If you’re looking for a DIY way to make a modern farmhouse table at an affordable price, then look no further. We have a dining area next to our kitchen that we wanted to fill with a beautiful modern farmhouse table. If you read our previous blog on the faux beams and column then you know that they definitely make a statement for our kitchen. We wanted something in the dining room that did had the same effect while also conveying similar features as the kitchen beams and column. So, we searched and searched….and then searched some more and could not find anything under $1000. Finally, the decision was made to do it ourselves. Here are the supplies you need for this:

SUPPLIES:

16 Oz. III Ultimate Wood Glue

Satin Oil-Based Polyurethane (32-fl oz)

Minwax Wood Finish Early American Oil-Based Interior Stain (32-fl oz) (We used this to match the chairs, but you can choose a stain that matches your design)

9-Pack Foam Flat 3-in Paint Brush Set

Five – 1-in x 8-in x 6-ft Oak Board

One – 1-in x 8-in x 8-ft Oak Board

One – 1-in x 2-in x 6-ft Oak Board, Two – 1-in x 2-in x 8-ft Oak Board (These were used to make the table seem like it has more depth and appear thicker when you look at it)

One – 1-in x 2-in x 6ft whitewood (used to screw in the table legs)

1/2 inch dowel pins to prevent form board warping over time (we used a dowel jig kit from Amazon)

Pipe Wood clamps (make sure they’re long enough for your table length, in our case that’s about 7ft

20 – 1-1/4-inch interior lag screws

120 to 150 grit sand paper

1-1/4 in 18-gauge brad nails or interior box nails if you don’t have a brad nailer

To begin this project we utilized a small bench jointer to smooth out the edges. You most likely will not need this since most factory oak board edges are fairly straight and smooth, but since our friend had one, we jumped on the opportunity to try it. Definitely recommend the jointer if you have one available. If you do not have one available, then lightly sanding (with 320 grit sand paper) will work to smooth out the edges. Once that was complete, we utilized our dowel jig kit and set ½ inch dowel pins evenly spaced along the length of the boards (same for the two end boards as well). We used 12 dowel pins along each side. We wanted to ensure there were enough pins evenly space to prevent board warping and keep the table sturdy. After all, our table is used for everything like eating meals, playing games, or doing puzzles with our family of 6. There may even be times were we have a kid or two climbing all over it….Though we will neither confirm or deny that.  Needless to say, we wanted this table to last!

After the dowel setup was complete, we glued the boards together and used the pipe wood clamps to hold them together. You’ll want to clamp the longer boards together first, wait for them to dry, then clamp the end boards next (the picture shows the second clamping step). Now that the table top was dry, we flipped it to its back to glue and brad nail the 1-in x 2-in boards. This was purely cosmetic because we wanted the table to have more depth. Next, we measured where the table legs were going to be, then glued and brad nailed the whitewood boards to the back. For the table legs, we found this company on Esty to make the legs. You can find their site at this link. Once we got the table legs we used the interior lag screws to attached them to the back of the table.

The last step in this project was to pick out the perfect stain for our table. We already had reupholstered chairs made by Emily’s mother that she stained with an Early American Stain by Miniwax. She is currently retired, but used to have her own upholstery company (Upholstery Creations by Susan). She found these old chairs at a flea market and re-upholstered them for us to use. We are so thankful that she thought of us when she saw these! She’s AMAZING and we love her.

Prior to staining, we sanded the table top down. First we used up to 220 grit sandpaper, but later realized that you do no want to go that high in grit or the stain will not penetrate the pores of the wood. After a brief sigh and a little internal yelling, we re-sanded using lower grit (no higher than 150) and the stain was evenly coated. To coat the stain, we recommend you use an old clean t-shirt with even strokes along the grain of the wood. Once the stain is dry (we waited until the next day) then grab the foam brush and use the Polyurethane finish to seal it. We didn’t want too much reflection on the table, so we utilized the satin based finish. It was a perfect final touch! We couldn’t be happier with the end product and it definitely fits ours style and an beautiful finish for our dining room area!