Do you want a farmhouse table, but don't want to spend thousands of dollars? Have you thought about building your own? Thousands of people have with minimal tools and woodworking experience using these very plans!

Preparation
- 8 – 2x4 8 feet long
- 6 – 2x2s 8 feet long
- 1 - 2×8 8 feet long
- 7 – 2x6s 8 feet long
- 2 3/4″ Self Tapping Wood Screws (About 100) (try spax brand or similar)
- 4″ Self tapping wood Screws (About 20)
A) 4 - 2×4 @ 28 1/2″ (Outside Legs)
B) 4 – 2×4 @ 28 1/2″ (Inside Legs)
C) 2 -2×4 @ 34 1/2″ (Bottom End Supports for the Stretcher)
D) 1 – 2×4 @ 81″ (Stretcher)
E) 2 – 2×4 @ 81″ (Side Aprons)
F) 2 – 2×4 @ 28 1/2″ (End Aprons)
G) 2 – 2×2 @ 28 1/2″ (Overhang Supports, Ends)
H) 2 – 2×2 @ 78″ (Overhang Supports, Sides)
I) 10 – 2×2 @ 28 1/2″ (Under Tabletop Supports)
J) 2 – 2×8 @ 38 1/2″ (Breadboard Ends)
K) 7 – 2×6 @ 81″ (Tabletop Pieces)
Start by cutting all your boards. The best way to cut is with a compound miter saw. You can also use a circular saw with a guide - good square cuts are very important.
Always use glue. Use the longest possible screws, and predrill with a countersink bit to hide the screw heads.
Instructions
Step 1
Step 2
Step 4
Step 6
Screw the support, C, into the legs, as shown above. Make sure you use 2 screws on the inside leg and 2 screws on the outside legs per side of the end supports. NOTE: If you would like the support to be on the outside, rotate the legs, keeping the inside legs on the inside, and add 4″ to your stretcher, D. This will reduce your leg room for end chairs, but the notch out will be more visible, like my table and the Restoration Hardware table.
Step 8
Step 9
Fit the apron frame into the base of the table as shown above. Use the long screws to screw at an angle through the apron into the legs. Use 3 screws per leg on all legs. Lots of glue here. Now is a good time to check your table for square. Visit the HOW-TO section if you do not know how to check for square.
Step 10
Step 11
Step 13
Step 14
Step 15
Step 16
Add the next tabletop boards, K, as shown below. As you screw each board down, take special care to line up the edges with the existing boards. You do not want a gap between the boards on the tabletop. Remember to screw through the top on the ends and then screw through the bottom of the under supports to the underside of the tabletop boards.
After all the boards are screwed in place, then use the long screws to screw through the tabletop boards into the breadboard ends, as shown above.
Sand the entire table with 120 grit sandpaper, working in the direction of the wood grain.
Refill holes with wood filler if needed.
Sand table with 180 grit sandpaper.
Stain or paint. If the table feels rough between coats, lightly sand with 180 grit sandpaper.
A final coat of poly on the top can help keep the top easy to finish and wipe cleanable.
Comments
Rhonda (not verified)
Wed, 01/06/2010 - 09:41
Wow! I'm speechless. That
Wow! I'm speechless. That is amazing. I would LOVE to be able to build like that.
Vike (not verified)
Sun, 01/10/2010 - 18:05
You are evil... Just, evil. I
You are evil... Just, evil. I can't think about anything else in life right now except building your furniture! Not that my wife is complaining.
justlikelead (not verified)
Fri, 01/15/2010 - 10:15
Wow, that looks great! And I
Wow, that looks great! And I am one who usually doesn't like anything distressed (not even jeans). I discovered your blog via apartment therapy.
P.S. I'm sure you could get better lighting by moving a ton of lamps into the room...but then you have to move them back. Nevermind!
Maddy AK (not verified)
Fri, 01/15/2010 - 11:11
This is an amazing site! My
This is an amazing site! My roommate and I want to get a farm table but they're...well...expensive. Since I'm unemployed, I definitely have the time to make this. Also, I live in New York where we have Build It Green - all recycled wood for way cheap. I'm going to abuse them so bad.
Quick question though, would the table still be supported if you didn't have the beams underneath the table? I hate sitting at the end of a table and kicking your feet into the ends of the table.
Thanks! I'm so excited!!!
Ana White (not verified)
Fri, 01/15/2010 - 13:38
Table without stretcher. You
Table without stretcher. You can build the table without the stretcher supports, and it should be just fine. Just make sure you keep everything very square, because you won't have the underneath supports to square everything up with. Check out the Hyde collection of tables. They are all built this way. You could also use 4x4 posts instead of the notched 2x4s.
Maddy AK (not verified)
Fri, 01/15/2010 - 13:40
Yeah...I saw that after I
Yeah...I saw that after I looked around a bit more. I'm so excited about this project!
Keep this up! It's a fantastic site!
Brittany at Mo… (not verified)
Sat, 01/16/2010 - 04:39
I just found your blog and I
I just found your blog and I love it love it love it! I spemd all my free tie building things and knocking off furniture so this is just perfect. Usually I just post what I have done once a week on the old bloggy blog you know! I was just in Restoration Harware last night and decided to build the coffee table of reclaimes wood along with this table, although I need it to be more like a trestle table since I have a banquette and people need to be able to slide in. My third baby is due on Tuesday so hubby has cut me off the saws as of yesterday (when he caught me ;)but I will be back! You are awesome! My new best friend!
Angela (not verified)
Sat, 01/16/2010 - 08:25
Ana, you mentioned modified
Ana, you mentioned modified plans for an island? I would LOVE to have them..we're going to be building our very own in the coming weeks and I would love the help. We're so excited and grateful to have found your site. Keep up the great work!
Anonymous (not verified)
Sun, 01/17/2010 - 17:06
Right on! I'm glad to see
Right on! I'm glad to see something honest and real instead of some cheap knock off that was made in China (like all of Restoration Hardware's "reclaimed" wood items)...Keep up the good work, I'm bookmarking your great site.
Anonymous (not verified)
Tue, 01/19/2010 - 11:44
I, too, just discovered your
I, too, just discovered your blog and FB page. Please tell me how to make this an island. Sounds just like what I've been wanting. Great site!!!
Cynthia