/2019 - 10:28
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing so much detail on your project too.
Wed, 06/10/2020 - 13:14
Can we get detailed plan of how you made this from the start to end like a material list and cut list.
I made this cabinet to house my murphy bed. I used the Toy or TV Armoire plans as a start and adjusted the measurements as needed.
Tue, 06/02/2020 - 16:22
Do you have plans or details about the door materials/ hinges?
Thu, 12/03/2015 - 07:30
This was an actual "original murphy bed" that i found on craigslist for $100
Wed, 02/02/2022 - 02:55
Awesome! What style hinges did you use to make the doors fold back flush with the sides?
We desperately needed a gate to keep our pets from accessing the rooms, with carpet, in our new home. We originally thought about building a full barn door but, the security system was in the way and it wouldn’t have allowed the light to pass through to our dark entryway anyway. We definitely wanted to steer away from the “barn door looking” gate we did at our last home and wanted to try something more timeless with the sprayed, black caning. We have a very eclectic style. Very vintage industrial, MCM, with pops of RH glam and a touch of BOHO. Sounds confusing but, I needed this gate to take the pressure off of trends we didn’t quite fit in and be easy to use for my teenager. The gate leads to her bed/bath and the guest rooms. The mechanism is not my design but, it’s brilliant, especially for the industrial element to our home. Took me close to 4 days from start to finish. Lost my Kreg jig in our move and was so thankful to a stranger-neighbor that willingly let me borrow his on the curiosity of what exactly I was building. NGL, it felt pretty good when he said how impressed he was with the build. 💞
Tue, 02/28/2023 - 07:16
This looks superb, thank you so much for sharing your super cool gate!
I used pocket holes to hide the screws. I made an ottoman out of the outdoor coffee table plans to my dimensions that can be used as a coffee table when we need it.
Modified the classic bunk bed plans to fit crib size matresses for our 1.5 & 2 year old girls, loved how my toddler bunk beds turned out!
Mon, 08/01/2016 - 17:27
Hi,
Could you email me the change in measurements you used for the crib mattress?
It would help me out so much. I want to build a similar one for my boys.
Thank you.
Danielle S.
Really easy to follow instructions. Thank you!
I had started this project last year in September and finished it finally 2020 in March because I get my chicken then.
I did modify the chicken coop a little bit due to the material I got.
The instructions and most of all the cutting list I like best!
Antje
I used Ana's planter box plans and I designed and built the bench out of pallet wood, and purchased the power coated trellis's and custom fit then to the planters.
This is one of the cheapest projects for my kids I have ever completed!! And the most rewarding. I think everyone of my neighbors has been on the teeter totter...including adults :) My kids just love it and I am thinking of making a few for my nephews for Christmas. I was able to find all the wood I needed in my scrap pile. I had the PVC pipe and bolt already also so all I had to make a trip to the store for was the foam for the seats. My son helped me build this in an hour. I liked the unfinished look so I just sprayed it with a little Thompson Water Seal. Thank you Ana White!!
After building the first chair I decided I did not like the sizing, it felt like the arms were to low and the back cushion really did not have any support so I modified the chairs a bit and rebuilt the chair and also made a matching loveseat.
I also decided to reverse the arms so the 2×6’s are on the outside instead of the inside, Originally I did this by mistake but I decided to keep it that way because it helped hold my cushion in place and I like it better that way. But most people I have asked say they prefer the arms the original way that Ana-White had them though.
I ended up making the legs 3" inches longer to raise the height.
I made the side slats and the armrests 3" shorter to reduce the depth to make my cushions fit better
For the love seat the only thing I had to change was I made the back slats the front slats and the seat slats 48" and I added in a 2x4 for support under the seat slats that attached from the front slat to the back slats.
Overall I love the way they came out very sturdy and we use them everyday!
Built three Adirondack chairs from Ana White's plans. they worked out real well still got to stain them yet. Thanks Ana
Bowlegged Cowboy
I used the basic framing plan for the project, but extended roof overhangs, added engineered siding / trim and cedar shake roofing. I put 2x4 bracing on for the platform.
My favorite 7 year old recently had a Minecraft themed birthday party. For party favors, I made Minecraft torches from a 2×2 board. Painting each pixel of the torch was an incredibly time consuming process. This is definitely not a project you want to procrastinate on. I would budget two hours per a torch. The torches are 1.5″ wide and 7.5″ tall. The scale for the pixels is 0.75 inches. I am pretty happy with how the torches came out. It is a great way to use leftover 2×2 boards in the garage and a neat treat for fans of the game.
Comments
Rachael Brown
Fri, 02/18/2022 - 08:20
Porch Swing Glider
Are there any dimensions for the glider part? I have first year agriculture students building this, but we are unsure of the cut list for this. I am sure I can figure it out as the teacher, but with 20 students in the class, it would be better to be able to give them instructions to follow on paper. Thank you!!!