Farmhouse Coffee Table
If you follow me on Instagram, you know my love for my balustrade coffee table runs deep. Well, I also love this gorgeous rug from Wayfair. The balustrade coffee table hid the prettiest part of the rug. So, I sold that coffee table and decided it was time to build a new one so that I could see more of the rug. These chunky coffee table legs from Osborne Wood are the coffee table version of the chunky legs I have on my dining table. If you'd like to build your own, I have included free plans here, and you can watch the process on my Instagram Story Highlights called "Table Build."
The first step is to glue up the table top. I cut the 1x6 boards in half so they measure approximately 48". I'll trim each side later to get perfectly square edges. You can see my super fancy system of using weights to hold down the parts that aren't lining up perfectly.
After cutting the apron pieces, I needed to drill pocket holes. Since the top is only held together by wood glue, I wanted to make sure the base had a screw into every board of the top. For the 2 apron pieces that will run along every board of the top, I laid the apron piece down about where it will end up on the top and marked along each board to know where to drill my pocket holes.
I set my Kreg jig to .75" and drilled pocket holes on each end and along the top of the apron pieces.
I attached the apron pieces to the legs. I used a scrap piece of 2x4 as a spacer to make sure the apron pieces were centered on the legs. This will make more sense if you watch the story highlight.
Once the main part of the base was assembled, I measured for a cross support, cut that piece, and drilled pocket holes.
Once the glue from the top was completely dry (I left it clamped for 24 hours), it was time to trim the top to measure 44" square. I use a straight piece of wood, clamps, and my circular saw for this step. Again, this will make more sense if you watch the story highlight.
Now you should have a top that measures 44" square. I wanted rounded corners so my littles don't hurt themselves. I used a quart-sized paint can I had on hand to trace the curve.
I used my jigsaw to cut the corners. I also wanted the edge around the whole top to be rounded over. I used a roundover bit in my router and ran it along the edges. Alternatively, you could just use your sander to soften the edges.
Now it's time to attach the top to the base. Lay the top upside down on a flat surface, and center the base on it. I'm sure there are more accurate ways of doing this, but I generally just eyeball it. Use 1.5" pocket hole screws to attach the base to the top.
Now you have an assembled table. It's time to sand the table. I start with 80-grit, then move to 120-grit, and finish with 220-grit to get an extra smooth finish.
Paint or stain the table however you choose. I decided to go with a 50/50 mix of Old Barn Milk Paint stains in Weathered and Rustic. This stain is incredible! It's water-based and can be brushed on. The best part is that it's completely dry in less than 2 hours.
Boom! Finished farmhouse coffee table with gorgeous chunky legs.
Update: I found these beautiful metal brackets at Hobby Lobby and bought 4 of them (when they were half off) and some black screws from Home Depot to add a little something special to the table for less than $20.
