$150 DIY Farm Table + Bench {Tutorial}

My dad and I built this farm table + bench a few summers ago, and it has really been put to use like crazy ever since. It’s by far my favorite project that I’ve worked on so far. And it’s so special to me that we made it by hand and will get to enjoy it every single day for years to come.

I’ll be the first to admit that I can be a bit of a homebody. I love the comfort and simplicity of just “being” at home. And I enjoy doing all of the things that go into making our house a home – whether it’s cooking from scratch, renovating our home, working on a DIY project, scouring for handpicked antique + vintage pieces for our home, or even folding laundry and cleaning.

In a world where it can feel like you’re always so busy and on the go, it feels good to make a point to slow down and do all these little things for my family. And create a home that we love coming back to at the end of a long day. It’s those quiet, simple moments that I cherish the most. You know what I mean?

To me, a farm table is basically the epitome of simple living. It’s reminiscent of those bygone days of life on an old farm, where generations of a family would gather around the table for a home-cooked meal… to sew quilts and clothing… to tell stories. And, naturally, it is totally my style – cozy and inviting, yet incredibly functional.

And so as soon as we moved into our house, I started looking for a charming little farm table for our dining room makeover. I searched for months and months on end, but never found one that I really loved within our budget. Most were just way too expensive.

And then it donned on me – why purchase a farm table when I can built my own for a fraction of the price? That’s pretty much how this $150 farm table + bench project sprung to life!

SUPPLIES

For the Table:

• (4) 29″ wooden table legs
• (2) 2×4 lumber boards
• (4) 2×6 lumber boards, 12 feet in length (will be cut into 6-foot halves)
• (2) 1×2 furring strip boards
• (1) 2×2 furring strip boards

For the Bench:

• (4) 15″ wooden table legs
• (2) 2×4 lumber boards
• (4) 2×6 lumber boards, 12 feet in length (will be cut into 6-foot halves)
• (2) 1×2 furring strip boards

Miscellaneous:

• pack of 2 ½” pocket-hole screws 
• pack of 2″ finishing nails
• carpenter’s wood glue
• wood stain (I used Minwax in provincial)
• polyurethane (I used Minwax in clear satin – less of a sheen to it!)
• milk paint (I used Miss Mustard Seed in ironstone)
• polycrylic (I used Minwax in clear satin)
• dark antiquing wax (I chose Valspar for this project, but there are many other brands out there!)
• wood filler (I used Minwax)
• 120-grit sandpaper

TOOLS

• circular saw
• orbital sander
• drill
• mini jig pocket-hole kit
• carpenter square
• router with rounding bit
• paint brushes
• cloth rags
• disposable gloves
• measuring tape
• pencil

CUT LIST

The beveled edges of the 2×6 lumber boards will need to be removed. Use a circular saw to trim ¼” off of both long edges of each board. This will square the edges and create boards that are exactly 5″ in width. You can leave the boards at 72″ in length for now.

For the Table:

• (8) 2×6 – 72″ in length (for tabletop boards, already cut to 5″ width)
• (2) 2×4 – 60″ in length (for side aprons)
• (2) 2×4 – 32″ in length (for end aprons)
• (2) 1×2 – 32″ in length (for end-apron trim)
• (2) 1×2 – 60″ in length (for side-apron trim)
• (2) 2×2 – 33″ in length (for support struts)

For the Bench:

• (3) 2×6 – 72″ in length (for seat boards, already cut to 5″ width)
• (2) 2×4 – 50″ in length (for side aprons)
• (2) 2×4 – 7″ in length (for end aprons)
• (2) 1×2 – 7″ in length (for end-apron trim)
• (2) 1×2 – 50″ in length (for side-apron trim)

Now that all the boards are cut to size, let’s get this party started!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start out by drilling two pocket holes per apron end. Then, drill 1 ½” upward-facing pocket holes on the underside of the table every 10″ or so. Attach the legs to the apron.

2. Now it’s time to build the tabletop! First, make sure all of your boards are perfectly straight. Otherwise, you’ll need to use bar clamps to pull everything together tightly. Next, fasten each of the tabletop boards together using 2 ½” pocket-hole screws and wood glue.

3. Cut the tabletop to 68″ in length (or 58″ for the bench) using a circular saw and carpenter square. Sand down the top, ends and edges with an orbital sander to smooth out any uneven surfaces. Finally, use a router with a rounding bit to round off the top and bottom edges.

4. Flip the tabletop over so that all of the pocket holes are facing upward. Then, attach the base through the pre-drilled pocket holes on the tabletop. For extra support, you’ll need to evenly space and fasten each of the support struts under the tabletop to both the 2×4 boards and each of the side aprons using 2 ½” pocket-hole screws.

5. Use a router with a rounding bit to round off the long edge on the outside edge of both the side- and end-apron (1×2) trim. Still with me? Next, fasten the 1×2 boards to the undersides of the 2×4 frame using finishing nails. Flip the table over. At this point, the “building” part of this project is complete.

6. Next, fill all of the holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler, as needed. Once dry, sand those areas down in the direction of the wood grain using 120-grit sandpaper. Use a vacuum to remove any dust residue. Then, thoroughly wipe down the entire farm table with a damp cloth rag.

7. Now that all this is finished, it’s time for the fun part! Using a cloth rag or paint brush, apply an even coat of stain to the tabletop in the direction of the wood grain. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. Don’t try to apply several coats at once, or too quickly. Let the stain dry completely, and then apply 1-2 additional coats, depending on how dark you want the tabletop to be. I applied two coats total, and it’s a nice, rich color without being too dark. Let dry overnight.

8. While the stain is drying, mix up your milk paint according to package directions, and then paint both the legs and apron. Let dry, and then apply a few more coats. Next, use 120-grit sandpaper to distress the milk paint. Once that is done, thoroughly wipe down the legs and apron with a damp cloth rag.

9. Apply 1-2 coats of polycrylic to both the legs and apron using a paint brush. Once dry, apply antiquing wax to any areas where you distressed the milk paint. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Then, buff out the antiquing wax with a cloth rag, removing any extra wax that remains.

10. Once the stain has dried overnight, wipe down the tabletop with a dry cloth rag to ensure a clean surface. Next, apply 2-3 coats of polyurethane and let dry. I applied two coats total, and so far it’s held up great. But if you have children (or a messy husband!), you may want to apply a third coat just to be safe. The polyurethane will take several days to cure, by which point it should no longer be “oily” to the touch. I actually let mine sit for a week before using it.

And that’s pretty much it! Phew!

I actually already had four antique chairs on hand that had been given to me for free, so the entire table set only cost me $150. Not too shabby, huh?

If you’ve never built a piece of furniture before (like me with this farm table), don’t be discouraged from trying this project out! It’s actually a great starting point. It can seem a little intimidating (believe me, I get it), but once you get going, this farm table is a pretty straightforward build.

This farm table is one of my favorite pieces in our home. It's at the center of almost everything we do – not just gathering around the table for a home-cooked meal, but also for food prep, folding laundry, chatting with friends over coffee and even blogging!

So many of our memories revolve around this farm table. And how special is that when you really think about it?

Pop on over to the blog for the full tutorial and source list for our dining room!

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/10732657/diy-farmhouse-table-bench-for-150-tutorial site