DIY Side Table

We love to have dinner parties. And when I say, “we” I mean me and my hubby just goes along with it. But he is always supportive and ends up cooking.

One of our biggest dilemmas is space for the food. We also don’t have any storage space in this room, so I decided I was going to build a side table.

I love the look of the Restoration Hardware salvaged farmhouse rectangular table, but not the price tag. So I used that design as my inspiration to build this side table.

The first thing I did was look up average heights for a sideboard. I know I’m not building a sideboard, but I am putting it in our dining room so I wanted to get the average dimensions of an actual side board.

I found that the average length is 72” and average height is 35 1/2“. My top is only 56” long, so it will be shorter than the average, but I did cut the 2×4’s (legs) to 34 1/2”. With the top, it is right at 35 3/4” tall, which works perfectly since we have a chair rail in the dining room.

Once I figured out what it was going to look like it was off to Lowe’s I went.

Tools
Tape measure
Pencil
Mask
Safety goggles
Miter saw
Jig saw
12 TPI jig saw blades
Orbital sander
80 grit sand paper
180 grit sand paper
Kreg Jig
Clamp
2 1/2” pocket hole screws (coarse thread)
Hammer
2” wood screws
Wood filler
Putty knife
Level

Wood
3 – 2 x 4 x 8’ (base)
1 – 16 x 1 1/4 x 56” (tabletop)
1 – 2 x 10 x 8’ (shelf)
1 – 1 x 4 x 4’ (tabletop support)

Wood Cuts
4 – 34 1/2” – use 2 of the 2 x 4 x 8’
1 – 16 x 1 1/4 x 56” – tabletop
3 – 1 x 4 x 9 5/16” – tabletop support
2 – 2 x 4 x 12 1/2” – bottom shelf support
2 – 2 x 4 x 9 5/16” – base frame
2 – 2 x 4 x 45” – base frame
1 – 1 x 10 x 52” – shelf

Once you have all your tools and wood follow the below steps.

Step 1: Use 2 of the 2 x 4 x 8’ to make 4 – 34 1/2” pieces. These are the legs. Do not discard the left over from the 2 – 2×4’s. You’ll use them as well.

Step 2: Lay the legs flat and measure 4” and 7 1/2” up (along the edge) starting from the bottom of each of the four legs and mark them with a pencil.

Step 3: From the 4” mark measure 1 3/4” in and mark it. Do the same at the 7 1/2” mark. Then connect the four markings making a rectangle. This is where you will use the jig saw to cut into the legs.

If you are wondering why I had you mark 1 3/4”, that is half of the actual depth of a 2×4. and the 3 1/2” space between the 4” and 7 1/2” marking is the actual width of the 2×4. The wood you buy at a big box store is called dimensional wood, making the real dimensions of the 2×4’s I used 1 1/2” x 3 1/2” not 2” x 4”.

Step 4: Secure the leg to a sound surface with a clamp.

Use the jig saw with a 12 TPI blade (the blade should say “wood” on it) to cut out the rectangle you marked. Repeat the cuts using the Jig Saw on the other 3 legs. See photos below for reference.

If you have never done a cut like this watch THIS VIDEO. It was my first time doing this type of cut and I found it very helpful. It’s about 5 minutes into the video if you want to jump straight to that part. If it is your first time using a jig saw, I recommend trying to make the cut with a scrap piece of wood first.

Step 5: Make the rest of the cuts.

Step 6: Once you have all the wood cut, sand all the pieces using the orbital sander with 180 grit sand paper. This is the most tedious part of this build. You’ll know what I mean if you are at this part. You have a lot of pieces! If your wood is really rough, use 80 grit sand paper first, then 180.

Step 7: Using a Kreg Jig, drill one picket hole in the center on both ends of the same side of the 2 – 45” wood pieces (the tabletop support). See picture below.

Step 8: Make one pocket hole on one end of one of the 2” x 9 5/16” pieces. Flip the wood to the other side and make a pocket hole on the opposite side of the other pocket hole. You should have one pocket hole on each end, but on opposite sides. Repeat these steps for the other 2” x 9 5/16” piece.

I had to do it this way because there wasn’t enough room once I had the base connected and tried to secure the 2” x 9 5/16” pieces.

Step 9: Secure the base together see pictures below. Make sure the pocket holes on the 45” pieces are inward (so they won’t be visible when you are done.

Step 10: Once the base is secure, tap the 12 1/2” pieces into the bottom using a hammer then use 2” wood screws to secure them to the rest of the base. It should look like the picture below. Don’t worry about the holes, you will put wood filler over them.

Lay the shelf on the bottom part of the base and make sure it is level.

I forgot to sand the shelf when I sanded everything else, so this picture shows the shelf before I sanded it.

Step 11: Add wood filler to any holes.

Wait for it to dry (about 1 hour) then lightly sand the areas where you applied wood filler to smooth the surface using 180 grit sand paper.

Step 12: Stain the tabletop, shelf, and base separately. I used a mixture of Early American and Grey, both Minwax.

Step 13: Allow the stain to dry (about 24 hours) then secure the tabletop to the base. You’ll need to place the tabletop right side down and flip the base over so it is on top of the tabletop. See picture below.

You’ll need to use the 1 x 4 x 4 piece to cut the three base support pieces that will secure the tabletop to the base. Once you have the pieces cut, make pocket holes. Then finish with 2 inch screws. See picture below.