How To Build A Simple Farmhouse Coffee Table

Hey Hey! On to the next project for our living room!! The transformation has been amazing and so much fun!

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Today, I'm going to show you....

How To Build A Simple Farmhouse Coffee Table

I don't think I realized how simple it really was until we built it!

We wanted this baby to be super strong! Strong enough to be used as a bench if needed as seating in the living room. Let me tell you... it is!!

This coffee table is custom made to suit our needs. For one, we wanted the ottomans we built, to fit nicely underneath. Second, we wanted it to fit proportionally in our living room. And it meets both requirements perfectly!

The dimensions our coffee table is 20¼" tall x 24⅞" wide x 52½" long. OMG! Isn't it beautiful??!!❤️❤️❤️

The ottomans slide perfectly underneath and have just enough room on either side. Look how nicely the top matches the mantle and draws your eye up to it... 😍

Materials Needed:
3 -2x6x10
2 - 2x4x8
3" screws
2 ½" screws

This coffee table is so affordable, costing us under $35 in wood. First up, we cut 5- 2x6s to 52½" long.

Here's hubby cutting off the rounded edge of each board. I like the edges of my furniture to be square. (Btw... we love our Kobalt Table Saw, especially because is comes with a foldable stand for easy storage!)

Next, we picked the best side of each board for the top of the coffee table, lining them up, looking at knots and markings, making it look just the way we wanted.

Then we flipped them all over and numbered each one including the direction they go in. That way we could keep track of which board goes next and which direction it fits nicely.

Next, we marked where we were going to Kreg-Jig each board.

Kreg-jigging each board for coffee table top

A Kreg-Jig is a simple tool, I've talked about it a lot and have used over and over. It creates a pocket hole that you can screw 2 pieces of wood together. It is so cool! As you are screwing in the screw it draws the 2 pieces of board together into a tight seamless fit.

We started gluing, clamping and screwing the coffee table top together. Take notice of how we marked them and alternated the Kreg-Jig direction.

Clamping and attaching coffee table top together

More clamping... We had to get creative since our clamps weren't long enough for the width of the coffee table. Guys, clamps are life! I love them! In fact, after this coffee table was built, I purchased some really long clamps.

The entire coffee table Kreg-Jigged together.

Here it is flipped over, and you can see the stamps in the wood that have to be sanded down, plus the boards aren't completely smooth with each other. I'll be using my beloved sander!

Now, it's time to start working on the end supports. Hubby and I did a lot of thinking on these ends... Did we want there to be little 'feet'? Did we want the 'X' look? If so, then where do we want the 'X' ends to hit? The top? Right in the corner? Should we split the 'X' into 3 pieces or notch the center? Lots and lots to think of. We are both so happy with what we chose!

First we created a box to support each end. Here hubby is using a square tool as we screw it together. We're just making sure everything is square. 👍

For the end supports we used all 2x4s.

Measurements for 1 square end:
1 - 24 ⅞"
2- 17 ½"
1 - 21 ⅞"

The top board is screwed down into the two side boards. Please remember to pre-drill, you don't want to split the wood. The bottom board is Kreg-Jigged in from the bottom. I forgot to take a photo of that while we were building, but I took a finished photo.

Adding the X to the end supports gave our coffee table the added structural support we wanted. 👍

I will be honest, the X's are going to be a tinsy bit more tricky... but this seemed like the easiest way to create the X look.

Lay the the end support box on top of the diagonal 'X' piece of wood, lining up the the outer edges in the corners and marking it with a pencil to give you a line to cut. (This next photo is a simulation of one corner.)

Once your X pieces are cut and each piece fits inside the square end. Lay one of the pieces inside the square and place the other piece on top forming the X. Then mark where you will cut out the notch.

After you have your markings, you can cut out the notch using a multi-tool. You will cut through to the middle of the board, and remember the side cuts will be slightly angled. Hubby cut the notch out, then tested to fit, then cut some more, fit, cut, etc... It's trial and error, and is customized to fit exactly.

Here they are finished.

While Hubby was working on the end supports, I was sanding and staining the coffee table top. I first used Miniwax Pre-Stain to condition the wood. Then used Miniwax Special Walnut. That's what you see in this photo.

We both decided it wasn't dark enough, so I re-stained it with a heavy coat of Miniwax Provincial. Then sealed it with 3 coats of Varathane's Matte Clear Coat.

Once the X's and end supports were finished, I spackled holes, imperfections and joints. Then sanded, and primed using Zinsser's Bullseye 123 Plus. Lastly, I painted the ends with Benjamin Moore's Simply White in satin.

This is how we attached the ends to the coffee table top. (We were trying to get this table together before family came to visit... that's why we forgot to take some of the 'building' photos....😏)

We attached the end support first, without the X in the middle. Lined it up along the edges, clamped, and pre-drilled. Then using 2 ½" screws, we attached each end support to the coffee table top. Next, we inserted the X in place, and attached it to the end support.