Community Brag Posts

Twin bed from rough cut red oak!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/21/2019 - 11:58

This is a twin bed that my son and I built for my grandson! Awesome project that we were proud of. 

Estimated Cost
$250.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain with poly-simigloss
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Tiled Rustic Bench

I used the Rustic Bench plans, but adjusted the length to make it smaller, since my plywood top was a bit wider and shorter than the top on the plan. It was the last remnant from our incredibly versatile plywood sheet. I also had to cut out the two cross supports, because 1) they’re too difficult for me to figure out (they’re not right in either of my benches) and 2) I didn’t feel like buying a board just for those. I had just the right amount of spare lumber lying around, and I was going to maximize it!

At first, I wanted to just build a bench for my sister for Christmas, and paint it like our island. But after visiting my parents over Thanksgiving and taking home some reclaimed tile from their old outdoor bar, I knew this bench had a better destiny than mere paint. When I laid down the tile scraps and they fit perfectly, I knew serendipity had spoken.
This was the first time I’d ever worked with tile. I did a little research (aka grilling my husband’s best friend, who is a tile guru), and discovered I didn’t really need any fancy materials to lay the tile down on. As it’s just a bench, and in no need for mold-prevention or cement board like bathroom walls, all I needed to do was rough up the plywood top with my grinder and a steel-wool like disk. With the bench already sanded and painted, I started the tiling process. I bought a bucket of tile adhesive and grout all-in-one, and went to town. I didn’t have a trowel, so I made do with my putty spatula. I just had to make the grooves in the adhesive one-by-one as opposed to one quick stroke. I spread the adhesive, laid the tiles, carefully washed off any overspread on the sides, and let it sit for 24 hours. Then I spread in the grout (it’s all the same stuff, just different application), washed the overspread off again, and let it sit for another 24 hours. Then I had a gorgeous top!

Estimated Cost
$20
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Marble Tile, Valspar Harvest Brown satin latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Norma (not verified)

Tue, 11/15/2011 - 11:47

That is seriously beautiful. Very nice work!

Long desk

Submitted by murphygirl on Tue, 09/24/2013 - 10:22

I was looking for a long desk for two people and wasn't able to find anything that wasn't custom. I decided to try and here it is! I now have a massive and sturdy desk I can be proud of.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Stain/poly mix
Multiple coats and used steel wool between each.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Farmhouse Truss Beam Dining Table

Submitted by Lantz198 on Sun, 12/06/2015 - 09:45

I changed some of the original dimensions so that it better fit my dining area. My table top is 41" wide x 87" length. To accomplish this width I used 2" x12"s for the outer boards and 2"x10"s for the two inner boards.  My inside supports were all cut to 72" (6 ft) so that we could comfortably seat 3 chairs on each side. I used 2"x4"s instead of 2"x10"s as the breadboard ends (just personal preference). I used 6" lag style screws to assemble most sections and I left the heads (black in color) of the bolts exposed for a more rugged apppearance. The top was secured through the bottom of the 4x4 using counter-sunk 4" screws and 2" pocket screws for the 2"x4" cross boards. I distressed the entire table and sanded smooth.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
All together I would put the price around $230-$250 to complete.
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Finally the stain is Minwax Ebony and 3 coats of Minwax Helmsman (Satin) from Home depot. Must sand between each coat.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My Rustic X Coffee Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 01/26/2019 - 08:33

Rustic X coffee table I built from the plans on this website. This is the first piece of furniture I’ve built.

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

Farmhouse Bed (hybrid)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/07/2022 - 11:45

This is my first time building anything! I had so much fun and it was actually easier than I anticipated. I used the Farmhouse Bed (queen) plan as the basis for my design, but made a couple of tweaks. I wanted the planks in the headboard and footboard to be horizontally oriented instead of vertical. In addition, I bought some hardware for the side rails to hook into my bed posts so that I could easily assemble and disassemble the bed. I went to a lumber mill to select my wood and the worker convinced me to use red oak to build the project, due to the cost and the durability. I stained it with a white wash which I added a sage green tint to so that I could mute the red in the oak a bit. I wasn't able to buy the exact dimensions of lumber noted in the plans so I had to improvise. For example, they didn't have 4x4s so I glued 3 boards together to make my posts. By the time I sanded, the pieces blended beautifully and you can't even tell that it is 3 separate pieces of lumber. I built this bed for our guest room and I can't wait to have guests over!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

School papers organized

Now that we've got two kids in school, the previous system of storing school papers just wasn't going to work (see pic below). I used the plans on Ana's site as a guideline and made the letter bin to fit my space. I decided to also make it a holder for the mail and all our keys.

This was made used all leftover wood hanging out in the garage. Luan was used for the letter bin, and strapping (1/2" pine) was used for the mail holder. I spray painted black and then painted it a creamy white, the color of our house trim. I distressed a little bit and then added the hooks. I hope it can stand the test of time.

Estimated Cost
$16 (mainly in the hooks)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Chose not to prime; black spray paint; creamy white; distress
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

StacieM

Fri, 09/09/2011 - 16:42

I just made the PB letter bin and now I wish I would have added the key hanger to the bottom since with 6 cars, we have tons of keys all over the place. Maybe I will make a separate one..

This looks awesome and I live the distressed finish.

Loft bed with bookcase and desk

Submitted by abc1234 on Mon, 12/26/2022 - 08:01

I built this for my daughter and more or less followed the plan without changes. I wasn't able to get hold of 1x3 so had to rip 1x4s which was a little time consuming. In hindsight I would probably increase the depth of the desk as it's a little shallow but not a huge problem.
I primed with two coats of BIN Primer as there were a lot if knots in the wood and I heard this is the best to cover then. It was a lot more expensive but hopefully worth it. Finished with latex semigloss.

Comments

Birthday Farmhouse Queen sized Bed

Submitted by ksmith311 on Sun, 09/29/2013 - 12:41

We built this bed way back in April for my birthday, but hadn't gotten the bedding quite right until now. We love this thing and it is sooo sturdy. I wish I would have taken more time on finish work to get the paint just right. I will probably repaint it in the future but for now it is a beautiful and necessary addition to our bedroom.

Thanks so much for the plans Ana, this was our first furniture project besides shelves and boxes. It definitely gave us the confidence to continue building and even to start creating our own plans and furniture designs.

** updated photos on 11/21

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Antique white paint in semi-gloss and distressed with Early American Stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Saw Horse Inspired Coffee table

Submitted by Nathan O on Tue, 12/15/2015 - 18:01

I essentially followed the Rogue Engineer plans exactly with the exception of making the table on 50 inches long to help it fit better in my living space. I also opted to not add the lower support struts that would be perpendicular to the table top. I felt like that were bulky and were necessary for support. I may choose to go back and add them though. A miter saw and Kreg Jig are essential to get this project done with ease. I gave it a rough sanding to help keep the rugged texture of the original woodand maintain the reclaimed look. Feel free to post any questions.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$30-$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Mini Wax Dark Walnut and Poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Husky farmhouse table w/ butterfly leaf

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/06/2019 - 17:43
  • Hand built Husky Farmhouse Table, plans from Ana White adding a hideaway butterfly leaf
Estimated Cost
$350
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
4 coats of Polycrylic Clear Matte
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Taylors console

We needed TV and game system storage for our vacation cabin and didn't want to spend a lot. This is perfect!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$80
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Used a mixture of some old darker stains I had on hand over the bare wood, then some Vaseline on edges I wanted to distress. Painted with DIY chalk paint (approx 1 teaspoon of unsanded grout mixed with a little water, stirred into 1 cup of latex paint.) Distressed with sander, then finished with two coats of wax.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Square Farmhouse Table

Submitted by 42jbmayer on Sat, 12/19/2015 - 21:25

This is a square farmhouse table I built for my dining room.  It is just under 5ftx5ft size.  The top is 6 planks that I cut down from 2x12 down to 10inch sized planks.  Then routered each plank with a 1/8 roundover router bit.  I made the bench big and wide since I wanted it safe and stable so my toddlers don't fall off.  Lots of sanding since this is all kiln dried construction lumber.  I sprayed varathane poly, water based, and loved it.  I put 4 coats on of semi gloss, came out perfect.

Estimated Cost
250-300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Varathane Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Bench with foam padding

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/11/2019 - 16:52

This was a fun little project. I made the bench to be placed in our foyer to sit down and put your shoes on and off. 3” foam and fabric makes for a comfy bench.

Estimated Cost
$100 ($60 lumber, $40 3” foam and fabric)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Kids Desk

Submitted by kellystern on Mon, 01/09/2023 - 16:03

I modified the plan to allow for wider shelves on the legs. I also made the width of the desk 22” instead of 24” to accommodate the size of the repurposed coffee table I used for the desktop.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Modified Farmhouse Table

Submitted by glowcze1 on Mon, 09/26/2011 - 08:52

For this project, we combined plans from the Farmhouse table and also the Tryde coffee table. We have a smaller dining room so we had to modify the plans to fit our ideal size (44"wide x 62"long). I did not want the stretcher underneath as it would take up leg room and it is very sturdy without it. We used 2x12s for the tabletop & 2x8s for the breadboards. We used 4x4 posts for the legs and 2x4 for all the other support pieces. We constructed the table in 2 pieces: the frame and then the table top so it would easier to move into place then do the final assembly. This was our first time building furniture and first time using the Kreg Jig. I think the Kreg was easy to use and worth the investment. Overall, we were surprised at how well it turned out and will look to Ana for more plans in the future!

Estimated Cost
$120
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Wood conditioner- Rust-Oleum
American Walnut, 1 light coat, applied with a rag- Rust-Oleum
Polyurethane, 4 coats, applied with a foam brush- Min Wax
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

ferbit

Thu, 11/17/2011 - 10:04

I'm doing this exact project right now. Just bought the wood and am about to start the cuts today. I'm using the Tryde plan, but making it kitchen table size. I love that you were able to find 2x pine! My store doesn't carry that, only 1x pine. So I had to go with the UBER cheap 2x hemlock. It's ok, but I would have preferred pine.

ANYWAY, I'm wanting to build this in two pieces too. I'm assuming you Kreg Jigged the tabletop pieces together. How did that go? That's what I was planning to do... I bought 2 1/2" pocket screws for this part of the job. Is that what you used? My tabletop is all 2x8 boards. Just curious how it "felt" edge joining boards this size together. Did you use extra screws or just follow Kreg Jig recommendations (2" from ends, then every 6")?

Thanks for your thoughts! My table is going to be so similar to yours! LOVE seeing your picures!!! :) Great job!

Jennifer

glowcze1

Wed, 02/29/2012 - 13:14

Sorry, I wasn't notified there were more comments!

Yes, we used the Kreg Jig, it was our first time and pretty easy to use. We did not drill from the top down on the tabletop, only used the Kreg Jig on the underside and this table is STURDY. On the table boards-Yes, we did the 2" from the ends and every 6" or where we thought they should go. Hope your's turned out well and thank you for the nice comments!

The chairs are Ikea's Gilbert. We've been happy with them. They support some of the 6'4" men in my family, no problem.

Bedside Tables

We love our farmhouse king bed, but that meant that our old side tables didn't fit anymore! (our old bed was a queen)

I really like the mini farmhouse bedside table, but the open storage would be problematic with the dog, so I added full length sides and a door.

The top of the tables is a board we found at my husband's grandparents farm, and the pulls are from some old tack. The metal loops were on some old horse harness, and the leather was cleaned up from the same piece. I was able to drill a hole in the leather and then pre-dill the doors to accept post screws from home depot.

I love these tables!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$125 for both tables
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
The tops are stained with Varathane gel stain in Walnut, and then a wipe on poly.
The sides were done with Kilz primer and then a white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 10/02/2013 - 19:11

Love these tables! The wood top is just gorgeous, and I love you you re-purposed other items to make the hardware. That is so creative! Great job!

spiceylg

Thu, 10/03/2013 - 05:24

I concur. Love the tables and love that you re-purposed items for them!

jackiemacrae

Sun, 11/10/2013 - 18:58

Thanks guys!
I'm loving these- they are perfect for the space, and it makes me smile to know that the re-purposed parts come from the cottage.