Community Brag Posts

WALL-MOUNTED WINE RACK

Submitted by crowner123 on Mon, 06/24/2013 - 14:54

This was a rack I helped my dad make so he could give it as a wedding gift. This is an attempt to build from plans that Ana posted here:

http://ana-white.com/2011/11/wall-mounted-wine-rack-dont-forget-erase-y…

We took 2 long long cherry boards with bark still on the sides, and ran them through the planer. Then we ripped them down the center to be able to use bark ends on each side and book-matched the cherry colors, but most people wont have to worry about that since they wont be using "found" cherry.

The back board is made up of four 1x7s cuts at 28.5 inches long. You can use whatever width you want, we just wound up with 7inch pieces. Then we used a Kreg Jig to screw those together flush (see picture of back). Once those 4 pieces were together we sanded the edges down to make the backboard smooth and flush.

The 8 mini shelves were 1x3.5s cut at 10 inches long. The middle and bottom shelves were 1x5s cut at 24.75 inches long. Again, we were using limited wood and had to adjust our measurements to make it work.

We spaced the bottom shelf flush with the bottom of the backboard and then would space 4.5 inches between the top of that and the bottom of the next shelf. Make sure there is still room for your wine bottle to fit between the floating shelves. ALSO, MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE FLOATING SHELVES ACROSS FROM EACH OTHER LEVEL WITH ONE ANOTHER. You don't want your shelves to look lazily placed.

The way we placed the shelves on backboard was...involved.
- Clamp the shelves in place on the front of the board and trace them with pencil.
- Remove the shelves.
- Marke holes to drill within center of the trace.
- Drill those holes from the front of the board to the back.
- Reclamp the shelves back on and use the holes in the board to mark the clamped on shelves from the back.
- Unclamp the shelves and fully drill the shelves by themselves while they were not attached. (BE CAREFUL TO DRILL STRAIGHT and never come through the top or bottom of the shelf)
- Sand off your pencil marks after your drilling.
- Re-clamp the shelves to the backboard.
- Use 3" screws straight from the back into the shelves.
- Use 8 screws per big shelf and 3 screws per little shelf.

Then it was just slow and steadily clamping, tracing, drilling, re-clamping, drilling, sanding, re-clamping, and screwing the shelves on... You have to follow that pattern for each shelf or you risk ruining your shelf and if you have limited wood (like we did) that is not an option.

We also put very small pieces of wood to keep the bottles from rolling off their shelves. These were just scraps we had lying around and tapped them in with small finishing nails.

Good luck!

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
These photos were taken pre-finish. That is just how beautiful the cherry looks! We will be spraying on a high gloss clear finish and we'll be done.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Farmhouse Table with Bench

Awesome plans for a table that turned out perfect for our new home.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Honey Oak Polyerthane. Lightly sanded with a 320 sanding block after stain had dried for a day.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rustic x coffee table

Submitted by a.clark92 on Sun, 12/31/2017 - 05:15

My third table like this built so far. Fairly easy project takes about a day to complete depending on stain dry time. I painted the frame white and used an American walnut stain on the table top and the lower shelf. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
110 dollars canadian including stain
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
American walnut stain on table top applied generously with a rag and then wiped off after about a minute with a separate rag.

White cabinet paint on frame applied with a sponge brush 2 -3 coats
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Playhouse - Drew Gaffke

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 14:46

I combined a couple of playhouse plans for this one. The framing is 2x2 treated pine. The front is real stone. I tried to match our home the best that I could. The floor is made out of composite decking.

Comments

Seasonal And Holiday

Workbench

Submitted by e1p2m3 on Wed, 06/26/2013 - 06:52

This is from the "Workbench to Get the Job Done" plan. Instead of using plywood for the shelves, I used 2x4s cut to length which made the piece extra sturdy. I also left a little overhang on each of the ends for clamping things (I wish I left at least 3" on each side, but I think I left about 1 1/2").

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
None
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

St Louis Cardinal Cart

Submitted by g-berd on Wed, 06/10/2015 - 09:25

My first try and I had a blast. Being a St Louis Cardinal fan I decided to give the "simple rolling bar cart" a cardinal twist. It is great for using beside a BBQ grill. I actually gave this to my pastor for "Pastor Appreciation Day" and plan to build me another one.

Built from Plan(s)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Rustic Hudson dresser

Submitted by Keithm35 on Mon, 01/01/2018 - 21:16

This is my first big project I have done, it was for my wife’s birthday. I enjoyed the challenge though, 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Pre-stain to make sure there was no blotchiness, then pioneer stain with a matte finish. I applied using paintbrush making sure to very little stain on the brush and spread it as much as possible
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

My Hubby was busy this summer!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 16:35

This summer my husband built three of your pieces. We are so in love with how they turned out. Thank you so much for your easy to follow blueprints!

Comments

Outdoor Pine Canopy Daybed

Submitted by evilmom on Sun, 05/01/2011 - 14:01

This is my first venture into woodworking/carpentry. Since I did not want to shell out too much money for lumber, I used untreated pine (worst wood they say to use) for the daybed and used an exterior wood stain (with uv protection) to seal the wood. I also did not invest in power tools and used a hammer and wood saw to cut and nail everything together. As I cannot sew, I waterproofed the mattress by sandwiching it between two plastic mattress covers (dollar store) and duct taping the seams. It's not elegant but no one is going to see it. I used a cotton fitted twin sheet (old one) for the cover and found some outdoor pillows for $16 a pair ($8 per pillow and made with solarium fabric). Also as this is placed outside (deck), I'm looking into getting a mosquito net to use over the daybed instead of the bed tent I have on right now.

In hindsight, I should have used pressure treated wood for the posts and canopy beams to prevent bending/twisting (I had to re-do 2 posts). If I get 3 years of use for this furniture. I'm a happy camper. Ana, thank you so much for the plan. Kathy thanks for the advice on painting the lumber first.

You guys can do this!

Estimated Cost
$70 for the lumber, $ 40 for stain, sand paper, nails, wood glue, $4 for mattress cover, duct tape
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Olympic exterior wood stain with UV protection (oil based).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Vintage kitchen shelf with hooks

This is my first project. I had to shorten the width of the shelf to fit the space I had for it. The board on the back is also a 1x4 instead of the 1x3 that was in the plans. This was a great first project for anyone.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
N/A. Since this was my first project, I had to buy wood, tools, paint, hooks.
Finish Used
First I used one -coat of mini-wax oil based stain in Colonial Maple. The color was nice but a bit too "orangey" for my taste. I then used one-coat of mini-wax water based stain in toffee. Much better results for my taste. The final clear coat was also water based.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

DIY Restoration Hardware Queen Bed Frame

This bed frame was born from a compromise of Will’s desire for something soft to lean on, my desire for something rustic, and both of our desires to have a bed that doesn’t slowly inch away from the wall. What happened was an amazing Restoration Hardware meets Pottery Barn DIY masterpiece.

This thing is sturdy! No wiggling or anything. And that headboard is ultra comfy and plush!

We used 2 – 2×4’s instead of 4×4’s for the posts because the 4×4’s are pressure treated.
We put in an upholstered headboard instead of planks and “sandwhiched” it on all sides rather than only top and bottom. It was at this point that we realized that we liked the way the simple, framed upholstered portion looked so much that we didn’t want the posts on the outside and the trim pieces on top. So we left those off.
Another change here is that the head board became a little wider than the Anna White plans… that would be because I did not measure along the edge of the upholstery… Also, it was taller than the Anna White plans because I wanted plenty of the upholstered section to lean on/show up above our pillows.
The foot board then needed to be a little wider as well, and there was no clean way of doing that. We figured it out, and I built it pretty easily. However, I did not take into consideration the fact that, although the headboard was wider…. The posts were not. This created problems during assembly.
One last change, was we made it about 6″ taller than the plans to give us room for under the bed storage.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Special Walnut Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Bar Stool DIY

Submitted by Knathu121 on Fri, 01/05/2018 - 20:31

I used 2x4’s to make these bar stools and used Valspar weathered gray stain. I found the plans online by searching “chunky barstool”. It cost me around $85 to make all 4 of them.

Estimated Cost
$85.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Valspar weathered gray
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

X rustic coffee table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 12/26/2021 - 21:43

Came out great! Made it for my cousin! Everybody loved it. Used hard wood for the first time, which is actually… umm hard. Used varnish for the first time too! Strong smell, but beautiful wood.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Child's Book shelf

Submitted by Marisol on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 20:20

First Project...really got me hooked! It's only 4 feet tall so it really was a cheap one...

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$15.00
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr white paint with primer
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Coffee Station Cubbies

Submitted by scokenour on Sun, 06/30/2013 - 19:29

I wanted to make something to organize the coffee supplies in my office breakroom, so I made these cubbies using the same basic concept as the Vegetable Bins. I used 1 - 8' 1x4, scraps for the angled pieces and 1/4 plywood for the back and front of cubbies. I was able to construct primarily with glue and nail gun. I chose "intermediate" level because you may need to make tricky cuts using your miter saw that beginner may not be comfortable with.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$8
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
vinegar/steel wool stain, paste wax
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Slatted bench

Such an amazing and easy project with a big impact in a home or outside. A few 2x4's and 1 bys. I wanted to keep the original look of the wood but want to enhance the gain and add a little richness to it. I applied a natural stain and 3 coats of brush on poly. I started with spray on and that stuff sucks!!! More of it gets wasted in the air then on your material. Finished the bottoms with some felt rounders and voila!!!

Estimated Cost
50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Natural stain and Clear gloss poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

SeltzerandSon

Mon, 07/06/2015 - 15:38

Hi I'm sorry I just saw this. I personally don't have plans but can write some out for you if that helps. I just made another bench and stained it a kona color and it looks amazing!

Painters shelf Christmas present

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 12/27/2021 - 11:25

My daughter had asked about making shelves sometime. I didn’t say anything and snuck measurements when I was at her house. Followed Ana’s plans and she loved the results.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Sweet T's Entry Way

Submitted by Sweet T on Sat, 05/07/2011 - 20:23

Finally had some nice weather and finished this entry way and shelf project! Did have to change the side cuts to 11 1/4" because 1 x 12's are not 11 1/2 " wide. But other than that this project went very smoothly. The building only takes several hours. However the finishing does take hours to days depending on the weather.
I also used the leftover plywood to upholster the bench cushion.

Estimated Cost
$110 includes 3 hooks and the hardware to hang the shelf
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Primer, Ralph Lauren Tribal Pottery and Satin Nickel Tri-hooks
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Modified Farmhouse Table

I have had the same kitchen table for years. My wife and I finally got out of the city and into the country and decided that the small Crate and Barrel table we have had since we first got married had to go. Looking through some plans I came across this one http://tommyandellie.com/index.php/2012/01/13/new-and-improved-farmhous… and decided it was just what we needed to fill the dinning area in our new home. I modified the table I built from the original plan as I was trying to do it cheap and keep it at about $100. After playing with some ideas I decided I was going to make the top completely out of 2x6 and delete some other items from the original plan so that the chairs can just slide under the table and wouldn't need to lift them at the head of the table to push them in. The table top is 72"x44" and the bench is 54"x14.5". I hope you enjoy it.

What I used.
10 - 2x6x96 - table and bench tops
2 - 4x4x96 - legs - each 4x4 makes 2 bench and 2 table legs
6 - 2x4x96 - bench top, apron and supports.

Cut List
Table 72 x 44
8 2x6x61 - Table Top
2 2x6x44 - breadboards - measure these when the middle section is done for the table top, as it is the total width of the top.
4 4x4x28.5 - table legs
2 2x4x35 - end apron
4 2x4x38 - inside supports
2 2x4x58 - side apron

tools
Saw
Kreg Tool
Drill
Measuring Tape
Pencil

Bench 52x14.5
2 2x6x42 - bench top
3 2x4x42 - 1 bench top 2 for side apron
4 4x4x16x5 - legs
2 2x4x5 - end apron
3 2x4x8 - under supports

I put this at a week long project because of the way I finished it. If you just put your stain on and wipe off, it will take you a day and a half to do and you could use it lightly the second day if you have the right conditions for the poly to dry. I did use a Kreg tool and everything is held together with pocket holes, skip the glue, the poly on the top will keep things from going through the cracks.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax English Chestnut - heavy coat left to dry over night a light sand then light reapply of stain.
Minwax Satin Polyurathane - 2 coats on areas not in contact with heavy use i.e. legs and stringers, table and bench top got 4 coats, sanding between coats to smooth any imperfections with 400 grit sand paper.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

My first build - work bench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 12/28/2021 - 17:11

Hi Anna and everyone else that read this. My name is Scott. I got into woodworking to have something to do after I retire retire. No, that's not a typo. I retired the first time from the military, but right now I'm still working. For a couple more years. Anyway. The first photo was my workbench to build my workbench. The second photo is the all the cut wood. The third is the finished product. Mistakes were made, of course, but I learned from them. For example, the plywood is what I believe is termed 'exterior'. I figured, it was going to be hammered on, drilled on, painted on (you get my drift). What I didn't count on was splinters from the very rough surface. I sanded it. And sanded it. And sanded it. Now I just wear gloves, LOL. Since then I've also built a set of "Owens Night Stands" of yours. My wife loves them. Me - I see all the mistakes I made while building them. I'm hoping to learn from them also. BTW, Anna, that video you made for setting up drawers? Wish I'd seen it earlier, would have been a lot of help with those 2 stands, LOL. Last thing - I always remember everyone saying 'measure twice, cut once'. For me, until I get better at this, it's measure 3 times!

Comments