How to Build a Farmhouse Table

A classic farmhouse table has a rustic, almost unfinished feel that shows the wear and tear of frequent use. To get that old farmhouse feeling you will want to build a farmhouse table from basic materials and resist the urge to give the wood an overly smooth or polished look. By allowing the table to remain simplistic and rough, your weekend project farmhouse table can look like it has been around for centuries.

Instructions

1

Layout your 1-inch by 6-inch boards on the floor in a square shape with each board resting on its 1-inch side. Nail two nails at each corner to secure the joint and hold the square together. Put wood glue between the boards at each joint, if desired.

2

Stand each 3-inch by 3-inch post upright in the square frame. Position a post along the inside of each corner. Nail through the boards of the square and into the posts using two nails on each of the two sides of the corner. Apply wood glue, if desired.

3

Allow any glue to dry for an hour. Turn the table upside down so the frame is facing up and the legs pointing down.

4

Lay the 10-inch wide boards over the frame and adjust them to be 1/4-inch apart. Adjust the boards so they overhang the frame evenly by a foot at the heads of the table and by only a few inches on each side.

5

Nail two evenly spaced nails through each board and into the frame where they come into contact across the width of the farmhouse table.

6

Rub sandpaper over the entire table, frame, and legs to smooth the surface enough to prevent splinters. Stain or apply sealant to the table as desired to protect the wood.