Community Brag Posts

"Ameri-shelf"

Submitted by omarNY on Tue, 07/16/2013 - 18:19

My 8-year-old and I built a shelf for his room, based on the Rolling Cubby Bench plans. (The paint job is all him. He originally suggested trying to paint a picture of an eagle on it, we ultimately settled on a partial flag.)

I'm fairly new to woodworking, and this was my second of four projects I've built using plans from this site so far. Cutting and assembly was just a couple of hours, but finishing stretched this out into a several-night project.

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

Teaching Easel

Submitted by vlane2014 on Fri, 07/17/2015 - 20:32

My father-in-law built this for me using Anna White's plans. He tweeked a few things to add somethings I wanted to add. A huge sheet of white board bought from Lowes was used to make both easel sides and the shelves. Once he had it built for me, I painted the lilac paint color onto the wood and whiteboard shelves. The black chalk board side was made by using black chalboard paint. I wanted it to look cute so, I added a black boarder on the white board, and then used a cotton ball with the lilac paint to make the paint blotch style on both sides. I cannot wait to use this in my classroom!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$60.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Lilac Valspar paint and black chalkboard paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

King Shiplap Headboard.

The Beauty Queen described a headboard with shiplap and sort of cottage style. I modified the Ana White plan to fit my needs and the wife’s taste. I used the preprimed shiplap and 1x material from the big box store so it was a little more expensive but still very reasonable. Then I made side tables. 

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Marquee Semi-gloss enamel in antique white
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Shepard Kitchen island

I used Ana’s Shepard Kitchen Island plans. Made some alterations per my wife’s request. Added ten inches on each side to store kitchen items and cookie sheets, etc. She also wanted a raise bar on the back and X's on the side. We replaced the wine rack in the middle with a pot and pan slide out rack. Also made the right side bottom door into a deep drawer for her storage containers. Ana’s plans make builds so easy. I appreciate all the plans she shares with us.

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

20 Second Office

I am in the process of remodeling/redecorating my tiny house. I started with the kitchen and am now moving into the living room. The two rooms are connected so I needed something that would match the "beachy feel without being obvious" style I am trying to accomplish. I also needed a place for my files, printer, etc since I don't have an office. My house is very small so I have to consider function in every piece of furniture I own. This table was the PERFECT solution! It hides my seldom used but definitely necessary office supplies while looking super cute and brightening up the room.

As you can see I made a few slight changes to the look of the trundle. I made it look like three "drawers" instead of the two in the plans, and used manila rope instead of handles or cutting out the shape in Ana's design. I also lined the inside of the trundle with felt to protect my computer, etc. from the hard surface of the wood. I couldn't help pick my favorite color, since you can't see it while the trundle is closed. Though not pictured here, I added a bracket for files as well (they didn't photograph well). I picked it up from a woodworking specialty store for $15.

All in all it was an easy second project for me, I had it built and nearly finished in a weekend.

Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
I used 3 coats of Minwax's Polyshades Classic Oak, sanding with 220 grit VERY lightly in between. This was my first time using a combo product and didn't find it to be as great as I thought it would be. It was easy to apply but was very runny so I had to triple check every nook and cranny for drips and pile ups after and even then still missed a few. I could have achieved a similar look in half the time using traditional methods. I'll finish the can but probably won't buy it again.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Camp Grandma

Wed, 08/13/2014 - 07:29

for our house at the beach. Thank you so much for sharing your design and your experience. We are just finishing up a 7 piece outdoor set for the deck. Your table is next, going right to the top of our "To Build List".

Thank you Anna! Salsa Console Table Project

Submitted by jblair814 on Fri, 04/01/2022 - 06:48

I have to give a massive shout out to Anna White and to all the other folks who did their own variation on the Salsa Console Table.

I started this project before my daughter was born, and needless to say, that turned it from a "couple of weeks" project to a "most of the year" one!

The good news is that in taking my time, I was able to think and re-design and that made the final project so much better! I kept the original idea of a 'criss-cross' wine rack, elevated the drawer/cabinet design with shaker-style joinery, and laminated the top myself (sooooo happy with how that turned out). I made the extra bits of trim around the mid-section and base myself with a router and scraps from the drawer faces (since trim is so expensive at box stores)

Lastly, the finishing involved two of my very favorite products: Benjamin Moore Advance for the body(expensive but diamond-hard finish) and Varathane Poly Stain and Seal (there is just no substitute for slow-drying oil finishes on tabletops - so smooth and rich in colour)

All in all, the project cost me around $600 (high prices of wood during Covid to blame) but there is just no substitute for doing it yourself, and since most solid wood buffet tables run $2000+ I still came out ahead.

Cheers fellow woodworkers!!!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

WIDE CABIN DRESSER METAL SLIDES

Submitted by daddydrew on Fri, 07/19/2013 - 12:03

This was my third or fourth project and it was pretty tough. I started out with the basic build which was pretty simple and then I got to the end where everything was built except for the drawer slides and boy was it rough. I think that i spend half of the time on this project doing the drawer slides and half the time doing the build and the finish. I don't want to discourage anyone from doing this project but make sure you don't get in over your head. Check out my profile I am willing to do builds for people for an inexpensive price.

http://ana-white.com/users/daddydrew

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
minwax jacobean oil based stain
minwax polycrylic clear coat finish
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

Full loft bed adult height

Submitted by Jtlarson12 on Thu, 02/22/2018 - 16:00

We made the loft bed but changed it to full size and changed height to 80in and increased length and width of the platform. 

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Honey stain
Fresh cotton paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

2x4 Modern Adirondack Chair

I used the 2x4 modern Adirondack chair plans. I made it entirely from old treated lumber that came from a deck I tore down. All decking boards and 2x10 beams that I ripped to size. The finish is burned.

Comments

laundry pedestal

Submitted by queenmommy on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 19:19

This was my first project for our newly purchased house. I built it in the 1-car garage and patio of the duplex we were living in prior to our move. I haven't put the trim pieces on yet because it we moved and started using it the day after I got it screwed together.

Estimated Cost
$130
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 light coats of Valspar satin spray paint in Berry.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Reclaimed wood look headboard

Submitted by DogDoc25 on Sun, 07/21/2013 - 18:39

Fun project! This headboard is HEAVY and sturdy. Mine ended up being more expensive than other people have reported theirs to be...about $100 total for wood and 1 box of nails...not sure why that happened, but I got the cheapest wood I could find at Lowes and that's still what it ended up being. Overall, I'm happy with how it turned out and am excited to add it to my pair of nightstands that I made from the site. Thanks Ana!

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Jacobean
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Barn Door Built-ins with Faux Mantle

Submitted by Silweb30 on Sun, 02/25/2018 - 15:59

We used the barn door console plans as a base to make the built ins and the faux fireplace mantel plans for the center! We love everything this site has to offer!! 

Estimated Cost
500
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate
Seasonal And Holiday

King farmhouse bed

Submitted by Texan59 on Thu, 04/14/2022 - 07:45

Always wanted to build my own bed frame and this was it. Let me start out by thanking Ana, for her great plans. I also wanted to say that even with lumber prices at high prices, does not mean quality lumber! The big box stuff took a lot of prep to become workable. I purchased the 4x4 posts from a local guy with a small saw mill. They were actual 4x4 inch, so some measurements needed to be adjusted.
Very satisfied with the outcome as visible by the inspectors in the last picture! Our plan is to finish it in a flat whitewash finish topped with a matte poly. This piece of furniture is stout and will last generations.

Comments

Little Giraffe sling Chair

I loved this plan and used some furring strips of wood we already had. Will use finished wood next time. It cost about $5 for the wood and hardware and I already had the fabric. I did use decorator fabric instead of outdoor fabric. Which means if it's left outdoors it will fade faster than outdoor fabric. If anyone doesn't sew but wants to make this chair, please email me at [email protected] because I have a sewing business and can make the chair seats and even monogram them.

Estimated Cost
$5
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
Painted with a sample can of paint. A sample can was enough for 2 chairs and 2 coats. Used regular decorator fabric instead of outdoor fabric.
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Surf and Beach Themed Bedroom

This project started with my son having the need for a loft bed. I began building the framing with some 2x4s and my imagination took over. The more I built, the more ideas and details I thought would be cool for whole theme. After finishing the "surf shack" loft, i moved to creating custom made fan blades, switch plates, placards, etc to fit the theme. It was all finished off by installing built-in shelves and painted walls.

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Watered down black paint applied and then wiped off to bring out grain and knots. Finish coat of Minwax Weathered Gray Stain.
Recommended Skill Level
Advanced

Comments

spiceylg

Wed, 07/24/2013 - 09:24

That came out really nice. Love all the added touches. Good use of that corner with shelves. We had a bigger niche like in our kitchen where we put shelves as well. The icing is the custom fan blades! Very clever!

smcoplan

Tue, 05/12/2015 - 13:25

I LOVE THIS and want to make it for my son!! I don't see any plans attached - do you still have them?? I made your other surf shack loft bed for my other son and it was a hit!!!

Simple outdoor sofa and chairs

Submitted by Bamafan50 on Sun, 08/02/2015 - 17:50

The sofa was my first large DIY project that required a fair amount of construction. It took me about a week working a few hours a day. I followed the plans as they were listed but made a few adjustments to accommodate for the size of the cushions. I used regular pine and then cheap lumber for the slats, lesson learned. Way too much sanding and it still didn't have the finish I was hoping for.  

For the chairs: I used a mix of plans from the Bristol outdoor lounge chair (Ana's) and the simple outdoor sofa. I chose to use all sect pine for the chairs, after the hard time I had with the cheaper wood I chose to use on the sofa.  I was much happier with the end result.  I used 1x3's mostly and then added 1x1 composite molding as an accent around the base.

I looked long and hard for cushions before I started the project based on the recommendations from others. I took me a while but I finally found Somewhat affordable outdoor sunbrella cushions at Lowes. These are the Allen + Roth deep seating sunbrella cushions, which I highly recommend. They are very comfortable and dry quickly after it rains.

Estimated Cost
The cost for both the sofa and chairs was close to $800 dollars. However, the majority of the money was spent on the cushions. At about $98 dollars a set, the sunbrella cushions cost me about $530
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Rustoliium oil based glossy white with two heavy coats. If I had it to do over again, it would be latex followed by poly
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Triple cubby inspired

Submitted by willowpond on Sun, 03/04/2018 - 15:04

I started with the triple cubby design, resized it to fit my space, added doors, and built three of them.  They run the length of the wall in the area where my pool table is, and provide both storage and seating.  In the process I used a multitude of Kreg items - the rip cut, the pocket hole jig, the hinge jig, the cabinet knob jig, and the corner clamps.  As this was my "starter" project, I made some mistakes, learned a lot of lessons, and can't wait for my next project!

Estimated Cost
Plywood - $210 (three sheets, very high quality plywood); mouldings - $26; hinges - $80 ; knobs - $23. This was my "starter" project so I also invested in a lot of tools.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
White latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Ana white seesaw

Submitted by Reader Submission (not verified) on Thu, 04/21/2022 - 12:48

My 11 year old followed the plan and directions by you Ana!!!! We just helped him a little bit and we are so proud of the end project. The kids love it !!!!

Thank you Ana

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Our basement "Ana White" Room

Submitted by LindseyA on Thu, 06/09/2011 - 19:59

We have a room in our basement that has very dark paint on the walls and NO windows, so we were looking for options to add lamps, as well as brighter colors to offset the darkness. I built two modified cabin collection end tables (no doors and the tops overhang by about an inch) for the lamps we already had. Once the tables were done, I saw the plan for the squared headboard and decided it would make an awesome large scale wall decor for cheaper than anything I could buy at the store. I modified the plan but cutting the "legs" down to 34.5 inches, but otherwise followed the plan pretty closely, laying out the pattern completely before I began assembling. It was a tedious process, but well worth it! (I used my kreg jig on both.)
As a side note, our 2x2's are NEVER straight, so I usually glue 2 1x2's together and sand the seam so it appears as one piece of wood.

Estimated Cost
End tables (~$25 each), Wall Decor (~$30)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Rustoleum's American Accents in White, Semi-gloss (blue can).
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Ana White

Fri, 06/10/2011 - 12:09

This my dear is the basement that Ana White wishes she had! Love the wall decor! Adds just the right touch! And cute little end tables! The wall color is perfect too!

Reading center.

I was asked by a friend if I could build a reading bench for his daycare and this is what I created.

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Tamra

Wed, 07/31/2013 - 13:17

I really like this. I know a new teacher that might like something like this for her 1st grade room. Which plan did you use? Thank you.