# Farmhouse Style Table



## redleif (Sep 17, 2012)

Hello all! This is my first post and am excited to join this community.

My question is in regards to the table top. I plan on making the top from five 2×8x8's sanded smooth and distressed. The part that I am up in the air about is how I should join them together. My first thought was pocket holes and four 2×4 supports with the two at the end being part of the apron. Do ya'll think this will be sturdy enough?


----------



## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

That would definitely hold them together. With your 2×4s underneath, you could use biscuits and glue on the top. Clamped and dried properly should be fine as well.

Because you're using a softer wood, you may want to consider an epoxy coating for finish. Looks great and will prevent dings.

Welcome to LJ's! Look forward to seeing your projects.


----------



## whitebeast88 (May 27, 2012)

i've built with pocket holes and with biscuits both work fine.the 2×4's should be enough support.welcome to lumberjocks.


----------



## redleif (Sep 17, 2012)

Well the stain would be Minwax Special Walnut with sanded 'distrssed' edges. My wife doesn't want a glossy look to it so I am still up in the air on the finish. Thoughts?


----------



## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Pine is gonna require a sealer coat to prevent blotching, and is going to have to stabilize (moisture content) so it won't warp a bunch. Take your time.
I use a shellac (Zinsser Seal Coat) that is dewaxed and cut 50/50 with DNA prior to staining. The finish coats can be rubbed out to prevent a gloss surface (I agree with your bride) with 0000 steel wool and wax after the finish has cured.
Cured is not the same a dry to touch. Wait about 2 weeks before rubbing out.
Just the way I do it.
Bil


----------



## JarodMorris (Nov 24, 2011)

redleif,

I'm in the same spot you are. My wife has a special section of her pinterest titled "The Hubster" where she puts all the projects she wants me to do for her and this is one of the latest and highest priorities: http://ourvintagehomelove.blogspot.com/2012/04/dining-room-table.html.

Have you thought about a matte finish? Or even a wax finish (though I've never used a wax finish myself.)

I am supposed to get started on this project in the next week or so. I plan to use 2×4 for the cross braces and a smaller piece on each end. We're making it 7 ft long because we have a family of 6.


----------



## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

redleif:
I agree with the guys on the construction. My family sat at one of those for a few years, long time ago. As far as the finish, that Minwax Special Walnut will be darker than the label shows when put on pine, even with a sealer coat. You might want to test out a trial piece before you stain, unless you really want it that dark.


----------



## redleif (Sep 17, 2012)

JarodMorris!

That is the exact table/site we got the idea from! I intend to replicate the table but to 8ft (with a larger apron/seating 6). I have a model built in Sketchup (very new to the program). My next post will contain some pictures.

Also, this is the lumber I planned on purchasing for the top: http://www.lowes.com/pd_95727-99899-NA_4294807180__?productId=3607216&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1


----------



## redleif (Sep 17, 2012)

Thank you all for your advice. There are definitely a few aspects I had not thought about.

Here are the pics from Sketchup. Thoughts on the method to join the legs? I am in the military so making the legs removable for easy transport is essential.


----------



## huff (May 28, 2009)

redleif,

I'm not sure if I can give you much expert advise on the construction of your table since I've never built furniture from construction grade lumber, but maybe a little food for thought so you're not too surprised down the road.

Your lumber will have a lot of moisture in it, so it will do a lot of changing from the minute you take it home and start working with it to months after you get done building your table. Especially once you have it in your home. There's no way of knowing exactly what it will do, just don't be too surprised if things change a bit with time. You have to remember that most of the old farm tables were built not as fine pieces of furniture, but just to be durable and function. Yours will be the same.

I don't know what type tools you have, but if you have a biscuit jointer, that would work good for gluing the table top together. Some of your antique farm tables, they didn't glue the boards together at all, but relied on the strechers alone to hold things together. This would allow the wood to move as climate and humity changes, but also leaves gaps between boards. Just remember, when you glue 5 boards together, expecially with the high moisture content; that's a lot of wood that is going to want to move. Your strechers will help some in holding the top flat, but don't be too surprised that after some months you come in and your table looks like a male dog taking a leak with one leg up in the air. lol. Sorry; that vision got stuck in my head. Nothing wrong with that, it just adds character to the piece. But you may want to warn the wife, so if things change, she doesn't blame you for not knowing how.

I had a friend that made a lot of projects from green lumber and it was funny how sometimes they would be fine and other times things would change alot.

As far as attaching the legs, your drawing is probably the best way to do that, since you would like to be able to remove the legs for moving and you will have the skirt attached to the table top.

Finishing: I would make sure I stain and seal the bottom side of the table top the same as the top.

Good luck and let us see some pictures when finished.


----------



## JarodMorris (Nov 24, 2011)

redleif,

Check out this link. Matthias Wandel (WARNING: If you don't know who he is, the next few days will be spent watching every video on his site). http://woodgears.ca/table/build_table.html

In another project, he attached the top like this: http://woodgears.ca/table/kids/index.html

Hope these help.

jarod


----------



## JarodMorris (Nov 24, 2011)

Check these out too: 

















I've not watched all of them yet, but I plan to before I get started on my own farm house table.

jarod


----------



## redleif (Sep 17, 2012)

huff - Thank you. I had thought about the moisture content coming in to play seeing as I live in the Mojave Desert (Not a fan lol). Do you think the low humidity here could play to my advantage? Perhaps, purchasing the required lumber and letting it sit for 2-3 weeks to see if I get any major warping (Small amounts would be desired for character).

jarod - I appreciate the videos. I won't lie; they drew me in for a few hours. They certainly added to all the concepts I've been rolling around in my head.

Let's discuss leg options. I can't seem to find the 'beefy' legs for under $60/ea. The preferable cost would be $20-30 a leg. My goal is to keep this table under $200.

Final question: thoughts on using knotted hickory for the top? $3/BF http://www.woodworkerssource.com/khic44-p-Hickory.html


----------



## huff (May 28, 2009)

redleif,

Letting your lumber sit for 2-3 weeks will certainlly help. That should also be taken into consideration if you do any milling to your lumber. Once you start cutting it, it may become unstable again. Do all your major cuts first and let it readjust again for a week or so.

For your legs; do you have any flea markets, junk shops, salvation army outlets or anything like that in your area that you may be able to find an old table that the legs are good? The worst shape the table is in, the better price you should be able to find. You'll always end up spending more if someone is selling just the legs (new or used).

Even if you had to refinish or do a little repair to the legs, it would just add more character to your table.

I went to the link for the Hickory; did you want to use 4/4 stock for the top? It looks like it is already surfaced, so the thickness is probably more like 3/4" to 7/8' thick. I would think that would be pretty thin for a farm table top.
Your 2×8's will give you a 1 1/2" thick top if you use it straight off the shelf from the store. Also it looks like you would have to straight line the hickory and it will come in random widths, so you would need to plan on buying quite a bit more than 24 bd. ft. of lumber. ( 3ft x 8 ft top) for the top. Hickory is very hard, so you better have some very sharp tools to work with it and I've never stained hickory, but as hard and dense as it is, I'm not sure how stain will take. Not trying to talk you out of Hickory; personally I love the stuff, but again, just food for thought.

The videos should be a great help for you. I sure wish they had videos like that when I started woodworking years ago. My learning curve was more like; Crap, that didn't turn out right….......wonder what I did wrong? lol.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

redlief- Do you have to but premade legs? You could glue up the size you need and then turn them on a lathe or router jig.


----------



## skyboy_psu (Sep 24, 2012)

I would (and do) check craigslist for reclaimed building supplies. A lot of people will give away (if you haul it) old furniture, packing crates and pallets, which are themselves already distressed, and old lumber. You might be able to find a few pieces of reclaimed barn lumber at a decent price (you can out on the East Coast, for sure). Also, look into the Habitat for Humanity Restore. This is a hidden gem for all sorts of building supplies, wood, tools, etc.


----------



## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

biscuits and glue…then a few cross-braces of hardwood that screw to the top with some pretty heavy stuff (thinking #10 minimum). Leave short enough to not poke through the top but still "bite". And of course orientate the braces is a way to not make a problem (end-grain vertical works for me).


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I have built four tables and owned a farmhouse table for awhile where the top wasn't glued. My advice is definitely glue the top boards together otherwise you'll get all sorts of crap in the gaps over time. You won't need 4 2×4s to support the top, 1x aprons all around is standard and will be plenty.

I would do this: 
-Let the lumber set for several weeks
-If you have a jointer or planer, use them to square the sides and top edges.
-Glue the boards together for the top, pocket screws or biscuits are optional, pocket screws are helpful if you're short on clamps and they can be removed later.
-Handplane the top flat, it doesn't have to be perfect since it's a farmhouse table. Start by hand planing against the grain to flatten then with the grain to smooth it out.
-Use a conditioner and stain if that's what you want. Or use a dye which will give you fewer problems.
-Finish with either several coats of lacquer or varnish/poly; you want durability for tabletops. I recommend against wiping varnish, learned that the hard way.

There are several ways to attach the top and I've used them all. You can use metal tabletop fasteners, shop made table top fasteners (both wood and metal versions slide into a groove in the apron), metal figure 8 fasteners (these are easiest in my opinion), or you can use screw blocks with elongated holes.


----------

