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Fancy X Farmhouse Table

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Submitted by Ana White on Thu, 05/23/2019 - 11:19
Difficulty
Intermediate
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Build the Fancy X Farmhouse Table from 2x4s and lumber for $65.  A reader favorite, this table has been built thousands of times.  

We also have plans for a matching bench and lots more farmhouse furniture plans.

dark wood stained farmhouse table with X legs and cross bracing
side view of farmhouse table with cross bracing

 

 

Whitney from Shanty2Chic and I teamed up to help you get that designer look without the price tag! 

 

 

Whitney has a family of seven, and wanted to build a sturdy and strong farmhouse table with a little bit of fancy to it to dine on outdoors this summer.

This is my very favorite build yet! I have been in serious need for an outdoor table to seat my family of 7. When we stumbled upon a beautiful, long farmhouse table from Anthropologie, I knew it was love at first sight. Everything was perfect about it... Except that $2,000 price tag... Ouch. That hurts to even write. But... I knew who to call to help me make my own at a very small fraction of that cost! This baby only cost me $65!

Head over to visit Whitney at Shanty2Chic to get all the details, lots more photos, and a peek at her construction process!

 

Thanks Whitney!!!

 

Dimensions
dimensions diagram of farmhouse table with X bracing
Dimensions are shown above.

Preparation

Shopping List

4 – 2x10 @ 8 feet long

7 – 2x4 @ 8 feet long

1 – 1x4 @ 12 feet long

3” self tapping wood screws 

2 ½” pocket hole screws

2” finish nails

Cut List

ENDS

  • 8 – 2x4 @ 11 3/8” (ends cut at 45 degrees off square, longest point measurement, NOT parallel)
  • 4 – 2x4 @ 20”
  • 4 – 1x4 @ 28 3/8” **
  • 8 – 2x4 @ 32 5/8” CUT TO FIT **
  • 4 – 1x4 @ 3 ½”

 

MAIN TABLE

2 – 2x4 @ 65”

2 – 2x4 @ 30 3/8” (both ends cut parallel at 45 degrees off square)

4 – 2x10 @ 96”

 

** For 45 degree cut tops and bottoms (easier) on the legs top and bottom (see steps 3-5 and step 10), replace these cuts with:

4 - 2x4 @ 31" (both ends cut at 45 degrees off square NOT parallel long point measurement)

4 - 2x4 @ 34" (both ends cut at 45 degrees off square NOT parallel long point measurement)

General Instructions

Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold. Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good luck!

Instructions

Step 1

Build four of these. I’d simply countersink screws from the backs into the ends of the cross braces using 2-1/2" self tapping wood screws

Step 2

Then just attach two of the leg pieces together with glue and 2” finish nails from each side

Step 3

And add the top/bottom. You can use 2” screws or nails here and glue.

Step 4

And then add the curved pieces. The ends may be a challenge – what I do is first cut a 2x4 32 5/8” long with both ends cut at 30 degrees off square, ends not parallel. Then make a second cut at 45 (or more if your saw cuts higher degree bevels) degrees off square and cut that same board 28 3/8”  short point to short point. 

Step 5

Repeat for the next layer of 2xs to build up your leg ends

Step 6

Followed by the little feet ...

Step 7

I'd recommend 1 1/2" PHs and 2 1/2" PH screws here ... hide on top and bottom edges

Step 8

The easiest way to attach cross braces is with pocket holes.  But you will have to fill later with wood filler.

An alternative is to glue and screw through the cross brace into the top and bottom 2x4s with longer screws.

Step 9

And finally the top! I recommend building the tabletop first with pocket holes and then attaching.

If you are using the table outdoors, leave a little space between the boards for water drainage.

Step 10

And for the alternate ends like Whitney did - just use 45 degrees off square cuts.

Step 11

For more photos and construction details, please stop over and visit Whitney at Shanty2Chic!

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth.

It is always recommended to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed.
Help Improve This Plan

We apologize if there was an error in this plan. Please help us out and report any errors here.

Project Type
Table Plans
Dining Table Plans
Room
dining room
Style
Farmhouse Furniture

Comments

seejaneread

Mon, 04/15/2013 - 07:09

We love these plans but want to make the table "skinnier". Is there a basic formula for making it, say, about 30" across the top, instead of the 37"? (or something around there, whatever makes the math easier)

Colin97

Fri, 08/09/2013 - 07:08

Love this table! I saw the desk version on shabby-chic and am going to attempt it starting today. WISH ME LUCK....THERE IS A FIRST FOR EVERYTHING. However, for the dining room table I was wondering if there are any ways to add extension on the ends? I have seen tutorials for such tables, but didn't know if you had suggestions or plans for this particular table to add extension underneath. Thanks for your help and can't wait to test my skills!

Shadoglare

Sun, 08/18/2013 - 14:17

So it's probably been something like 10 months that I've been working on this project off an on, including countless hours of sifting through piles of lumber in hopes of finding the best stock (wasted time since it all warped after I got it home anyway), cutting, hand planing (OH so much planing), and sanding - all to still end up with a curved tabletop. I threw in the towel today - I give up. I'm just hoping I can find another use for the probably $70+ worth of lumber I've got put into this thing. Mind you my expectations probably exceeded what the project was designed for - I wanted a flat, seamless tabletop created from multiple boards. I've seen countless commercially made tables made this way so I figured I should be able to do it was well - but it just isn't going to happen. I did also notice going through photos of other peoples' work that it seems the majority of projects that turned out really nicely were *not* made with pine. If you're someone who's OK with having a tabletop made with multiple, slightly warped, disconnected boards, this project I'm sure is fine. I just had to learn the long, hard way that this thing wasn't going to work out the way I personally wanted it to.

Sleeps with dogs

Sat, 08/24/2013 - 19:13

Your frustration is quite evident. I would suggest two things: First, the goal of any project, especially something you are new at is: To Finish. This means, whatever it takes. If it isn't finished, it doesn't exist, and so has little or no use, little is learned and nothing is gained. This applies to earning a Black Belt, earning an MD, running your first race, earning anything you set as your goal; finish.

Second: Accept the result as reflecting the best you can do at this time, and let it go at that.

I once saw a brand new hand built aerobatic aircraft, built by a master German builder named Walter Extra. It was very expensive, a bit less than half a million, and the most beautiful aircraft I had ever seen, but I had an idea. I said to Walter who was there in person from Germany delivering the aircraft, what do you think you could have done better. His eyes lit up and he started in about the paint, and this fitting with that, and on and on... Exactly as I had thought. To the builder it was far from perfect, and to me, experienced with aircraft, the most beautiful creation I had ever seen outside of the military.

Now back to your farm house table; I believe your expectations exceeded your ability and experience, and you weren't willing to accept what you had built as the best you could do. I firmly believe if you could have done better you would have. So, that said, finish it. What ever it may look like, make it so. Use all the ingenuity you poses, use all the determination you poses, use all the tools you poses, finish it, make it live. If you have to use different wood for the top, if you have to use steel underneath to tame the warp, if you have to use biscuits, set a reasonable time limit, say 1 week... and finish it. Then except it for what it is, the best you can do at this time.

Many of the tables you see here looking so beautiful, up close would show many of the same problems and failures you encountered. A picture hides many a flaw that the eye would normally spot.

Your table will be uniquely yours. Use it as you see fit, for a dining table, for an outside table, as a work bench for the next project you tackle, building on what you learned on this one, or give it away. Don't let failure be yours; don't own it, don't accept it, don't settle for it, don't let failure in your house.

gralf

Fri, 09/13/2013 - 09:05

I surfed the web searching for a table and that´s it, this is my next to do job. 

I´m writing from Spain, and I was trying to translate units, we use to work in decimal system so I decided to take inches to centimetres. 

The point is that

the 4 2x10@96 you use to do the top does not match my lengths because 

4 x 10 = 40 

and the painting shows 

37 inches wide 

 ¿where are the 3 inches left? 

sorry about my english, and thanks in advance

geovanim

Sun, 11/03/2013 - 21:35

the length of the table is 96''. Which is too long for my dining room. If i want it to be 72'', will the dimensions change for the other parts?

Shadoglare

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 23:21

I did the same - I also shortened the base by 24" - this resulted in the lengths and angles of the two angled boards in the middle of the table changing. After some trial and error I eventually decided to handle this by leaving them off.

geovanim

Tue, 11/05/2013 - 20:05

I want to make this table along with other projects. What tools would I need to complete this project?

Shadoglare

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 23:33

I eventually gave up on the 2x boards for a table top, they just weren't working to create the type of surface I wanted. I ended up buying two pre-glued pine panels and putting them together (at about $30 a pop) and although the tabletop is less than half the thickness of the original plan, I'm much happier with it, and it's taking place of honor in our dining room. I just entered a "brag" post which is on page 15 of the above slide strip if anyone is interested.
Not even counting the wood that got tossed (which was a bunch, although I did re-use the 2x10s by making raised garden beds with them), I'd roughly estimate this project ended up costing about $120, or about twice what is stated at the top of the plan page. That's for 2x4s, the two pine panels, hardware, stain, polyurethane, etc.
It was an amazingly frustrating experience as I think I had pictured something in my head that just wasn't going to happen with these materials, however I'm pretty happy with the eventual end result.