I live in a smaller rental with limited garage space, so I needed a place for my kids bikes. This is what I came up with. It required minimal screw holes in the treated fence posts and I attached a rail system(rubbermaid fasttrak) for the bikes to hang from. I used Ana's easy shelves plan for the upright supports and then just added some corrugated roofing and cedar fence pickets (which I had on hand) to finish off the top.
I needed a garden shed (for potting supplies) and a dog house, but I wanted it to look good. I started with Ana's plans, but screwed up a cut and was too lazy to go to the store, so I modified the plan a bit - also we didn't want a lot of venting off the roof.
OUR MODIFICATIONS:
NO BACK WALL - I did not build a back wall, as we pushed it all the way up to the house. (You need to check your codes for this if it's allowed. The way I'm integrating mine w/o breaking the exterior waterproofing of the house and it's unconditioned made mine OK)
DOG HOUSE- I cut away a hole for our dog between the battens. And as you can see - he loves it. He's got his Coolaroo dog bed inside. We also added a 'ceiling' to the lower dog house half, that divides the gardening storage from dog house. The large shelf inside that acts as a dog house ceiling, and above are my un-used pots, hand tools etc. (no worries no chemicals with the puppy)
PAINTED EXTERIOR- I painted it red to match the house, and will also be putting garden pavers in front of the doors.
ROOF- We did put an underlayment down on the roof before the asphalt shingles.
LESSON LEARNED- If your dog is a Mama's boy like mine, he may try to climb a ladder to remove you from a roof which he has determined is not OK for you to be up there.
*One concern is - most sidewalks slope away from the house, so we had to shim the sill plate so front of the shed doesn't lean outward causing the doors to pull open constantly. As you can see from the photo I still need to flash at the roof where we cut back our houses' battens.
COST- We live in CA - and this project was more expensive than anticipated, our lumber/roof shingle costs were around $270 alone, and keep in mind we didn't build a back panel. I have very little scrap left over too. When I was nearly done the hinges were an additional $15 a piece, $10 for the latch. And we had the primer and paint in the garage. Underlayment for roof, I already had in the garage too.
TIM-: I started this project on a weekend, but it ended up taking longer; probably because I didn't block out the weekend just for this project. I spread it over the course of a month, so hours wise it probably wasn't as bad as it felt... You do need two people though, and that's where I ran into some trouble, I kept trying to work on it when my husband wasn't home. Probably 24hrs, 3 easy going days. Could probably be done in a weekend if you were dedicated and didn't get distracted (or screw up a cut like I did, which sent me to the drawing board to fix my mistake)
I used these plans and modified the height to create functional countertop and shelving in my garage. I added a little face framing too. Thank you for the inspiration Ana!
I made this table to go next to an outdoor grill to be used as a food prep area or just a surface for holding ingredients (instead of using the deck railing!). The top is stainless steel which fits tightly over 2 3/4" pieces of plywood laminated together. The bar/handle in front is made out of galvanized pipe. All wood was treated.
Legs - 4x4 posts
Bottom shelf - 1x6's
Sides - 1x4's
Top - 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood laminated together with a stainless steel top (custom fit) over top
Towel bar - galvanized pipe (cut and threaded to size at Lowe's), floor flanges and 90 degree elbows
Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:33
Sorry about the late reply! Yes, I just gave my dimensions to a local steel supplier and they made the top. I think I have about $40 into the stainless. They didn't weld the corners but I've never had an issue with them.
Sat, 04/26/2014 - 15:41
I too would like to know your source for the sheet metal.
In reply to Stainless steel sheet metal by Pursuit of Handyness
Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:35
I just found a local steel supplier, told them what I need and they formed the top. It cost me around $40 (without welding of the corners). I took a fine grit sandpaper to it afterward to scuff it up so it didn't look so bright.
In reply to Stainless steel sheet metal by Pursuit of Handyness
Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:35
I just found a local steel supplier, told them what I need and they formed the top. It cost me around $40 (without welding of the corners). I took a fine grit sandpaper to it afterward to scuff it up so it didn't look so bright.
Wed, 04/30/2014 - 12:55
I would like to know are there any plans available to make this table? I am very impressed of its design.
In reply to Grill table with stainless steel top by AMR4412
Thu, 05/15/2014 - 10:46
No...I didn't have any plans when I built it but it's a very simple concept. I chose to use all treated wood since I knew it would be sitting outside unprotected. However, my 4x4 posts weren't square so this caused a lot of problems and everything was built to fit. I believe I just used 4x4's, 1X6s (for the bottom shelf) and 1x4s for the sides (top and bottom). For the top, I just laminated 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood together to bulk it up and then had the stainless top built to fit. It fit perfectly so I didn't glue it to the plywood. This makes it easy to remove and clean, if necessary. For the galvanized pipe (towel bar), I bought it at Lowe's and had them cut/thread it to fit my dimensions.
I'm so happy to have found your site! I've been wanting a potting bench for a while. Today the Hubs and I built this one in Daffodil Yellow! It is only partially painted, but I already love it! The hubs wants to build a modified one for his heavy electronics equipment. Thanks a Bunch!
DIY Porch Swing - Perfect for any season!
When I showed my husband the plans for this playhouse loft bed on Ana's site, he decided that we needed to build it for our daughter for Christmas. We combined the two plans for the Playhouse & the stairs and modified it slightly to fit our space. We had left-over carpet which we used on the stairs. She absolutely LOVES it!! And secretly, I think her 3 older brothers do, too. Thanks SO much, Ana!!
Sat, 01/12/2013 - 19:47
Omg....I love this I need to know how to do out....so I can make my husband build it..
Thu, 01/05/2012 - 06:34
are the plans free, and if so can I get a copy?
Thu, 01/05/2012 - 07:16
Philip and Guest -
The plans are free, and click on the links in the post
From Plan: (plans are linked here)
Sun, 01/15/2012 - 17:58
RE: http://ana-white.com/2012/01/playhouse-loft-bed-stairs
Would you please send me the plans for the Playhouse Loft Bed with Stairs?
Thank you.
Tue, 01/17/2012 - 09:20
I would like to know how to get a copy of the plans for this bed. This is exactly what I want to do in my little girls room but I have not beed able to find plans. Thanks!
In reply to Playhouse Loft Bed Plans by Guest (not verified)
Fri, 01/27/2012 - 21:44
If you look in the section above, you'll see "From Plan:" There are two links (they're black and don't look like links. You'll need to hover over them). One for the basic bed and one for the stairs.
Tue, 01/17/2012 - 18:38
I do not see the plans for the playhouse loft bed. Where is it located? Can you email it to me or post the link?
Thu, 01/19/2012 - 21:42
In reply to Age by Guest (not verified)
Fri, 01/27/2012 - 21:38
I would say your 2 year old daughter is a little young for a bed this high. I think general guidelines would suggest waiting until age 6 for lofted and bunked beds, but I think that's being very cautious. Our daughter is just about to turn 4 and she does fine in it.
Wed, 01/25/2012 - 11:29
You did a great job! That looks fantastic!
I'm going to be making this bed within the next month or two for my daughter. She's 4 (will be 5 in April). I know the overall design isn't *that* high off the floor, but my daugter has a tendency to roll out of bed...often. LOL
Do you find the guardrail/slats are high enough to prevent roll offs, or should I add some height to them when I build?
Yours turned out awesome! I can see why your daughter (and sons) love the bed!
Cindy
In reply to Looks fantastic! by Cindy from Indiana (not verified)
Fri, 01/27/2012 - 21:34
Hi Cindy.
Thanks for your kind words.
We had the same concerns about our daughter rolling or falling out. She is almost 4, but still had rails on her previous bed. We put the slats that the mattress sits on in the very lowest possible position and actually traded twin mattresses with her brother who had a thinner mattress. Her's had a pillow-top and even the extra 2 inches made quite a difference.
There are nearly 9 inches between the top of her mattress and the top of the rails which is plenty to prevent accidental roll-outs, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to add extra if it would make you more comfortable.
Now if we could just keep her from standing up there, I'd feel a whole lot better. lol
Good luck with yours.
Kara
Sat, 01/28/2012 - 07:27
Hey Kara,
Thank you so much for replying! That does make me feel more comfortable that there will be around 9" between the mattress top and the rail top. Not sure yet if I'll add a bit more or not, but it's good to hear how it worked out for you guys. Now I'll be hoping to keep my little dare devil from trying to 'fly' off the top of it and we'll be good to go. LOL
Thanks, again! That was really helpful.
Cindy
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 12:59
Hi! LOVE THIS!!! Am planing on making for my daughter. Any chance there are plans for this in a Full Size bed?
In reply to Hi! LOVE THIS!!! Am planing by Guest (not verified)
Fri, 01/27/2012 - 21:48
I've seen some posts on Ana's Brag Boards of these lofts with full sized mattresses on top. Ana's original plan is a twin bed, but others have modified it to suit their needs. You may just want to search and see if anyone has included their plans for a full. Sorry I can't be more help. Good luck!
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 18:32
That is very nice if you dont mind me asking how long did you make that one... I am wanting to make one for my daughter but I dont have 103 inches that called for in the one plan...
In reply to Very Nice... by JessiW (not verified)
Sat, 02/04/2012 - 16:10
We made our bed to the exact specifications that Ana gave (103"), however, if you need to save space, you could leave the stairs off and opt for the ladder.
In reply to Bed Plans by Kelly Kelley (not verified)
Wed, 02/15/2012 - 18:34
Hi Kelly,
There are links to the 2 plans in the "ABOUT THIS PROJECT" section above. Just hover your cursor over the "From Plans:" and the links will change color. They appear black and therefore, don't look like they're linked to anything. They're both there. Good luck!!
Sat, 02/11/2012 - 09:30
I need the plans for this can someone please send me them :) [email protected]
Wed, 02/15/2012 - 18:40
There are links to the 2 plans in the "ABOUT THIS PROJECT" section above. Just hover your cursor over the "From Plans:" and the links will change color. They appear black and therefore, don't look like they're linked to anything.
Or...I've added them here.
http://ana-white.com/2010/09/playhouse-loft-bed
http://ana-white.com/2010/09/easy-playhouse-loft-bed-with-storage-stairs
Mon, 03/05/2012 - 20:01
Hi there, I was wondering if you could tell me where you got the fabulous little washer and dryer combo that I see in the photo. I know the sweet owl painting is from target, but I love the little play space you seem to have created! :)
Sat, 03/17/2012 - 22:52
I LOVE this so much! I love the color scheme as well, we decided to copy the scheme in my daughter's room. I was wondering where you got the curtain from? Did you buy it or make it yourself? It's almost exactly the color of the green paint we bought so I would love to know. Also, I love the washer and dryer too, also curious about that. Thanks!
In reply to Cute Decorations! by Kirstie (not verified)
Mon, 03/19/2012 - 19:40
Hi Kristie.
I made the little curtain and the little washer/stove/sink set are from the Playskool Rose Petal Cottage collection. Good luck building your playhouse. It's a little girl's dream!!
Wed, 03/21/2012 - 20:27
Hi Kara,
I'm really interested in building two of these for my girls... they caught my attention because they've been asking for a bunk bed and I don't want to do a bunk bed because I hate the idea of struggling to change the bedsheets. Just wondering if it's a hassle with a bed this height.
Yours looks amazing, btw!
Thanks,
Sarah
Tue, 04/10/2012 - 11:18
oh my god i love this it would be awesome for my daughter also. were you able to stay in your budget???? do you think is a safe style for a 3 year old? she would go absolutely nuts!
Fri, 04/13/2012 - 20:17
so beautiful! if i wanted to do this with a full mattress how would i tweak the measurements? i want to do this with a full with the stairs... just so she can be in the bed for a longer period and also the space underneath to be a bit bigger... also if i wanted to make the stairs have a drawer? i really would appreciate alll the feedback if possible because im so far from handy... :-/ and 1 more thing how did u get a light down there?
Fri, 05/11/2012 - 18:27
I was wondering if once put together is it easy to take apart? My dad builds houses for a living and was going to make it for my daughter at his house then bring it to mine to set it up
Sun, 06/10/2012 - 14:40
My husband and I just finished making this bed with stairs for our 3 year old and he loves it.
Tue, 06/12/2012 - 06:41
what age would you reccommend this for?? my son is 3 n a half and i woant to attempt to make this bed, but dont want to spend time and money if i will have to buy him a new bed in a couple of years. i would like it to last a good while. also, like veahava, i was wondering if this was easy to dismantle once put together as i am planning a move in the future, thankyou
Tue, 10/02/2012 - 02:14
This is absolutely divine - you are so talented! I have just found this website and can't imagine I'd ever be able to make something so beautiful. Putting up a shelf is beyond me. Your daughter must be so proud of her little nighttime palace!
Sun, 10/21/2012 - 20:01
I am trying to get the plans for this bed with the stairs but when I click on the link it doesn't give me the plans. Help, my granddaughter would love love love this. Thank you so much.
Wed, 01/16/2013 - 06:05
hi!
Someoneo to tell me how many hours spent on it?
Mon, 02/04/2013 - 20:53
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, SOMEONE TELL ME HOW TO GET THE PLANS, I REALLY WANT THIS BED FOR MY LITTLE GIRL!!!!
In reply to PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, by ochoa
Mon, 05/25/2015 - 22:12
You can download more plans from these resources:
Thu, 02/14/2013 - 12:36
This is awesome, how do I get a copy of the plans for this bed? I would love to do this for my grand daughter as a birthday gift
Thu, 02/14/2013 - 12:48
found the link, here is it for those wo are also looking I can't wait to start this project THANKS
http://ana-white.com/2010/09/easy-playhouse-loft-bed-with-storage-stairs
Wed, 09/11/2013 - 05:11
We made this bed for our daughter and now my son and daughter play with her kitchen and table underneath in the playhouse. Your instructions were so easy to follow and everything matched up perfectly. We did do the ladder due to space but the bed is beautiful. We get so may compliments when people come over and I always tell them about your website. You truly have awesome ideas! I can not wait for the next project and I am sure it will be off your site :-)
Mon, 10/07/2013 - 17:26
I love your playhouse with loft bed! How tall is the underneath part? Would you be able to fit a desk underneath? Also, could the plans be adjusted to accommodate a double bed?
THANK YOU!!
About 6 months ago the husband and I purchased a foreclosure for dirt cheap, hoping to rehab it into something livable. It turned out to be a total gut job. So much of the budget was blown on the big stuff--roof, electrical, water, plumbing, that we've really had no choice but to figure out how to do much of the work ourselves with occassional assistance from my son-in-law, a general contractor who lives 400 miles away.
Although he did most of the basic sheetrocking I decided that I was going to build my own closet. After all, how hard could it be. I got it framed out and sheetorcked. Between the low ceilings in the room and the fact that I mismeasured the door frame height, I wasn't able to put in standard doors. But that's okay, I think I like these better.
Thank you, ladies, for giving me the courage to tackle some of these jobs that need doing. I've learned a lot of new skills, done things I never thought I would ever do...and love the feeling that so much of myself is going into making this house my home.
Thu, 04/05/2012 - 15:43
Your doors are gorgeous! WAAAAY better than anything I've seen in a store! Bravo!
This was a fun project to build. I did change somethings around. I used plexiglass on all doors instead of plywood and it turned out great. Took a lot longer than planned but in the end it was worth it!
It had come time to renovate our powder room bathroom. We were on a tight budget so we decided to build our own vanity & add a little twist to it! We splurged on the granite countertop, vessel sink and faucet. Thanks to Ana White we built our vanity for less than $10! The plans were easy to follow . . . .we are so proud of our wood vanity! link to our blog: http://www.houseofrumours.com/shiplap-powder-room-diy-vanity/
This is the most functional piece of furniture ever designed! I included a shelf on the shredder/recycle bin side to create a shoe cubby which, effectively, took care of the biggest clutter culprits in our entry.
Love these plans! Made a modification and added backs to the chairs. Also, built ottomans to match the chairs which can also be used as additional seating.
Many compliments on the set. Thanks Ana!
I was trying to use the google sheets cabinet calculator that Ana posted and found that others were accessing and editing the master at the same time. I thought perhaps a Microsoft Excel version of the calculator to download may be useful.
I wasn't able to upload to this site so I've created a Brag Post to link to it on my site.
UPDATE: Ana's website has been updated and the file is now an Excel Spreadsheet which can be downloaded.
Although I didn't build this from a plan I wanted to be sure and share it as it is because of my experience building from Ana's plans that I felt comfortable giving this a shot.
My in-laws were just updated their lake cabin and wanted a storage headboard as space is a premium and it will be the only furniture in the guest rooms. It is unique as it has shelves on either side which can pull out to function as a small night stand, perfect for cell phones, books etc. The back of the piece is tongue and groove knotty pine which for the more rustic look they wanted.
I will probably do things a little different when I build the next headboard but overall I am satisfied with the end result. I chose not to do a lower storage area, mainly to keep the cost down. It could be done very easily but this piece is already very heavy and that there is plenty of storage.
Sun, 01/17/2021 - 15:15
Is it possible to get the plans for this headboard. My teenage son really wants a head board with storage.
I'm a novice- but these plans were so great that it came out beautifully! Definitely won't be my last project using plans from this site. Rogue Engineer rocks!
I have been wanting garage cabinets for a long time but couldn't afford them. When I saw these shelves I knew it would be easy to add side panels and create doors for the sections. The size is 8'x8' with the 4'x3' under the ceiling rack. I put a 2"x4" in the middle to divide each section, measured and cut doors from 5mm lauran plywood. I also cut the stiles and rails from the same material to give it interest but mainly to make it thicker to avoid warping as much as possible. I added 2"x4" to create a facing for the doors to rest on. Also used overlay hinges to simplify the hanging as much as possible. I was able to follow the design plan and the only thing I did was add a shelf at the bottom. The cleats were definitely not necessary, it's very sturdy.
Making the doors
The first thing is to learn how to measure for cabinet doors. There are plenty of sites and YouTube videos showing how to correctly measure. If you are doing the same type of doors like I have, with no middle divider, then be sure to pay attention how to correctly measure for those instead of a single door.
The easiest way to make the doors will be getting 1/2 in sanded plywood and use a table saw to cut each door to size. Skip the shaker style trim and put the hardware on and be done. Make sure the hinges will be able to hold the weight of the door.
Unfortunately, I didn't have a table saw but I did have a router and a jig saw, and found a great video on YouTube on how to use a router to cut straight edges without a table saw. I measured out one door and used that outline to cut two identical doors. It turned out that each section was slightly a different width so I had to do two at a time. However, if you have a circular saw you can rig it to make a table saw and make a guide to rip the doors. It all depends on what tools you have available to you.
I have a compact plunge saw and was able to cut the 3 inch strips for the shaker style with it. Honestly, that was the most tedious part and most time consuming by far. That also had to do with the fact that because the plywood is only 5mm thick I cut strips for both the front and the back to make it over 1/2 inch thick to help minimize warping and give the hinges something to grab.
I used the miter saw to cut the stiles and rails to size and a 23 gauge nailer with 1/2 nails and glue to get them on the door. I glued and nailed the front and the back of each side at the same time because the nails are a bit longer than two pieces of plywood. I then turned it over and nailed the other side. The great thing about using a 23 gauge is that I didn't have to fill any holes because they are so small you can hardly see them at all.
The last thing is to use your sander to ensure all of the pieces are even. I used a 60 grit and then followed it with a 220 where needed.
If you want to avoid cutting the strips but still want to have the shaker style, Home Depot sells 1/4 thick Polystyrene flat moulding that will add vertially no weight to the door but the cost can easily add up if you have a lot of doors.
Lastly, if you are wondering why I got such thin plywood that ended up creating more work. The reason is because I wanted to save money on hardware and I didn't trust the inexpensive hinges I got off eBay would hold a heavy door for many years.
Wed, 06/19/2019 - 13:20
What kind of paint did you use? Looks really nice, the whole thing!
Thu, 07/18/2019 - 10:28
This is amazing! Thank you for sharing so much detail on your project too.
Wed, 06/10/2020 - 13:14
Can we get detailed plan of how you made this from the start to end like a material list and cut list.
My wife really liked the look of the original project. I didn't like the like the construction methods used in the original plan. I changed the dimensions to suit our space and created dadoes for the shelves to rest in instead of pocket screws. I attached the front frames using biscuits and I eased all exposed edges using a chamfer bit. Sanded to 220, then stained and 4 coats of lacquer.
I love this pattern of Ana's! My husband and I made these together. We have 3 very tall pine trees close together, planted by my Mum 50 years ago; one for each child. Now a cedar bird house for each tree. An extra for our cottage in Garden of Eden, Nova Scotia.
Thank you for sharing this pattern Ana.
Darlene & Garry
I used pocket holes to hide the screws. I made an ottoman out of the outdoor coffee table plans to my dimensions that can be used as a coffee table when we need it.
I absolutely love this table and benches! Thank you!
I made this pantry to match some new kitchen cabinets that my friend ordered from lowes. He wanted me to make all of his cabinets but unfortunately I didn't have enough time, it was kind of one of those things hey I'm redoing my kitchen can you make this. This was all built and designed from a picture his wife found on pinterest with just the measurements for the space it needed to fit in.
Mon, 02/10/2014 - 10:25
Great job! We're planning a pantry build in the near future and yours is just lovely! I love the pull out drawers!
Mon, 02/10/2014 - 10:25
Great job! We're planning a pantry build in the near future and yours is just lovely! I love the pull out drawers!
Fri, 06/17/2016 - 18:39
HI -
My husband and I have been trying to find a DIY Pantry for our kitchen. We've looked everywhere and finally came across this! We love it and would like to try and build it. Do you have the plans available to share? I look forward to hearing back from you.
Fri, 11/27/2020 - 21:33
I tried the link for crafted perfection in attempt to get the plans for this. It led me back to this website. Is there ANY chance of getting the plans for this pantry PLEASE?
Thu, 12/24/2020 - 07:18
Where can I get the plans for this pantry -- Please advise.. Love your work..
Fri, 08/06/2021 - 14:55
Please send me the plans for the kitchen pantry!!
Wed, 09/01/2021 - 13:59
Okay, Ana, where are the Plans? You're killing me with this teaser! I'm not smart enough make something this great without serious plans like you usually produce. Help this old guy, please.
Wed, 03/23/2022 - 12:03
I would love to get these plans. We are in a new house and I need extra storage and this is perfect.
Thu, 08/11/2022 - 18:08
Hi Ana! Do you have plans? My daughter is moving and could always use more kitchen cabinets. She loves kitchen gadget everything!
