Community Brag Posts

Beautiful Cedar Patio Table

Submitted by NeoMoses on Wed, 06/19/2013 - 13:48

Slightly more elegant version of an outdoor cedar patio table. This is made from 100% cedar and joined using Kreg pocket hole screws. The finish is 2 coats of Sikkens Cetol MRD that has been hand rubbed on using a cloth, with 24 hours of dry time between coats.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$140
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 coats of Sikkens Cetol MRD, hand rubbed with cloth.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

odpdxo

Wed, 06/19/2013 - 23:22

I really like the way you modified this design and I would like to duplicate it. I am curious about how you changed to framework to accommodate table top with the boards running lengthwise. The original design has the framework running lengthwise, so I am assuming you added framing that runs perpendicular. Is there any way you could include pictures and measurements of the framework under the tabletop? Thanks. Great work!

DIY Shed Chicken Coop 6x8

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 05/19/2016 - 19:50

 The project was used using the same plans but I extended the floor to be 6 feet wide vice 4 feet the additional 2 feet provided the perfect amount space I wanted. I also added an extra windows  to get cross ventilation.    I also insulated the coop and put paneling on the walls and lenolium on the floors.  I dropped the back wall sheeting 1.5 inches for additional airflow since the shed doesn't have a ridge vent.   The plans are easy to follow and easily adaptable.   

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$700. You may think that is a lot but you will learn a lot. Coops we were looking at were $1,200. This coop was less expensive and bigger and better plus you can say you built that.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
T1-11 with home depot behr exterior paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Sturdy Workbench Sink

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 05/01/2023 - 09:57

Used sturdy workbench plans with 2x6 cedar top for outdoor sink. Turned out much better than I expected!!

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Camp Loft Bed

Submitted by MommaBlue on Tue, 10/08/2019 - 10:58

I built this bed for my 8 year old son's room "face lift." His only request was to have a place to hang out, but being his room was so small, that was a struggle! The loft bed allowed us to make a cozy little hangout - the poor guy can't get rid of his siblings now!

I added a few extra inches to the height of the Camp Loft plan, I also added the pipe hand rail for additional safety and give his room a little older boy vibe! It was a very easy build, the staining/sealing took the longest. The stairs make it much easier to change sheets and getting up and down for those of us who aren't 8 year olds :).

Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
I used a mixture of Varathane Weathered Gray and Minwax Special Walnut. It is about 3/4 Gray and 1/4 Walnut.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Catio heaven

Submitted by bhoppy on Fri, 09/04/2020 - 15:43

Ana doesn’t have a plan for a catio but she does for a playhouse and a cedar shed made from 2x2’s. I sort of combined my knowledge from making her plans over the last 10 years and came up with this for my cats. It was fun to make!! My baby kitten is loving it. I used garden fencing and stapled it to the outside and pocket holes for the walls. I made each wall individually like the playhouse then connected them once in place.

 

Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Cabot semi transparent outdoor deck and fence stain. ($9 oops section)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Wifey

Wed, 06/09/2021 - 12:36

Thank you for sharing! My daughter wants a cat for her birthday but it can't be inside due to our son's allergies. Roaming outside isn't really an option because we have coyotes. We are going to use one of these in combination with an underground electric fence.

Seasonal And Holiday

Modified Miter Saw Cart

Submitted by DavidH on Fri, 01/19/2018 - 20:56

I started with the basic plans and dimensions, then made it my own from there. I added a center shelf, used regular (cheap) hinges and a removable brace instead of the shelf brackets, with stop blocks on the brace cleats to help easily center them. Added 2x4s on the sides to mount the hinges and let the wings fall flush, 2x4s on the bottom to mount 4” casters, 1/4” plywood backing, and 1x3 trim on the front for aesthetics and as a lip to hold items in place. The backing completely covers the lower shelf, and I left a gap to run cables through in the upper shelf backing. Velcro strips on the back hold the wing braces when they’re not in use.  Even though it’s plywood, I sanded everything thoroughly to reduce splinters and snags. 

 

 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100-$125
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Unfinished
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

nzmitchell11

Sat, 02/03/2018 - 08:22

Hi there. I’m planning to use Ana White’s plan to build this miter saw cart but I like some of your alterations like with adding the 2x4s to allow the leaves to fall flush and the 2x4s at the bottom to attach the casters. How did you attach the casters? I have ones similar to yours- plate casters with 4 holes. Did you use bolts or screws? 

Double Wide Cedar Fence Picket Storage Shed

Submitted by moosmani on Mon, 11/11/2013 - 03:12

I read and studied every comment and brag post about this shed. I must have read the plans a hundred times before I got up the courage to tackle it. It’s a very attractive and affordable shed design. I thought a double wide version would be perfect for our long, narrow side yard, and it is! I mostly stuck to the plans except for a few things. I made it 10” taller overall so there would be plenty of head clearance under the doorway. That was a very easy modification. I used 2x4s for the walls instead of 2x2s because we have high winds in our area. That modification was a little bit more challenging, but I planned it out and it worked! Also I used 2x6s for the headers instead of 2x4s. I also added 2x4s at the thresholds because I couldn’t image making it stay square without them. I basically made two sheds joined by a common wall in the center. I did not increase the depth, mostly because I was afraid to mess with the angles and how that would change the pitch of the roof. Joining two sheds together meant that I didn’t have to put the exterior pickets on the middle wall. But it also meant that I had to build 4 doors. Yuck. They were difficult to get lined up and level, but I was amazed it actually worked and that all the doors operate properly and smoothly. I was questioning the wisdom of my decision to do 4 doors while I was in the thick of it, but now that all the work is done, I love that I can open all 4 doors and have easy access to absolutely everything in the shed. Very convenient! I told my dad I was building a shed and he recommend that I add cross braces. It seemed sturdy enough without them but it certainly can’t hurt. My dad knows everything about building and I know nothing, so I took his recommendation. If I were to do this again, I would overlap the cedar pickets by 1” instead of ½”. My pickets were not quite wide enough. I could swear they shrunk after I applied the stain/uv protection. I used liquid nails along each lap but it didn’t hold. Where the glue DID hold tight, the wood split lengthwise. Anyway, for whatever reason, gaps appeared and I spent a fortune on clear silicon applied on the interior walls to make it water tight. I had to keep going back for “just one more tube.” So with hind sight I would have been better off just buying a few more pickets and increasing the overlap. Another thing I might do is make it deeper. I decided against it initially because I was worried that increasing the depth would make it flimsy. Now I don’t think that would be a problem. This shed is sturdy. I can’t say thank you enough. Great plans and a great website! I am completely hooked.

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

Comments

moosmani

Mon, 11/11/2013 - 14:56

I kept every receipt from caulking gun to stains and brushes. I just now added it up and it came to (cringe) just under $900. But I have lots of left overs for another shed and it's still a huge bargain. Other sheds that are similar to this plan are much smaller and start at $1,999 and up! I think it was well worth it to have a sturdy bargain shed that's also beautiful.

t0mpr1c3

Sat, 01/22/2022 - 23:01

It looks great with the stain. I think your Dad's advice was good. Also I like that the heavier timbers add rigidity to the frame.

Seasonal And Holiday

Counter Height Garden Boxes by Janet Fox

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 04/15/2020 - 15:21

My 15 and 12-year-old sons made two of these for me. Super easy, they followed the step by step instructions which were perfect, easy to read. They made two in only a few hours!

Estimated Cost
$130 in suplies
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

"Old Wood" Adirondack Chairs

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 06/14/2021 - 06:16

Given the crazy price of wood (2021), I'm glad I saved some old deck boards and fence panels we replaced last year, so I could build these! Love the design.

Comments

Floor-to-Ceiling Garage Storage

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/05/2016 - 20:21

My floor-to-ceiling garage storage is 6' w x 8' h. I wanted to utilize the entire height of the wall for the rack. I also created a small cubby at the end for tall items like brooms, poles, etc. I also added 2x4 pieces on the top, sides and foot of the rack so I can add doors to hide the clutter stored on the shelves.

Estimated Cost
$80: $70 for wood and $10 for screws.
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

DIY Murphy Wall Bed

Submitted by Dstor22 on Sun, 03/15/2015 - 07:05

Just finished up my Murphy Bed project. Hope you like.

Estimated Cost
280.00
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Weathered Oak Stain
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Drop-Down Door Hutch Desk

Submitted by danicarby on Thu, 05/14/2015 - 13:47

I designed this desk from another desk I built. With this one, I wanted the overall foot-print smaller but still something that was able to organize all our office stuff and be able to close everything to keep it clutter-free. We have a small apartment, and although this desk is about the size of an up-right piano, it works perfectly into our living space!

I made it out of raw hardwood (Ash) and because I knew just the wood alone would make this desk heavy/bulky to move I made the top hutch removable. It's held in place by wood pegs (dominos). All the shelves are adjustable and the drawers are full-extension (something I've never had - wahoo)! The drop-down door is help up by 2 pull-out boards on each side (my first desk had chains). I spend a lot of money on this desk because I knew it was a chance in a lifetime to make and wanted it to be perfect and something that would last generations.

I built the main carcass off of plans/measurements I designed, but then all the insides, drawers, shelves, doors, etc where made as I built (because just a millimeter difference in building changes everything)!

If you want more pictures/descriptions of the building process I wrote about it in a 4-part series on my blog.

Estimated Cost
$1,000 for all wood & supplies
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
To achieve the ash gray color I used "General Finishes" brand water-based stains (equal mixtures of Walnut, Antique Oak & Whitewash) with 1/2 ratio of Pre-Stain Conditioner (bought from Woodcraft). I did 2-3 coats stain, lightly sanded and sprayed 2 coats of Ceramithane clearcoat using HVLP sprayer (sanding with 550 grit paper in between).
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Reading Nook turned Tent!

I made this for my boy who's turning four tomorrow! (Sep 1st) He loves building forts and I don't mind rearranging the furniture, but set up and clean up is so time consuming, we'd both rather spend more time playing. This is an indoor tent, but I took it outside for pictures. Aside from the obvious difference of adding doors and a back, the changes I made from the original plans are: using an 8 foot 1x3 so the tent is 4 feet deep instead of 3. Instead of stapling the fabric on the 1x3s at the bottom, I wrapped the fabric around and used velcro so I could remove it for washing. I sewed a tube of fabric and attached it at the top to make removal easier. Time Investment is so long because of the sewing involved for the tent. If you have an Ikea near you, they've got this stuff called glaze paint (more of a stain, I think) in all different colors - it doesn't need a top coat (unless you want it shiny), it's solvent free and, are you ready? $6 for 12.something ounces, MORE than enough for this project. To make it even easier if you're using fabric instead of curtains like me and you've got the room, cut a 8ft 1x3 in half so you've got two 4ft pieces. Most quilting cotton at fabric stores is 44-45 inches wide selvedge to selvedge (the ends that don't fray) and if you follow the plan according to where to drill for the top bolt, you'll need 4-4.25 yards of fabric, depending on whether you are going to use velcro or staple. I would use 4.25 if using velcro, the fabric can go right over the top bar and over the other side if you don't want to sew a tube like I did. If you don't want to sew at all, use iron-on hem tape on the cut edges and iron on velcro. Make sure of placement of the velcro before ironing on. More pictures on my blog =)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$50 - wood, bolts, stain, material for tent (everything)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Green Ikea glaze paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Modern slatted bench

Submitted by Whimwhams on Mon, 06/27/2016 - 11:51

I made this for my sister the day before her house warming party. It was a pretty easy build. I used wood glue and 2" nails. Using a nail gun, this came together pretty quickly. I do wish that I had wide enough clamps to hold everything in place while it dried, because there were a few gaps due to some imperfect boards. I used 104" stud length boards, so I only need to purchase 7 instead of 9. this was enough to make the cuts for the top and both leg pieces from each board. the price was the same and we had limited space in our van for boards, so this was a better option for us. I used a sprayer hooked up to an air compressor to apply the stain and was able to get in between the slats fine with this method, brushing over it as I sprayed. Luckily I chose the same color as her deck not knowing, so it matches great. Now I need to make one for myself! :)

Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Paulieboxer

Ana, First time I have every attempted any kind of woodwork/building furniture other than building Ikea stuff. The plans were very easy to follow and now I want a chop saw for xmas. I roped my daughter in to help me and we completed the project in 2 days. Husband was totally blow away by our achievement. I love it and feel accomplished. Away to work on the table and further benches/seating over the next few weeks. Pauline

Estimated Cost
£200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

wooden cooler stand

Submitted by stealth517 on Sat, 04/18/2015 - 20:48

This is the cooler stand presented by Jenny from Birdsandsaoap. Very easy to build and always ends up with someone asking to buy it or have you make them one.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$120.00
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax gloss polyurethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Daybed with Storage Trundle

Submitted by Crafty-Mom on Sat, 01/27/2018 - 10:38

This was my first project from Ana's website and I'm hooked! I'm a beginner, but thank goodness for my Dad's help because I have a lot of learning to do!

I wanted the drawer to be 1 drawer instead of 3. I feel like it looks cleaner (without having to adjust 3 drawers constantly to make it look good when you push them in). I was thinking the bed could actually be used as a trundle bed in the future too! I use this to store toys right now and it is Awesome!

I increased the bed size to fit a twin mattress and increased the height of the bed slightly so that the drawer would be a little bit deeper. We also added a back to the bed and carried around the trim to make all sides look the same. We added a bumper to the back and sides of the inside of the bed so the drawer is easy to push in and fits in snug. Finally we reinforced the bottom of the drawer with more 1x4 boards so that if a child does sleep in it, it would be more sturdy. I now have kids come over and jump into the drawer (literally) and I'm glad we reinforced it.

The changes we made did add to the cost and our time (as well as being newbies), but I think it's worth it and the bed turned out beautiful!

Estimated Cost
$180
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Behr Marquee (I'll have to find the name of the white color we used). We almost went with chalk paint, but after talking to the HD guy, he talked me into this paint and I'm glad we used it! So much cheaper and turned out beautiful.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Nisssc

Mon, 10/12/2020 - 07:51

This looks great! Any suggestion if I want cubbies instead of a trundle? Also, cubbies only on side as bed would be against the wall. Thanks for the inspiration!
Sandy

Simple Outdoor Table

Submitted by Kingsamui on Tue, 07/24/2018 - 17:24

Modifications to the simple outdoor table plan thanks to Finn’s dad. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$200 -Found a place that had Cedar shorts “B quality”, but very few knots for an unbelievably cheap price. I ran all to boards through a planer to start and saved a bundle.
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
3coats Spar Urethane. I’ve heard the Spar doesn’t hold up well, so would have used something rlse if I knew that at the beginning.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

I used the corrugated polycarbonate to cover the greenhouse I made from a chalet style Sun Country Greenhouse Plans. Thanks for the idea.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 03/09/2019 - 06:34

I saw the barn shaped greenhouse plan but preferred a regular roof pitch. I did however incorporate the corrugated polycarbionate as a covering. I find it odd that you guys installed the polycarbonate horizonitally instead of vertically.

Anyway thanks for the info on polycarbonate.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
Using cedar framing... 9 x 16' @ $3000 +/-
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Behr
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

hauxy

Tue, 09/01/2020 - 17:47

Love this! I really prefer the roofline on your greenhouse. Did you modify Ana's design, or did you get plans from another site? Would love to replicate your design if possible-very elegant.

Seasonal And Holiday
Back