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Bread Box

I started baking my own bread a few months ago, and storage was an issue. My husband decided to build me an old fashioned bread box and set out designing one on his own to fit in our small galley kitchen. I love it. It is a double decker, so I can fit two loaves in it just fine. The inside is coated with a food-grade sealer.

Estimated Cost
$20: $16 for the food-grade sealer and $4 for the handle, scrap wood used from other projects.
Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Finish Used
White spray paint, food-grade sealer inside.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

JoanneS

Wed, 12/07/2011 - 03:49

This is an awesome idea, can't wait to make one for my kitchen. Beautiful job! Thanks for sharing this!

Compost Bin

In my endeavor to be more green and self-providing, I started a backyard garden this past Spring. Thanks to the Texas heat, it was not as fruitful as I would have liked. I won't just blame the weather, but my novice status. I kept thinking I should have done more to amend the soil. So, I have been tossing around idea of composting to make my own nutrient rich soil and have a better experience with my garden next year. So, I found these plans online and I modified them down to a single 2'x2' sized bin. It also had to be mobile in that I could move it around my yard if I need to find a better place for it.

From Plan: Build A Compost Bin www.lowescreativeideas.com
http://lowescreativeideas.com/idea-library/projects/Building-a-Compost-…
Estimated Cost: $20 for Lumber $13 for Hardware Cloth $14 for Galvanized Hinges
Estimated Time Investment: 3 hours
Required Skill Level: Intermediate
Type of Wood: Cedar and Pine
Finish Used: Natural/Matt Finish

I was able to use some left over wood for my project, but the estimate above would represent all wood being purchased. I was not really happy on the price of the galvanized hinges and I used two of them at $7 each.

The plans also called for 2x6's for the bottom, but that sized plank would have made it very very heavy and to me the whole point of having a bottom to your compost is so that you can move it if need be... so I use 1x4's

Since I didn't want my compost to come into contact with pre-treating chemicals, I did not use pretreated wood. Instead, I put a light coating of a matte finish on only the wood that would stay in contact with moisture. Otherwise, I want the cedar to mellow and age.

My final cost was about $40 using some left over wood. In one case, I actually used my Kreg Jig to create a 2x4 of appropriate length with some of my scraps. Worked beautifully. Also used it on the lid, as you can see in the picture.

Standing Outdoor Planter

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/14/2023 - 06:42

A friend of mine has issues with her knees but loves gardening so I built this to allow her to continue gardening. She loved it.

I didnt follow any particular set of plans I watched several you tube videos and combined different ideas from the videos to develop my own plan.

Built from Plan(s)
Easy Build DIY Planter Box with Cedar Fence Pickets

Comments

Storage bed

Submitted by Firemedic on Fri, 02/05/2016 - 20:49

First time posting on here, made several items from this site. Thanks for all the plans. I modified this to a twin size for my daughters first bed and added a few features so I wanted to share. Twin is 39x75 so I just made it 21 inches narrower and almost 5 inches shorter. I say almost because I made the storage boxes 75 3/4 so that the drawer boxes would divide evenly into 3 to be the same size. The height of the bed is the same as Ana's plans. A few other small additions I made were webbing stapled to the slats and a small peice of scrap wood at each end to keep them taught so I didn't have to screw them all in. This makes it easier to move later as well. I also attached scrap wood 3 1/2 inches from the bottoms of the boxes so that they can easily rest on the 2x4s from the head and foot board. This makes it easier to assemble, especially if you plan on moving the bed in the future. just rest them on those 2x4's and screw together. My daughter loves her new bed.

Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Storage Bed with Drawers (Queen)
Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Sherwin Williams latex paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

kids vanity stool & slipcover

I used all scraps to construct the stool modifying the leg height to 12 1/2" and the seat to a 12" diameter to fit properly at the kids vanity. See the complete details on the slipcover in my blog post link.

Blog Link
"V" is for Vanity Stool & Slipcover
Built from Plan(s)
Play Table Stools
Estimated Cost
$10
Estimated Time Investment
An Hour or Two (0-2 Hours)
Finish Used
no finish
fabric slipcover
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

2 Drawer Nightstand

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 15:05

Thank you so much for your plan. I made some small changes. I used pine wood for the box sides and dividers, I moved the drawer faces to the outside and used 1/2 inch plywood for the drawer boxes to add some more space. The drawer faces have an inlaid to match my farmhouse bedroom I am currently building. The final product was stained with Minwax Golden Pecan and clear coated with warm semi-gloss.

Built from Plan(s)
Two Drawer/Shelf Modern Nightstand

Comments

Solid maple IKEA inspired bookcase

Submitted by ccbuilder on Tue, 01/24/2012 - 08:38

I made this bookcase out of solid hard maple lumber. The project was more expensive because I chose to use this wood. It also took more time because I had to do a lot of sanding in order to finish it with shellac and paste wax, but I think it was worth it. I altered the plans and made the bookcase 5' tall instead of 6' as it would have been a little large for the room I put it in otherwise. I used a kreg jig to create pocket holes on the undersides of the shelves so that I did not have to drill and make holes on the sides of the bookcase. I also used L and T brackets on the back to hold the whole thing together.

Built from Plan(s)
IKEA Lack Inspired Bookcase
Estimated Cost
$115
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Shellac and paste wax. The key was to sand extensively before finishing, as the lumber I bought was very rough. I sanded to 400 grit which may have been excessive, but it did create a nice finish. In between coats of shellac I also sanded. I finished it all up by adding a coat of paste wax. I liked this finish as it was much more natural and less hazardous than many other finishes.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

claydowling

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:12

I really like this. I made a similar set a while back out of pine, because I needed a lot of book storage in a hurry, but nothing near this nice.

How is the side to side stability? I found a need to put bracing along the back, which also served to keep my books from falling off when the cats push up against them.

ccbuilder

Tue, 01/24/2012 - 10:46

The side to side stability is pretty good. It'll rock a little bit, but it's really quite sturdy. The L and T brackets in the back helped significantly with the stability.

Bookshelf for our nursey based on your terrific Channing plan

Submitted by Astern on Tue, 12/24/2013 - 14:24

Great, simple bookshelf for our nursery

Built from Plan(s)
Channing Bookcase
Estimated Cost
$150 for wood, $150 for paint and tools I needed
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Flat wall paint -- the same we used for the trim in the room.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

Twin Loft Beds for Twins

Submitted by annierey on Thu, 10/31/2019 - 16:33

My twins just turned four and were still sleeping in their toddler beds, so it was time for an upgrade.  They still want to share a room so we knew we needed to maximize space and open up some room for them to play.  We chose the Camp Loft Bed but raised the height to 72" (with 53" of headspace) so we might be able to add a desk underneath when they get older. 

Essentially, we made two loft beds with the platforms but omitted the stairs.  Then we built a slightly lower platform to put between the two beds, which acts as a step down.  Then instead of making stairs that jut out into the room, we added two 2x4s as ladder rungs to the lower platform.  This also acts as a tunnel for the twins to crawl under to go between each other's play spaces.   This also makes it so the beds can be easily separated if we ever need to put them in separate rooms. 

When it was complete we noticed one of the beds was a little wobbly, so we added diagonal braces in the corners and another 2x4 across the length of the bottom to help stabilize it.  We also chose to use 1x4 pieces of pine as the slats for the mattress to lay across, but they didn't feel like they would support our weight if we wanted to read to them in bed.  So we added two more 2x4s underneath the slats the entire length of the bed, which has added a ton of support. 

We stopped keeping track of exactly how much it cost, but it was close to $400 for both beds combined.  And it took most of my husband's free time for two weeks, but most of that was painting two coats of paint on every piece before assembling.  First he cut all the pieces to size, drilled the holes with a Kreg Jig, and then painted.  To make the painting more efficient, he put a bunch of screws into boards so he could paint all the exposed sides of the lumber, flip, and leave them to dry.  Then we assembled the beds in their room. 

The twins love their new beds, and we love how much more space they have to play in their room!  We were worried the room would feel too crowded but with the openness of the plan and the space that was opened up underneath, we think it turned out great!  Now we can move in a bunch of their toys and reclaim some of our house!  Thanks for the great plans!

Built from Plan(s)
Camp Loft Bed with Stair, Junior Height
Estimated Cost
$400
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Two coats of white paint/primer
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Console entry table

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 07/20/2023 - 12:07

This entry table I made from wood I got from a recycle center of wood products. It’s been in our entry now for several years. I have only basic tools-no planers and jointers, etc. I do have a fold up table saw that I use once in awhile. I enjoy working with natural /live edge and or construction grade materials. Always impressed with the items Ana has built. Good job Ana😁👍

Built from Plan(s)
Truss End Table

TWINNING!

Twin Farmhouse Storage Bed With Hinged Footboard.
After making a queen-size for myself, I built this twin-sized version for my niece. Along with a "Breakfast at Tiffany's inspired" theme, she got a new bed and a new bedroom for her 15th birthday.
For this version of the bed, I made just one storage cubby because it sits against a wall. With the addition of the hinged footboard, she has a secret vault for storing her Super Secret Teen items (or shoes or snowboards). I followed the traditional farmhouse bed design, omitting one 1x6 in the head/footboard panels. This way, it is not as wide and the storage cubby meets the bedpost on center.
(Again, my daughter modeling the hinging action).

Blog Link
"Breakfast At Tiffany's" Inspired Bedroom
Built from Plan(s)
Farmhouse Storage Bed with Hinged Footboard
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Primed and painted with Olympic Heirloom Lace in Satin.
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

kad050209 (not verified)

Tue, 09/11/2012 - 20:43

I'm wanted to make my daughter a bed simple to this... Was wondering, since you took one 1x6 piece out on each end... How many inches is the gap from the wall to bed? I want to have my DD's bed against the wall but, since she is only 3 I don't want a big gap for her to fall into! I hope you understand what I mean. Thanks.

birdsandsoap

Tue, 09/11/2012 - 21:53

The gap is actually determined by the widest part of the bed, which is the cap piece on the head and footboards. At most, your gap would be around 3 inches, but you can shove a foam pool noodle from the dollar store in that gap if you are concerned she will get stuck.

And just to be clear, I only removed (1) 1x6 from the headboard and (1) 1x6 from the footboard to match; not two boards from each panel. Wasn't sure if you understood.

Bookshelf Desk

Submitted by amanda1558 on Mon, 04/02/2012 - 18:39

If it was not for this site I would not think we could do this. Inspiration was from the IKEA LACK bookshelf and varioous craft desk tutorials on here. Bookshelf is 7 ft tall, 4 ft wide and shelves are 16 inches deep. Writing desk area is 3 ft long 2 ft wide. It could be done cheaper but it needed to hold all my daughters toys in bins so we paid more for the 16 inch deep boards. It only took a Saturday afternoon to build, but more time in decorating, clear coat of stain. It has a acrylic top writing surface.

Estimated Time Investment
Afternoon Project (3-6 Hours)
Recommended Skill Level
Beginner

Comments

neverlate

Fri, 07/11/2014 - 11:35

my brother saw this on line picture and he would like to make it for his little girl. Like to get the plan from you if you have it.

Under Cabinet Spice Rack

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 09/11/2023 - 13:06

I needed to clear out a shelf in my cabinet and add a spice rack so I could actually see everything. This came out perfect! Made of Oak and stained with classic oak. Very simple to build and hung with pocket screws

James Breadbox

Built from Plan(s)
Door Spice Rack

Rustic hall tree with alterations

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/19/2020 - 11:36

A few alterations I made to your original design plans:
1. I went with 1/2” plywood and bead board for the back. This gave it a little more stability and a complimentary design element to match other pieces I’ve built.
2. I used 2x3’s instead of 2x2’s since the selection was much better at the lumber store.
3. For the bench top I used a black walnut slab cut to size finished with a danish oil and satin poly top coat.
4. Instead of the X, I enclosed the sides and used a pair of parallel 2x3’s backed with poplar boards cut to size.

Thanks! I hope you enjoy.
Chad Cote

Built from Plan(s)
Rustic X Hall Tree
Estimated Cost
$150
Estimated Time Investment
Weekend Project (10-20 Hours)
Finish Used
Watco walnut danish oil
General Finishes satin top coat
General Finishes Antique White milk paint
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Small Balustrade Coffee Table

Submitted by mmadden20 on Sat, 02/22/2020 - 12:33

This might be my favorite build yet! We made some minor modifications to the plan since we only needed a 2’ x 3’ table. The legs were ordered from Osborne Wood - delivery was super quick and they make the table! The plan was easy to follow. I still can’t get over how much I love the final product!

Built from Plan(s)
Balustrade Coffee Table
Estimated Cost
$200
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
1 coat of special walnut and 1 coat of weathered grey. I used a wipe on poly for the legs and water based triple thick satin finish poly for the surfaces.
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Square Modern Farmhouse table--47 inches

Submitted by mommy to 3 on Wed, 05/09/2012 - 11:47

I wanted a square table that was standard height but not too big for my 9' by 9' breakfast area. I used the plans for the square modern farmhouse table, but mine is a 47 inch square. It seats 6 easily (and the chairs tuck in), but can seat 8 if we need it to. It turned out great!

Blog Link
I did it!
Built from Plan(s)
Small Square Modern Farmhouse Table
Estimated Cost
$100
Estimated Time Investment
Day Project (6-9 Hours)
Finish Used
Minwax stain, ebony (3 coats) followed by minwax polycrylic finish (3 coats)
Recommended Skill Level
Starter Project

Pottery Barn benchwright farmhouse dining table

Submitted by Nathan1342 on Sat, 05/19/2012 - 21:57

UPDATE: For everyone that was asking to see additional photos, I have uploaded them all to flickr. Here is the link: HERE Since doing this table I have built probably 15 more just like this one and developed a much better process then in the pictures above.  If you have any questions or want to chat about it further shoot me a comment or email at [email protected].

I had originally seen this table on the Pottery Barn website. My wife and I really liked it but couldn't afford to pay the $1200 bucks after tax and shipping. it didn't look to difficult to build so I decided to give it a shot. The wood for the top of the table was almost 3in thick 4.5in wide and 51in long. It was wood from an old pallet that was used to transport a very large air handler. Very heavy dense wood. Since the lengths were only 51 inches I opted to put 2 horizontal pieces on either side to extend the total length to approx 70in. I was inspired by the plans for the benchwright table that I saw on this site but chose to deviate from the plans on here to make it as close to the real thing as possible. I also happen to have access to very thick pieces of hardwood. The only thing I had to buy at lowes were the legs. The legs are 4x4 Douglas fir posts. The top pieces were all glued and screwed together. The ends were also done this way but had a very large lag bolt that held them together to match the pottery barn table. This was originally very rough wood so anything to help get the warp out was used. The legs are set at a 10 degree angle and the table stand 30 in tall. The hardest part of this table was finding the turnbuckle and the threaded rods so it could officially be 99% like the pottery barn table. I also had no idea how hard it was to find left hand threaded anything. I ended up finding everything I need at McMaster.com and my local Fastenal store. To make the brackets that went on either side of the rods i simply bought a piece of 1/8 sheet metal at my local Home depot and cut it to size. They also sold hammered brown paint which gave the metal a worked old look. Once this was all constructed I used two heavy coats of wood conditioner to seal the wood. This was the key to getting the color I wanted. It tells you on the can not to let the wood conditioner dry on the wood but if it does, when you apply the stain you get a 100% consistent color. Worked wonders. It almost felt like I was cheating. I used a water based condition and stained it with rustoleums "dark walnut" stain. Finished it with 5 coats of minwax semi gloss. I only did 5 coats because I was brushing it on and had trouble getting the bubbles out of it. In the final picture it looks much shinier then it is in person. The last picture of when it was still in my garage is a better indication of the final finish. I have a boat load of additional picture, so if you have any questions or want to see more pictures of how it was constructed, shoot me a message. Thanks!

Built from Plan(s)
Benchright Industrial Farmhouse Table
Estimated Cost
300
Estimated Time Investment
Week Long Project (20 Hours or More)
Finish Used
Minwax Semi-gloss
Rustoleum Dark Walnut Stain
Minwax water based wood conditioner
Recommended Skill Level
Intermediate

Comments

Bunnie1978

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 08:16

I've had trouble with bubbles too... I have two pieces of advice for your next bubble-free project...
1. Get a sprayer. Seriously.
2. If you don't get a sprayer, use the foam pad-brushes for your final layer of poly. Put the last layer on thick and use the largest side of the brush (the side) and lay it down over the wood and drag it slowly accross with the whole large surface on the wood. If it is soaked in poly it will lay it down smooth with little if any bubbles, keep the surface you're working on flat, and after you've finished that, just make sure you clean up any edges where the poly may have dripped down. Last step, when it's almost dry, use 600 grit sandpaper to VERY lightly smooth out any little bumbs, which will come off more like paste than dust. But really, you should just get a sprayer. :)

Nathan1342

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 17:42

Hey Bunnie,

Thanks for the tips! I completely agree with you about the sprayer. I do actually have a sprayer but didn't want to get the garage covered in over spray. Maybe one of these days I will get ambitious and apply another coat. :)

Bunnie1978

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 19:22

My whole living room is covered in overspray right now... just got a sprayer and used it for the first time this weekend. LOL. I don't have a garage.

SawgrassHomeGirl

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 09:35

This is awesome! Can you give more direction as to which specific items you got at mcmaster.com and Fastenal?

Also, how did you attach the sheet metal pieces? If you have any more pictures of the underside (frame) of the table, I'd love to see them!

Thank you very much, and again, this is spectacular. We want to try to build this, too.

Great job!

Cindy from Indiana (not verified)

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 10:38

Love it! This project turned out great and I love how you tracked down the hardware - that finishes it off perfectly!

Like SawgrassHomeGirl, I'm wondering what the actual names of the items are that you tracked down. I went and paged through the McMaster and Fastenal sites, but since I'm completely unfamiliar with mechanical doodads I'm not even sure which categories to look under.

Fantastic job! Thanks for posting this!

Nathan1342

Sun, 05/20/2012 - 18:13

Thank you for the nice comments. This was my first official project so I am happy that it turned out well!

Sure! I'd be happy to know the names of the hardware items. At Mcmaster.com the turnbuckle I purchased was Item number 30045T44 . It is about 6in long and seemed to fit nicely with the length of the table. the rods were just simply threaded rods which I purchased at fastenal since we have a few of their stores in town. The rods come in 6 ft pieces so I didn't want to have to pay the shipping. If you don't have a Fastenal near by here are the item numbers for the rods; 90322A220 -right hand threaded rod and 95625A160 - left hand threads. They are a bit more expensive at mcmaster though.

The biggest thing I was worried about was that the entire rod had threads on it so I was worried that it would look odd. But after getting it painted you don't even notice that it isn't just a solid pipe.

Sawgrass: shoot me your email address and I'll send you some more pictures. This site only allows me to post 5 additional photos. But to elaborate on the frame and the metal pieces, I didn't' really build a frame for it. You can essentially break it down into two pieces: Top and the legs. Instead of building a frame and screwing the pieces down on it, I opted to screw each of the pieces together using a Kreg tool and also glue them. the wood was heavy enough to support everything without an elaborate internal structure. The two end pieces help keep things from warping. The only reinforcement I did for the top was to take 3 2x4's and screw them horizontally on the underside. You will be able to see all of this in the pictures. As for the metal pieces, i drilled 5 holes in each piece. 4 holes for the screws that hold it to the leg region and one half inch hole in the middle for the rod to go through. I have a bunch of close ups of this process so you should be able to get a very good idea of how things work. Overall I tried to keep everything as simple as possible.

Thanks for all the interest and if anyone has anymore questions please don't hesitate to ask!

Cindy from Indiana (not verified)

Tue, 05/22/2012 - 09:01

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions! You did a fantastic job on this table and I am adding it to my ever-growing list of projects to do!

Now I'm off to find that hardware. :-)

Thanks, again!

lillylamp

Fri, 11/08/2013 - 06:33

My e-mail is [email protected]
My husband is making this table for Thanksgiving dinner. We are expecting 14 people so he is making the table a total of 12 feet long! Any input or pictures will be greatly appreciated!
Lisa and Gary Peters
Angola, IN

aclisto

Fri, 09/05/2014 - 14:53

Could you send me the more pictures link?  Great job!  goldmoon8(@)hotmail(dot)com

Destiny (not verified)

Tue, 05/22/2012 - 16:58

So i wanna build this table this summer, could you shoot me some more pictures of the designs and actual steps for building it. i absolutely love it, and i hope mine comes out as good as yours!

Robert (not verified)

Sat, 05/26/2012 - 13:13

This has been on my to do list for a while now, but I haven't been able to work out the hardware details like you did. I would love to get some more pictures especially of the underside and of your rod to stretcher connection. Thanks again and you did an amazing job!

Bulldog1Jack

Fri, 04/25/2014 - 18:43

Nathan,
Can you send me the link for the other photos...table is awesome.
Thanks
John

Aubrey (not verified)

Sat, 05/26/2012 - 17:54

I love this table! I am new to this site and to building, but I want this to be my first project. Could you possibly email me the detailed pics and plans also so I can get started? :) Thanks so much!

ajmccallister

Tue, 05/29/2012 - 18:41

I am really inspired by the table you built. It looks like you built your legs with 4x4s. Did you drill through them to get the notch on the outside or did you do something else just to get the look? Great work!

Nathan1342

Tue, 05/29/2012 - 20:58

Hi Aj,

Yes, I did use 4x4's for the legs. It was much easier this way, did a great job achieving the heavy look I was interested in and was the closest I could come to the pottery barn table. To answer you question, no I did not drill through. I attached the 2x4 cross member with 2 leg screws from the outside of the 4x4 leg. I then cut a small piece of the 2x4 and nailed it over the lag screw holes to simulate the 2x4 cross member coming through. It looks just like I cut a hole and the whole thing is coming through. I get asked how I did it by people that see it in person because it doesn't look like a separate piece is just nailed on.

If you look at IMAG0306 and IMAG0308 on flickr you can see what it looks like without them on and if you look at the bottom left hand corner of the picture you can see the pieces that have been cut and not put on yet.

Sara (not verified)

Mon, 06/11/2012 - 06:48

Your table is gorgeous! I'm curious how much this cost for you to build (lumber and finish materials) and how much of an increase in cost do you think it would be if you had to purchase all the lumber?

Nathan1342

Mon, 06/11/2012 - 11:01

The Lower portion was probably about $200. The biggest expense was the threaded rods and the turnbuckle. The rods were about $30 each and the turnbuckle after shippping was about $20. The wood for the lefts and cross members were purchased at my local lowes so they were pretty cheap. As for the top, its hard to say since wood prices vary quite a bit between types and thickness. If you were to buy wood like I used you would probably have to visit a sawmill and see if you could get rough cut wood that is at least 2.5 inches thick. I would estimate $300 give or take. If you follow the plans that ana has setup for the top you don't necessarily need to get wood that is that thick. You can achieve close to the same look but just using 3/4 in pieces. I think if you look very closely at the pottery barn pictures, they do not use 100% solid wood either. But I wanted the heavy look and the solid appearance. So total you are probably looking at $500-$600. Hope this helps!

Curt (not verified)

Wed, 06/20/2012 - 11:28

Great job Nathan - I appreciate your workmanship on the table. You've answered one of my questions regarding the look of the cross member protuding thru the leg - slick idea. My other question - why all the large round holes in the bottom of the table? By the way, the dowel effect that you accomplished really pops. I too like the looks of the thicker boards. Thanks for posting an interesting and comprehensive article. Curt

Nathan1342

Thu, 06/21/2012 - 13:06

Those holes in the bottom of the table were there when the wood was salvaged. This was a pallet so they had it bolted together with large lag bolts. The bolts had large washers inset into the wood. The bolts were secured on the underside of the wood and went through every piece. Luckily, they were consistent and only bolted from one side.

Thanks!

Sara (not verified)

Tue, 07/10/2012 - 06:36

Thank you, Nathan, that really helps! Did I mention your table is beautiful?

leabea28

Fri, 08/03/2012 - 12:53

Hi Nathan,

Awesome table. I just hope I can find some 3" thick lumber without breaking the bank! It looks like you attached the legs by putting 2 bolts through the legs into the small apron on the short ends of the table. It also looks like you might have also put in some pocket holes on the inside of the legs, going straight down into the underneath of the table boards. Is that right? I am just wondering how sturdy it is, since it's such a heavy table.

Thanks!

Lea

Nathan1342

Mon, 08/06/2012 - 11:43

Yes, you are correct. I attached the legs with 2, 6inch lag bolts. I pre-drilled them at the correct angle (which I eye balled) and ratcheted them in. I was a little worried about them being sturdy enough so I went ahead and made a few pocket holes and secured it that was also. The legs overall are very sturdy. The table probably weights 150-200lbs and I was able to pick up one side of it only holding onto one leg. Table doesn't wobble at all. The cross member holding the legs together also helped pull everything together.

Thanks for the question! Feel free to ask any others!

Nathan

JenFarrell (not verified)

Sun, 08/12/2012 - 18:17

Fantastic table! Thanks for posting all the instructions and places to buy hardware. My husband and I can't wait to try this!

JenFarrell (not verified)

Sun, 08/12/2012 - 18:19

Fantastic table! Thanks for posting all the instructions and places to buy hardware. My husband and I can't wait to try this!

3RaysofSunshine

Fri, 08/24/2012 - 09:33

Nice work! I made bench seats in this style - maybe I'll post pics sometime too! I saw in your description that you used thick wood to be more like the original... just wanted to let you know that I have seen the "original" and yours is much better! Pottery barn does NOT use solid 3" wood for the top. If you look closely at the pics in their online catalog you can even tell... they use thin planks with a side piece to make them look thick. The only hefty piece is on the very end .

Also, I wanted to mention that I have had great luck with wipe-on polyurethane... never any bubbles. Just be sure to use lint free cloths and lots of thin layers.

Again, nice work!

3RaysofSunshine

Fri, 08/24/2012 - 10:05

I apply with a cloth. It takes many coats but they are so thin they dry fast. In between coats, I wet sand with 1000 grit wet/dry sandpaper. After towel drying, I run my hand across the surface. You'll feel any spots you missed. Then use a tack cloth to pick up any dust (there's always some...) I get a perfect finish using this method. I'm sure spraying is great too... I just like not having another piece of equipment to clean!

My last project (a patio table) I had run out of the wipe-on poly and decided to use something else - whatever I had on hand. Grr! Not nearly as nice looking so I'm doing it over. I'll post pictures of a few projects as soon as I can figure out how.

greenebeansmom (not verified)

Sun, 11/18/2012 - 21:15

Why cant my husband make stuff......booooooooo! Wonderful table I am so jealous lol.

Shannan with an A

Tue, 04/16/2013 - 16:34

Before I clicked on your brag photo, I really thought it WAS a Pottery Barn table posted for comparison! Wow, that is beautiful!!!

Nathan1342

Thu, 05/02/2013 - 15:04

Hey Lea,

It was only 1/8 in thick metal so a simple jig saw with a metal bit worked great. Wear eye protection though. It shoots off all sorts of hot metal bits. To drill the holes I just used a power drill with a metal bit. Make sure you drill 100% straight or the bit will bind and jerk the drill right out of your hand. Ideally, a drillpress would work much better since I nearly broke my wrist on the second large hole.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks,

tcoche

Sat, 06/01/2013 - 20:36

The table looks awesome man! Love it. I just got done building the benchright table to Ana Whites plan, see mine here http://ana-white.com/2013/05/farmhouse-benchright-table-build-0

I just ordered the left hand threaded rod, right hand threaded rod and turnbuckle from McMaster.com...total cost for all 3 was 22 bucks. Here are the McMaster part numbers:
90036A033- left hand rod
98841A033- right hand rod
30045T44- galvanized turnbuckle

I'll hopefully get the rods and turnbuckle this week so I can totally complete this project.

Again, awesome job nathan!!!

CoreyOrvold

Sat, 07/13/2013 - 22:28

What a great table. We plan on starting ours soon but are having trouble find large bolts for the table top sides. What size did you use and where did you find them?

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