Community Brag Posts

Reclaimed beauty

Submitted by mkrgolf on Thu, 10/22/2015 - 20:38

All wood used was reclaimed. Some tabletop pieces were warped, but added character to the table. Took about four 6-hour days with interruptions in between. I bought the stain from the Habitat store for $1.50 and the poly was left at the house we recently moved into. The stain was brushed on then rubbed in with a rag. I originally used about six coats of oil-based poly and when that didn't seem to work, I applied 2 coats of Polycrylic.

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Colonial maple stain with water-based satin poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Grandy sliding console

Submitted by Brad Wills on Mon, 11/19/2018 - 14:51

Finally took the time to use a lot if my scrap pile.  This one is a bit of a beast to manhandle around the shop, but well worth the finished project!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar dark walnut stain. Under Behr Flat white paint. Distressed then cleared with valspar poly.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My wife's new Craft table

Submitted by MattB on Tue, 08/09/2011 - 23:29

This is actually my third project from your site Ana.

I acctually decided to make this table ten inch wider since my wife has a loooooooot of crafts :)

This project took a little longer then I thought.
It was my own fault!!! I thought I would safe some time and get some of the wood cut buy the clerk at Home Depot. That turned out to be a really bad idea. Most of my cuts were uneven and even after I gave the clerk the exact measurements, a few of the boards were up to 2 inches too long. At the end I had to buy two more boards because I had to cut peaces away to have straight edges.
Lesson learned!!!

I love building wood furniture. And I already got my next plan from your site that I'm going to build.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$160
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar-Dove tail white(Eggshell)
Behr- Surfer(eggshell)
2 coats of clear Polyurethane Semi-Gloss
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Guest (not verified)

Wed, 09/07/2011 - 04:18

awesome job! im in the middle of making one of these at the moment. but just to be a tad different i have put a small cutout hole on the top, theres a little bin that sits on the shelf under it, so all i have to do when ive finished with all my paper cuts is swipe it down the hole! hehe how nifty. oh and where did your wife get the black cricut machine?? lol

clubhouse loft

Submitted by oterojaime on Mon, 10/26/2015 - 05:26

This is just a loft I made for my kids. I didn't want to spend over $1500 at PBK for a twin bed size bunk bed. the size is 4x8 enough for them to have fun.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
350
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse table with pocket holes

I followed the plans with the exception of cutting off ~19" in length to get the table down to 5.5' in order to better fit my space.

Unfortunately several of the 2 1/2" pocket screws did pierce the top - nothing too terrible or noticeable, but disappointing.  My wife says it just adds to the rustic feel, so that works.

One thing I did that I notice other people not doing: I ripped off ~1/4" from the edge of all boards for the table top.  This gets rid of the "crumb catcher" spaces between the planks which come rounded.  By ripping off the rounded edge, the boards will fit more flush and you won't have such an issue with crumbs getting in between the boards.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Classic Gray Stain (set for 15 minutes), applied with sponge brush AFTER using Minwax Wood Conditioner, and Minwax Wipe-on Clear Satin Poly (2 coats), applied with clean cloth
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

My bag dispenser, made from scrap pieces of maple and pine

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/26/2022 - 13:13

I went looking at plans for a bag dispenser, and I found Ana White's. Nice, simple design! The top, front, and bottom are made from a recycled maple table top. The sides are made from 1 x 3 boards that I glued up. Works exactly as I hoped!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

A Home for Some Orchids

I built this with some scrap mdf, and 1x3's. I offset the shelves, and voila! A modern shelf to go with our eclectic, yet very modern decor. It also gives me a nice display for some of my orchids. I love this shelf!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Kona Brown
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Coffee table with a massive drawer!!

Submitted by Bunnie1978 on Wed, 09/04/2013 - 19:39

This was my second coffee table. Anticipating that the hardest part would of course be the drawer, I actually started with the drawer and built the rest of the table around that! Made a big difference too. It was much easier.

I took my time with this project with things that I had rushed through before, sanding parts before assembly, dry fitting with lots of clamps at each step, and I took extra care on cutting pieces square.

Since I was able to get the drawer done so much easier this time, the hardest part was the top. I hate how the ends turn up slightly... does anyone know how to stop that from happening?

I spent about a week and a half on this table, working on it for a few hours a day while my son was in school.

I am SO SO SO happy with how it turned out. The drawer was really tight in the shop (no air conditioning) but when I got it home, it has loosened up a bit, and its still just a little sticky, but not bad at all. I just love this finish. It's by far my favorite finish of any that I have tried.

I am trying to sell this coffee table, and my next project is going to be a console that coordinates, but will have the base part painted and the panel top stained. I really need a good job in the near future so I don't have to keep selling these things that I build and fall in love with!!

** On a side note, this coffee table got me a marriage proposal from a near stranger. Who would have thought that making sawdust would be so attractive to guys? LOL.

Estimated Cost
$125
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
First stain with Minwax Golden Pecan, then rub edges and massage into a gradient with Minwax Red Oak. Two coats of semi-gloss poly. Last coat on top is applied VERY HEAVY. Sanding with 600 grit by hand in between coats.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

brookifer86

Wed, 09/04/2013 - 20:47

You can get silicone in a spray can and it will keep the drawer sliding slick and not catch. I had to use it on my apothecary console table. I believe beeswax or candle wax can also help if you'd like a more natural solution. Great table!

Bunnie1978

Thu, 09/05/2013 - 20:44

actually since I have it home and it's so much cooler, it doesn't stick at all anymore. It is completely perfect. It took a couple days for the wood to adjust, but I'm so happy because there are NO "obviously handmade" flaws. You know what I mean?

Doll pram in baby's room

Submitted by whitebrow on Thu, 10/29/2015 - 11:22

This is a fun a straight-forward project.  I built it for our littlest one's first birthday as both a doll stroller and a walk-behind push toy.  I used select pine for the stroller, a 1" oak dowel for the handle and some pre-made wheels / rounds.  Wheels were from Michaels (I think) and the rest was from Lowes.

I want to find a way to better secure the wheels, but the plans' method works pretty well.  The axle caps can sometimes fall off so I just check them for tightness every so often.

Best of all, Greta approves.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
painted wheels, whitewashed body
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Christmas present

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/26/2018 - 19:33

I made some adjustments to the look of the tower by adding an extra window, I also made the middle part more solid instead of railing since my kids are destructive. I made two more stairs too so no storage under stairs. I have not put the stair railing in, but will use a standard stair railing and the wooden posts for it for an estimated additional 25 dollars, my husband also insisted he do his part and put in additional 2x4 under the top bunk so they have jumped on the bed and the wood doesn’t move. Also made the bottom a bed instead of a loft, but kept the books under the slide and the place to sit in the window. 

I have no previous woodworking skills and learned as I went, there was a learning curve but manageable.

Estimated Cost
750.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Spray paint and acrylic paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Potting bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/03/2022 - 16:15

Potting bench made of merbau hardwood. Found the design on Pinterest.

Comments

Pallet Crates as Halloween Decor

Submitted by Lady Goats on Sat, 08/13/2011 - 20:54

I started to build these crates as storage for my oldest daughter's room, but I never got around to finishing a second. Halloween was coming on fast and I had about 8 pallets in my backyard. I debated tearing them apart and building another crate, or using them to create a graveyard.....

The graveyard won, and I ended up doing a picket fence, a casket and headstones with the pallet pieces. The crate fit right in to the decor, so it has now become a halloween decoration instead of a storage solution for my daughter's room. It even got a lid!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
free
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
absolutely... NONE!
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Comments

perry22

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 20:47

Today starting from the left, there is the gated entrance to flats, a new building (shop, garage & mini cab office) the flat roof building is still there but remodelled (chemist & ladies garments) the other buildings have been demolished and replaced by flats. The houses on the far corner of North Street are still there, with Prince Regent pub next door behind what was the island urinal in the middle of the road and tree. Water Damage Restoration Oceanside CA

perry22

Wed, 05/15/2013 - 21:06

I dont think Blue will be a good option as it will make the room look dull. You anyways have a brown toned sofa and a brown floor. So do not go for blue. I suggest if you want to add color to your room add a rug, change your sofa upholstery and that should work. You may not need to paint the wall. Infact add some posters and paintings. All this will add color to your room. carpet cleaning Downers Grove IL

made with love by my Grandchildren and I

My grandchildren needed a table that they could use for blocks, coloring, trains and just all around fun so with the help from my 4 year old and 3 year old Grandson's we created the perfect table from the rustic x coffee table plans.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$65.00
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax polyshade. Stain and polyurethane in 1 step. Pecan satin color
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Restoration Hardware-like coffee table

Submitted by kkellg on Wed, 11/04/2015 - 07:25

So Worth It!

 

This project was possibly beyond my expertise however persistance, reading and asking for help worked. This table was a 5 month project with a start, a quit, a re-buy and finally a full steam forward to the finish line. 

Although difficult, I learned so much during this build-how to use a biscuit joiner (then reverted back to my Kreg Jig), how to clamp pieces so that they remain even, how to properly finish a table, how important measuring and squaring are, etc...

I have a large sectional so I had to revise the size of this table. Ours is a 3' x 5' table. The most difficult part of building where we live is finding good lumber. There were 3 different types of wood used on the project but thankfully I was able to stain to match. 

Off to start my next project-our son's headboard. Should be a piece of cake. I'll let you know and it WILL be sooner than 5 months! Happy Building! Karla

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Approximately $400 because I started over once.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
MinWax Ebony
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Spa bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/30/2018 - 00:05

My wife asked for a terrible particle board bench for Christmas.  When I complained about the quality, she told me to build one instead.  I may have been played.

 

I found the plans here and the only modifications I made were resizing to fit our space, and adding a tree design to the sides, cut using my desktop CNC router.  The design was purchased from an artist shop on Etsy.

 

She loves the bench and I saved a few hundred dollars.  I also got to finish another project which is awesome.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Red mahagony stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

X based pedestal table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 09/10/2022 - 19:30

The entire table was made from 200mm x 50mm x 2400mm pine landscaping sleepers. Finished with Cabots benchtop clear

Comments

Queen Farmhouse Bed

I never thought I would have been able to do this. Thanks Anna! This was my first time building anything. It was a great learning experience. My husband was a big help. He got me comfortable with operating the power tools and assisted me with attaching the posts. This project took a lot longer to put together because I have an extremely active two year old. :-) So I had to do this when pee wee was napping or preoccupied. Originally I wanted to stain the wood Espresso but for some reason I couldn't find Espresso stain sold anywhere in Vegas. I took a swatch down to the local paint shop to have it matched but when the second coat of stain was on the footboard I realized it was not at all the color I had in mind. I had to resand all of it down and the second time around I went with a primer and espresso spray paint. I had a boxspring so instead of making the makeshift boxsprings I found the design in another plan for adding the strip to the sideboards so that slats could be laid down for the boxspring. It turned out amazing! My next project is the farmhouse nightstands. I can't wait!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$300
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
We used a white primer and Rustoleum Universal Gloss Espresso Brown spray paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Building Built In Bookshelves

I decided to build bookshelves on either side of the fireplace, where it was just drywall. I wanted them to be flush with the wall, and the garage is behind the wall. So, I built them into the garage.
I put headers above where the bookshelves would be, and framed the back side in the garage with just 2x4's. I used full sheets of bead board to cover the backs and sides, and tops. Then I bought pre made shelves and put them up using quarter round to support the shelves on all three sides.
I then bought a door frame kit that I liked, that came with fluted pieces for the sides and top with decorative squares to put at the corners. I caulked and painted it all once it was built. I used a circular saw, framing nail gun, compressor, trim nail gun, chop saw and a hammer total. It was a pretty simple project but has made the space much more useable and pretty. My next project is to build a mantle and surround that matches the bookshelves.

Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
glossy white paint, Behr Polar Bear white.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Butternut Coffee Table

Submitted by jsliter on Sat, 11/14/2015 - 08:49

I built this table out of really rough old lumber from our family farm.  Lots of sanding and a real rustic look.  Thanks for the plans!  I love it!

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Oil finish - after drying, used three coats of Clearcoat - satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Dream Dollhouse

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 01/01/2019 - 11:40

Built for 3 year old Granddaughter 2018 Christmas.  Great instructions thanks.  Added ridge cap instead of chimney. Stained floors for the hardwood floor look.

Estimated Cost
$115
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Small Bathroom Shelf

Submitted by vendo on Mon, 09/26/2022 - 10:05

We had an existing cabinet in our small bathroom, so I build this small "bookshelf" to fit perfectly under it for more storage. Always inspired by Ana, this is just a bookshelf made with 1x8 boards with a 1x2 face frame. Quick, easy and functional, that's how I like it.

Built from Plan(s)