How to Build a Farmhouse Table – Two Methods

Farmhouse tables are sturdy, spacious, and have a wonderful, welcoming rustic style. They can also be expensive, whether you are purchasing a new one or even shopping vintage markets.

But you can make your DIY farmhouse table, and it isn’t as difficult a project as it may seem.

Making a farmhouse table allows you to customize it for your home and your family and makes the memories you enjoy at the family table that much more precious.

Today we will show you how to build your own farmhouse table, to add style and substance to your home.

What to Expect in a Farmhouse Table Design

Farmhouse design is incredibly popular in interior décor. It’s casual, comfortable, and durable. Here are some things to pay attention to when building your farmhouse table:

Weight

Farmhouse tables are heavy, with thick boards and substantial bases. If you will need to frequently move your table, you may want to look for a design with a lighter base or narrower boards.

Size

When building your farmhouse table, make sure it is the right size for your family and your space. These are large tables, but they don’t have leaves and can’t be easily adjusted to fit different rooms and occasions.

Allow room for chairs or benches to be placed around the table, with space for comfortable movement.

Fashion

Farmhouse tables have a rugged look, and they usually look even better over time as they get distressed, and the natural wood gains a patina. If you prefer sleeker furniture or more modern, a farmhouse table may not be right for you.

End Seating

Farmhouse tables usually have distinctive X-shaped legs at both ends. This can reduce the space for seating at the table’s head and foot, leaving not much legroom at the ends.

If you want to maximize seating space, consider creating a longer tabletop, leaving more overhang, and, therefore, more seating at the table.

How to Build a Classic Farmhouse Table

This is a rustic, classic farmhouse table design, with plenty of room for the whole family. It’s a simple, beautiful table and not challenging to build.

Once you have cut your boards and pre-drilled for screws, it comes together in a snap and is a good project for advanced beginners.

To build your DIY farmhouse table, you will need:

• 2×10″ boards
• 2×4″ boards
• 1×4″ boards
• self-tapping wood screws
• pocket hole screws
• Finish nails

While pocket screws are not necessary for this project, they do make for tighter, stronger joints. You may want to invest in a pocket hole jig  to make it easier

Cut List

For the legs:

• 2×4″ @ 11 3/8″ ends cut at 45 degrees off square, not parallel: 8
• 2×4” @ 20”: 4
• 1×4” @ 28 3/8”: 4
• 2×4” @ 32 5/8”: 8
• 1×4” @ 3 1/2”: 4

For the table:

• 2×4” @ 65”: 2
• 2×4″ @ 30 3/8″ ends cut at 45 degrees off square, parallel: 2
• 2×10” @ 96”:10

To Make the Table

1. Make leg segments by attaching two of the angled cut 2×4 leg supports to a 20″ 2×4 segment using wood screws to create a “K” shape. Do this four times.
2. Attach your leg segments by matching up the 2x4s and securing them with glue and finish nails to make two legs with the distinctive farmhouse X legs.
3. Add two of the 28 3/8″ 1×4 boards to the top and bottom of your legs, securing them with screws or with nails and wood glue.
4. Add two 32 5/8″ boards to the top and bottom, secured to the 1x4s. You may want to bevel these edges and sand them for a clean, finished look.
5. Add two more 32 5/8″ boards to the previous boards’ top and bottom, making sturdy legs that will support the table’s weight.
6. Add two 3 1/2″ squares to the bottom of both leg segments’ outer ends to make feet. Secure them with nails and glue.
7. Attach the legs to each other using the two 65″ 2×4 boards. Place them vertically aligned with the top and bottom center of both legs. Use pocket holes and pocket hole screws to secure them.
8. Using the 30 5/8″ boards, add cross braces beneath the 65″ boards. Secure each end at the top inner corner where the boards meet the legs, slanting down towards the center of the table. You can attach them with pocket holes and fill later, or simply glue and screw.
9. Add the tabletop by placing the 96″ boards and screwing them in place. If you are using this table outdoors, leave a gap between the top boards to allow water to drain.

To Complete the Table

1. Fill holes with wood filler and allow to cure completely
2. Sand the table in the direction of the grain, down to 120. A palm sander will make sanding faster and easier.
3. You may want to soften the edges and corners of your tabletop. The fastest way is with a router, but you can do it with a hand plane and sandpaper if you don’t have a router.

How to Build a Fancy French Farmhouse Table

This French farmhouse table is a bit more complicated, but it has a beautiful design and rugged construction that will become a family heirloom.

This project calls for several biscuit joints, so you will need one; if you don’t have a biscuit joiner, you will need one.

To make the DIY French farmhouse table, you will need:

• 2×6″ boards
• 4×4″ boards
• 2×4″ boards
• 1×4″ boards
• Wood screws
• Wood glue
• #0 biscuits
• Clamps
• Tabletop fasteners

To make this farmhouse table, follow these steps:

Make the Foot Bases

1. Rip 2×6 boards down to 2×4 1/2″ boards that are 36 inches long. You will need four boards this size. Round the edges on the two of the boards using a sander, or cut the ends at a 45-degree angle.
2. Attach these boards together with the rounded edge on top, using wood screws from the bottom.

To Make the Legs

1. Cut the 4×4 to four 24″ lengths for the legs.
2. Cut a 2×6″ down to a 3 1/2″ square to create a leg divider
3. Attach the leg divider between two 4×4 legs, placed 9¼ inches from the ground. Join the divider to the legs using biscuits and wood glue
4. Do this twice, so you have two 4×4+divider legs
5. Center the 2×6 foot bases on top of the legs, and attach the bases to the legs with screws and glue, screwing from the bottom into the legs
6. Cut a 1″ length of 2×4 for a decorative accent.
7. Attach the 1″ piece of 2×4 to the center of the divider
8. Set the legs upright on the feet bases

To Build the Leg Angles

1. Cut a 2×4 to 36″ to make a top valence. Make one for each side of the table
2. Center and attach the valence to the assembled leg base with screws, screwing down from the top into the legs
3. Cut your 2×4″ down to 18 inches. Rip the 2x4s to 3 inches, and then attach two boards with nails and wood glue, creating 8 boards that are 3×4″ and 18 inches long. Clamp and allow to dry. Once dried, cut both ends at 45 degrees off square, not parallel. From the longest-to-longest points, these braces should be 15 inches long.
4. Attach these angled braces to the leg assemblies using screws or nails and glue. There will be a 1 ½” gap on the leg between each angled brace so that they won’t meet.
5. Cut an 11×4 down to 4 ½ inches. Make four of these cuts, then attach them to the outside bottom of the table leg assemblies to act as feet.

To Assemble the Table Base

1. Cut a 2×4″ to 72 inches to act as a runner. Secure the ends to both legs, at the center of the divider piece, using pocket screws and wood glue. It should line up perfectly with the leg assembly’s decorative accent piece to create the illusion that the runner goes through the legs.
2. Cut a 2×4 to two 69 1/2″ side braces. Use a pocket hole jig on a 1 1/2″ setting and pocket screws, as well as glue, to attach these boards to the leg valances, creating an outside edge to support the tabletop.

For the Tabletop

1. Cut 2×6″ boards to 84 inches, and make 8 of them.
2. Using biscuits and wood glue, attach these boards to form the tabletop. Clamp and allow to dry.
3. Attach the top to the base using tabletop fasteners.

To Complete the Table

1. Fill holes with wood filler and allow to cure completely.
2. Sand the table in the direction of the grain, down to 120.
3. You may want to soften the edges and corners of your tabletop. The fastest way is with a router, but you can do it with a hand plane and sandpaper if you don’t have a router.

How to Finish Your Farmhouse Table

Before finishing a table, it needs to be thoroughly sanded and perfectly clean. Use a vacuum to remove any sanding debris from the table, and then wipe it clean.

To Apply a Wood Finish to Your Table

A wood finish is a great way to finish a farmhouse table to emphasize the wood’s natural beauty and give it a natural, rustic look. To use a wood finish, you will need:

• Paintbrushes
• Clean cloths
• Wood conditioner
• Wood stain
• Wood varnish

To Finish a Table

1. Brush on a coat of wood conditioner.
2. Allow the conditioner to penetrate the wood for 15 minutes, but not more than 2 hours.
3. Brush a coat of wood stain onto the table.
4. Allow the stain to penetrate for at least 10 minutes.
5. Wipe off excess stain with a clean, dry cloth.
6. Wait at least 8 hours for the stain to dry.
7. Brush on a smooth, even coat of varnish, working in the direction of the wood grain.
8. Wait at least 8 hours for the varnish to dry.
9. Lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper.
10. Wipe off any sanding residue.
11. Add a second coat of varnish.
12. Wait overnight for the varnish to dry.

To Antique Paint Your Table

You can also choose to prime and paint your farmhouse table instead of staining and varnishing. It’s easy to use antiquing techniques to make your farmhouse table look distressed and older than it is, which can be a fantastic complement to your décor.

To “antique” your farmhouse table, follow these steps:

1. Condition and stain your table following the steps above. Choose a dark stain color for the best results.
2. Paint the entire table with a thin coat of matte-finish paint.
3. Wait 24 hours for the paint to dry.
4. Apply a second thin coat of paint. You may choose a different color for a more distressed, antique look or simply repeat your first color.
5. Wait 24 hours for the paint to dry.
6. Use a 150 grit sanding block to begin distressing the table. Sand the edges of the piece in places where it would naturally start to show wear. Proceed lightly, removing your paint layers gradually and unevenly. Go slowly, and step back often to evaluate your progress.
7. Use a 220 grit sanding block to go back over your distressed edges and expose a little more of the wood finish.
8. Take a rag and dip it into your wood stain, and lightly buff it into the edges of your table, immediately wiping away the excess. You may rub a light layer of stain over the entire table to make it look more antique and distressed. Step back often to evaluate your progress.
9. Lightly sand the entire table with 220 grit sandpaper.

Conclusion

These farmhouse tables will transport you to a simpler time and be a piece of furniture that will stay in your family for generations.