Community Brag Posts

Personalized Porch Swing

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 11/03/2019 - 11:14

When I got it all put together it just seemed to be missing something,so I went back and routed the name of the name of the bnb that I made it for.It was still missing character so I took the torch to it and finally stained it.I think it has character now maybe?

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$85
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Golden Oak Stain ,Torch Charred and Gloss Polyurethane
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Boys Bunkbed Makeover

My hubby and I took the weekend to remove the loft and twin bed that was squeezed underneath it to give our boys more space in and around their beds. Thanks for the idea Ana, we like wood, but we also like color so the beds where stained two colors one for the frame and one for the slats. The boys chose red and blue, and green and black. We decided to hang the beds with chain from a stud in the ceiling. They were so exicited to sleep in their new beds that i believe bedtime will be much easier! Thanks Ana

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
2 X 4 pine
1 X 3 pine furlings
Stained with color tinted Minwax stain and clear polyeurathane sealer.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Built it in one day. So very pleased with this bench.

I am so very happy on how this bench turned out. I am new at building things and so I asked my husband to help me we did this in a day. now I have 3 people that want one (family of course.)

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

Comments

tgrott

Wed, 03/30/2016 - 07:46

Do you have plans?  I haven't built anything yet and have my neice's wedding shower this weekend...thinking this would be an AWESOME gift for her!!! 

Can one lady with one weak arm take this project on by herself???

And, can you tell us how much it cost you to make?

 

Thanks!

Box Frame Console with Bottom Shelf

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 07/24/2023 - 13:46

Entry Way Table with Slatted Bottom!

by Missy J Zee on Facebook

Built from Plan(s)

Comments

Farmhouse Dining Table

Submitted by keribeth on Sat, 03/17/2012 - 13:28

I used the basic construction of the turned leg coffee table, but used 2x4s screwed together for the legs, added a couple of supports, and made the dimensions larger (38.5" x 62" for a dining table that seats 6). I used pocket holes for all the joints and it came together pretty easily. (One day, though, I am going to build a project without drastically altering the plans. One day.)

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
~$180, including finishing
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax wood conditioner followed by two coats of Minwax stain in walnut, and then, because the stain looked splotchy, one coat of Minwax gel stain in hickory. The gel stain evened things out a bit and was great to work with. Then a few coats of wipe-on poly on all that.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Christmas Presents

Submitted by Farmer Kim on Tue, 01/07/2014 - 14:56

I got a saw for Christmas and decided to make Christmas presents right away. This was my first project and both of the recipients were very happy with their presents. I have gotten a ton of compliments on the pieces. The blocks were very easy to make, the frame took a little more work.

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

Comments

handcrafted amish style side table

Submitted by rburmania on Tue, 03/29/2016 - 10:56

Handcrafted amish style table easy to do and gorgeous

Estimated Cost
$25
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Provincial and black satin passing
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Rustic End Table without the X

Submitted by LampAtFeet on Fri, 11/22/2019 - 14:05

I built this for my son's first apartment to match the Rustic X Coffee Table I built. His living room is small so I needed to make a narrower version of the end table. Because of this, I decided to not build the "X". It turned out great! Thanks Ana!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$45
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark walnut stain, then a coat of satin wipe on polyurethane to seal it
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Round Accent Table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 07/30/2023 - 14:29

This is my very first build ever! I learned so much from this project. I also bought my first power drill and brad nailer for this project. My husband helped me cut the wood pieces to my measurements and I did everything else. I never knew how fun woodworking can be!

Emily Mangiaracina

New Dining Room

New dining room with a board and batten, farmhouse table and six parson chairs.
Thanks Ana!

Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
wengue stain and white paint.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Mon, 03/19/2012 - 18:15

This room is absolutely gorgeous! You did an awesome job- love all the finishes and colors, and the fantastic chairs!

Cindy from Indiana (not verified)

Tue, 03/20/2012 - 12:43

Wow! This room turned out great - really fantastic job!

claydowling

Wed, 03/21/2012 - 05:14

I'm with Ana on the chairs. That's really amazing. The last time I made a chair it took a very full and tiring day to build the frame, and another evening to build the seat. Do you have tips for speeding the process up?

alamanda973

Wed, 03/21/2012 - 09:16

Thank you for all these compliments. I don't speak English very well because I'm french but I will try to make me understand. I built a chair with the modifications to see the result, then, I made all the cuttings with my miter saw for the 5 other chairs, then I made every chair within half an hour. I cut all that it was necessary foam and fabric in one step and I sewed everything for covers. To make covers, I made a paper pattern, then I sewed them in 10 minutes.
I am very happy I found this site with all that wonderful projects. It's my favorite site . Thank you Ana, you changed my life!

Milca (not verified)

Fri, 06/15/2012 - 07:44

Je suis impressionnee :)

kaytrishjr

Tue, 08/21/2012 - 13:16

I'm totally amazed, talk about getting busy! Your room is beautiful!

Angela Kempf (not verified)

Thu, 11/29/2012 - 14:24

Does your slip cover come off? I would like to make a couple of these to use as accent chairs in my living room. Yours look amazing.
I have one little boy, two cats, a large dog and a ferret. I need something that is WASHABLE =)

sugarhigh1605

Thu, 07/18/2013 - 12:37

I love your chairs and especially like the extra height. How tall did you make the backs of the chairs?

My First Brag

I used the plans from the Ridge Media Console, but modified it a tad. I adjusted the measurements for my space and used pallet wood for the lower shelf. I also decided to make a drawer instead of the flip down storage.

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

Entry table built for a sailor

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 03/31/2016 - 17:39

This table is the perfect size to fit our entry way, I just love the dark walnut bottom with the white top.  It is just the right piece in its space, and was super simple to put together.  We modified the plans a bit, instead of using liquid nails we used the kreg tool and screws to assemble.  We also just used one board for the top of table and taped off more of the base and painted it white to give it the illusion of a thick top.

Estimated Cost
$50
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Walnut stain on the bottom (2 coats)
A simple bright white paint on top we had from painting trim around the house (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Barn Door Console

Submitted by Lonestar1 on Wed, 11/27/2019 - 16:28

Built from plans on this website, with some modifications.

i used 8-ft x 16-in x 3/4-in edge-glued boards from Lowe’s for the shelves. Instead of cutting the boards to length, I widened the console slightly to accommodate.

I added an extra shelf to increase storage. I also added vertical dividers between the shelves to increase strength and prevent sagging.

The top is an 8-ft x 20-in edge-glued board with a piece of 1x4 board added on at each end. I then added strips of 1x2 underneath on all sides to create an overhang. The top is not fastened on with screws or any other fasteners. Its weight keeps it in place, and being removable will make it easier to move the console, if necessary, in the future.

I couldn’t find a commercial stain that had the “red barn” look I wanted, so I used latex paint thinned with an approximately equal amount of water. 

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
The red stain is Sherman Williams “Sun-Dried Tomato” thinned with an approximately equal amount of water. The white wash on the trim is Valspar “Navaho White”, thinned the same way.

The top is painted with three coats of Sherman Williams “Caviar” (not thinned).

For a protective finish, I used four coats of Minwax Wipe-on Water-based Polycrilic on the top. I decided I didn’t like the wipe-on poly, though — wiping it on was too messy on my hands — so I switched to brush-on for the rest of the project. That received three coats in critical areas, two coats in places unlikely to see much wear.

The girls storage chairs

Submitted by Spolitte on Wed, 03/21/2012 - 20:25

We have not added the final details but the chairs are already getting regular use. They are very sturdy so the girls use them for climbing as much as they do for sitting. I was a little worried that my chairs would not sit correctly but following Ana's "trick" for leveling them out worked like a charm. Now we just have to find the time to make two more so the girls will have room to accommodate friends when they visit... but there is that long list of other projects on my "to do" list... Thanks Ana! we are growing more confident every day! ;-)

Estimated Cost
30ish
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
No Voc semi gloss for easy cleaning...
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Bathroom Wall Storage

Submitted by BoudinLA on Sat, 01/11/2014 - 13:08

Modified to hang above the toilet for some added bathroom storage.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Val Manchuk

Sat, 01/11/2014 - 23:05

Perfect for that space above the toilet! Looks good!

Val @ artsybuildinglady.blogspot.ca

Grandy Sliding Door Console

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 04/02/2016 - 18:57

We were needing a new tv console for our boy's playroom and this was a lot of fun to work on. This was the first piece of furniture I have built and I was able to follow the plans pretty easily.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$250
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Serious Gray from Sherwin Williams
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Benchboss19

Wed, 04/06/2016 - 07:05

Ana,

I was wondering how you were able to fabricate the door hardware? Your plans don't seem to include them in the overall plan area. Can you provide this information please?

Thank you.

emarg

Sat, 08/08/2020 - 09:46

What hardware did you use here? I have been having trouble finding hardware small enough to fit in the 3.5" space above the doors, and I do not have the tools to create my own hardware.
Thanks!

Rustic X Coffee Table With Side Tables

Submitted by mccool34 on Fri, 12/06/2019 - 20:11

I made this one a while back, it looks similar to the new one you made, I don't remember if this was an earlier version you made or something else I saw online.  This table came out amazing and very sturdy.

It took a few days to build.  I like my projects to be smooth so I sanded all the boards from 80 - 220, then pre stained them all, put 3 coats of poly and then sanded with 400 and 600 for the finish.  Once that was completed I assembled the table and I used extra screws where I could to ensure that it wouldn't become loose after moving it around so much.  I was able to make 2 side tables with some of the left over wood.

Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Dark Walnut
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

First Woodworking Project Workbench

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 08/07/2023 - 12:14

My first build!!! Before this, the only thing I'd ever done was some board and batten. It's far from perfect, but I learned so much in the process. Thank you Ana for wonderful plans that you offer so generously. Next, I think I'll attempt a headboard.

April Bean

Step Stool for Birthday Present

Submitted by doorcrazy on Sun, 03/25/2012 - 07:35

Loved this project. I bought a jig saw, and I had so much fun. I bought the black and decker one it was around $25.00 and works great for small projects like this one. Another birthday present for a beautiful girl who is turning 5 and I know there is always space for a step stool in the house with young ones. Hope she likes it.

Thank You Ana I have been having so much fun!!

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Purple paint and Martha Stewarts Purple Glitter paint. Use Glitter paint over a base color or else it looks streaky and takes way to much time. Also sanded lightly to keep it vintage like I like at http://chippedandcrackled.blogspot.com/
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Corner Cabinet

Submitted by Chuck1522 on Mon, 01/13/2014 - 10:32

This was a corner cabinet I made. The purpose of this cabinet is to be used as a pantry. My kitchen is quite small, and in turn I was always having to sacrifice cabinet space for pantry items. Total man hours was about 20 give or take the occasional trip to HD or Lowes.

I found this project quite enjoyable. I don't have much of a workshop area so space was tight. I had to constantly move my tools around to make room for the cabinet while I built it.

The plans supplied by this website were simple and straight-forward. I didn't need any specialty tools or have to use any weird joinery. All in all I would give this project an 8 out of 10. There were a couple of areas I feel I can improve on.

After having posted this picture on several social media sites my friends took notice, Now I'm getting all kinds of requests. Not sure if I will entertain any. It's just nice to see a vision come to life.

Thanks for the taking a gander at my work.

Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Following the instruction on the bottle. I first applied three coats of wipe-on Teak Oil finish (Found at your local HD or big box retailer). Sanding with 220 between each coat. After all those coats were dry, about 72 hours, I applied two coats of wipe-on Polyurethane (again, found at your local HD). Before applying the last coat of wipe-on Poly I lightly rubbed the surface down with 0000 steel wool. This rubbing was done again after the last coat of wipe-on Poly was applied. I really feel this set the piece off and made it that much better. Be advised...I also used a tack cloth to remove any dust and debris between each coat of finish applied.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Jake

Mon, 01/13/2014 - 15:50

I also built a corner cabinet from the same plans and yours is by far the best. You obviously have the patience it takes to get the best out of your project. Looking for more from you.

Ill Just Paint It

Tue, 04/08/2014 - 18:33

Thank you so much for your vision! I've been looking for the perfect corner cabinet for at least a year! All the other plans within these plans are ok and would've worked, but I just felt like I wanted something more. I am in love with your doors! They look great! I may make mine a bit larger, but will most definitely add doors the same way you did. Unfortunately, it's not on the top of my priority list, but it will be this summer!!! Great work!

Rachel
www.illjustpaintit.com

balloongal247

Wed, 04/09/2014 - 06:30

This cabinet is beautiful! I love the natural wood look, and I too think the doors looks great.

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