How to Build an Inexpensive Dining Room Table

Durable dining tables can be expensive. As an alternative, this low-cost table can be built with common dimensional lumber from your local home improvement center. It requires no complex joinery or expensive tools. It should fit well into most informal or modern eating areas. Best of all, you can easily adjust its dimensions to make it larger without significantly raising the cost. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Make an U-shaped assembly using three of the short 4 x 4s. Place the two upright sides of the "U" on the outside of the crosspiece. Drill two holes through each 4 x 4 leg into one end of the 4 x 4 crossbar, countersinking the heads halfway into the legs. Use four long screws and glue to secure them all together.

2

Use three more of the short 4 x 4s to make a second leg assembly, as in Step 1.

3

Lay one of the long 4 x 4s on a flat surface; you will use this to connect the leg assemblies. Position it between two of the legs, in the same manner as you did with the crossbars. Drill two holes through each of the legs into the ends of the long 4 x 4; drill them so they miss the screws you have already screwed into the leg assemblies. Countersink the heads halfway, and use four long screws and glue to attach them.

4

Repeat step 3 with the remaining long 4 x 4. When finished, you should have a rectangular frame of 4 x 4s laying on a flat surface, with a 4 x 4 leg pointing straight up at each corner.

5

Place one of the remaining 4 x 4s between the two long side pieces to support the tabletop. Measure 15 inches from one end of the long 4 x 4 to determine its position. Position it between the side pieces, and drill two holes through each side into the ends of the 4 x 4, countersinking them halfway. Use four long screws to attach it.

6

Repeat Step 5 with the final 4 x 4; measure 15 inches from the other end of the long 4 x 4 to determine its position.

7

Turn the base upright and place the tabletop onto the table base. The top should extend 6 inches beyond each side of the base. Nail the top to the base, using six nails on each 4 x 4 crosspiece and support; the six nails should be spaced 6 inches apart. Use the nail set to set the heads just beneath the surface.

8

Cover the exposed ends of the tabletop with the edging tape, and fill all the holes with wood putty. When all the glue and putty has dried, sand and finish the table as desired.