Fancy X Farmhouse Table

I have figured out where to place the screws and such for the base of the table, but have no idea how to attach the 4 2x10s together to make the table top or how to the attach the base to the table top. Any advice?

Hi! I love the plans for the farm house table! I need a larger table that will seat 12 -14 people or larger. HOW WOULD YOU ADAPT THE PLANS FOR A LARGER TABLE?

I can easily handle a table up to 14' long or 8' x 8' sq. on the patio I am building. I prefer the square design.

Love this style of table. i plan on making two tables from this pattern. A long one for outside with the bench seating. A smaller version for the dining area in my home. My dining space is rather small. A similar version of this table is also featured in the Better Homes and Garden Magazine, February issue. The chairs in the article are mix-matched in two different styles. They are also painted in two different colors. I cannot decide if I want benches for seating for the inside table or paint the chairs.

Love it Love it! I am going to build two tables. A long version for outside with the bench seating. A smaller version to use in my dining area space. The Better Homes and Garden magazine shows a similar version of this table in the February editon. In the article the mix-matched chairs are painted in two different colors. Its a really great idea. I am kind of torn between chairs or benches. But in the end I think it will be chairs that will be used inside. My husband would prefer chairs.

How do you attach the cross braces? I read somewhere that someone suggested using countersink screws from the bottom and top. I can't find 5 inch screws. This is my first project.
Thank.

So I've now been working on the project for I think two or three months, and so far it's pretty much been a total nightmare. 2x4s and especially 2x10s are not easy to work with other than for simple crosscuts. When I built the base of the table I was having constant issues with not being able to get the cut angles consistent (using a circular saw - I've seen bought a small table saw, partially because of my frustration with this project), and when I eventually got that to a point I called "good enough," the top of the table has proved to be da**ed near impossible. I've probably spent hours sifting through 2x10s (which in itself is not easy work) trying to find the rare few that weren't badly cracked or otherwise damaged, and what I thought was at least reasonably straight, only to get them home and find that they warped or cupped after sitting in my basement for a few days. Then even more frustrating is none of them seem to be cut perfectly straight down the sides, so I'm unable to join them together in a way that makes it look like a single surface - I might as well have been building a picnic table to stick in our dining room. My next step is probably going to be to see if I can find some better quality kiln-dried wood to see if it works better for the top - but it doesn't come in 2x10 form, apparently only 1x10. Side note - I don't know where the $60 materials price came from, but even not counting mess-ups I'd say closer to $100 is probably more accurate once you've included hardware, stain, etc even if you stick with the low-end construction pine - just the 2x10 boards for the tabletop are close to $10 a pop (so hopefully I'll find another use for them since they're basically garbage now that it looks like they're unusable for the table).

Really sorry you are having such problems. Those of us that patronize Lowe's and Home Depot live with similar problems on every project but I guess we get use to it. We learn that sometimes you have to go to both stores to get the total shopping list. But I would suggest that you make your interest and needs known to a "local" lumberyard. They typically stock pine in No 1 grade which is usually straight, un-warped, and the fewest knots. And the price is less than at big Blue or big Orange. Mine even lets me rummage through their pile of sticks and pick my own.

You can cut good joints with a circular saw but try and find yourself a used chop saw. Probably $50 will get you a great saw but equip it with a really good blade which will cost you another $40 but well worth it.

The last comment I have is to ignore the posts that brag about how quickly or how cheaply (or both) they build a project. I would double every number you see in that respect. Hey pockethole screws cost nearly 10 cents each so on a big project with 100 PHs that is $10 by itself. Add in glue, sandpaper, paint or stain and you are nearing $50 and haven't bought wood. So build at your own pace. We all do.