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Here’s some more DIY inspiration! This one is a farmhouse table!
My parents were in desperate need for a new dining table. The one they had was at least as old as I was and with two kids (my sister and I) we definitely beat it up over the years! But the legs were finally giving way. The last thing they needed was a set table with food that ended up on the floor because the legs gave out! So they asked me if I would be willing to give a dining table a shot! I said sure! Why not!?!? I had just finished the kitchen island and my patio sofas. I was definitely having fun and becoming a little more confident with building things!
My parents are pretty laid back and when I asked them what they wanted for a dining table, they just stated that it needed to be decent size. So I ended up finding some DIY tables on Pinterest to send them for inspiration. They ultimately settled on this one from Ana White’s collection of plans.
I did want a more interesting top than this plan called for so I did modify the plans. With the max length of boards that will fit in my car being 8′ my shopping list looked a little bit different than the original instructions. This project probably cost ~$115 with all materials included. If you are looking for an inexpensive farm table this one is for you! You’ll still have enough money to buy some cute chairs and it’ll still be cheaper than buying a whole new dining set!
Disclaimer: I am no expert when it comes to building or using power tools. I simply take standard safety precautions when using them. You should too, always. If you ever become uncomfortable with any steps while building or think that something might be above your skill level, seek professional help and guidance. Please read the disclosures for more information.
Shopping List:
Tabletop:
4 – 2″x8″x8′
3 – 2″x6″x8′
Legs:
7 – 2″x4″x8′
1 – 1″x4″x12′
General:
Minwax Pre-stain wood conditioner
Rustoleum Ultimate Wood Stain in Early American
sandpaper
Cut List:
Ends:
8 – 2″x4″ at 11 3/8″ off square, longest point measurement
4 – 2″x4″ at 20″
4 – 1″x4″ at 28 3/8″
8 – 2″x4″ at 32 5/8″
4 – 1″x4″ at 3.5″
Main Table
2 – 2″x4″ at 65″
2 – 2″x4″ at 30 3/8″ both ends cut parallel at 45 degrees off square
Top:
4 – 2″x8″ at 85″
2 – 2″x6″ at 85″
2 – 2″x6″ at 40″
To build the legs I highly suggest using Ana’s directions here to build the legs. Getting these correct is key! You can see in the bottom picture one of the legs isn’t completely square so I had to find a fix for it. Check that these are square every time you add a new component. Maybe you’ll avoid my mistake! I glued everything together as I went for extra reinforcement as well. It also helps to have an extra pair of hands when assembling.
After the legs are assembled the next step is to attach the middle braces to stabilize the legs and ultimately the table. I attached the bottom brace first, followed by the top brace with pocket hole screws. Next were the middle braces with pocket hole screws. Again, have someone help you to assemble. It’ll be a lot easier.
Last to assemble is the tabletop. I lined up all the 4 wider boards (8″) in the middle and added the 6″ boards onto the sides. The 2 – 6″ wide boards that we cut to 40″ will go on the ends. I glued them together and then “clamped” them all together to dry (overnight). While drying I pocket-holed the boards together as well.
After the table was assembled and the glue had dried, it was time to flip it over and put it onto the table! This was the most exciting part as I could see it was finally coming together! After I measured everything, I used pocket holes to assemble the tabletop to the top brace board on both ends and in the middle. Before I officially attached the two parts together I stained both parts separately. For a more even stain make sure you apply wood conditioner and work in sections before applying stain. This part actually took me longer than I expected.
Here is the final table all assembled! I love how it came out! I absolutely love the stain color as well!
You can choose whether or not you want to protect your table with some sort of polyurethane or not. I did (can’t remember what product I used) because I thought it would be easier to clean the top after a meal. There are other more food-safe products as well like the one that I used on my butcher block countertop.
What do you think? What projects do you want to do this summer?
