I made one fairly major change. When I was buying the boards, I noticed the store sold a panel of joined wood that was just a bit bigger than the final table top was going to be for just a couple dollars more. My kiddo likes to write and color, so I figured a smooth-topped table might make sense. I could have cut down the panel, but as it was only a few inches bigger (36x20x1) I modified the design a little bit instead and just made the cross beams a little longer. My only concern is that the large panel won't drain water as well as the the four boards in the original design, so after I painted the stencil (I got a die cut machine for Christmas, so suddenly everything needs a stencil...) I applied 4 coats of spar urethane to the top and two coats everywhere else. We'll see how it holds up.
Built from Plan(s)
Estimated Cost
$40
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
Artist acrylics (not craft paint) and minwax helmsmen spar urethane.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner