Learn how to build a farmhouse style dining table for $110 with free plans and a full tutorial. This design is inspired by Restoration Hardware and you can build this solid wood table for a fraction of the price!
Hey there! I’ve been moving right along trying to fill up all of the empty rooms in my new house. This week I moved into my dining room and I have been dying to build this Restoration Hardware inspired Dining Table since I started building my new house! You may have seen a sneak peak of this beauty on our Instagram! I love the look of a rustic dining table, like the boards came out of a 100-year-old building. Solid pine timbers never looked so good!
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Man I love this table! The farmhouse table that inspired it is a Restoration Hardware Table that costs $2,205 to purchase, before tax, and I built mine for $110! Wow, wow, wow! I still can’t believe it!
Table of Contents
How to Build a Farmhouse Dining Table
Supplies:
- 7 – 1x6x8 Pine or Whitewood Boards
- 8 – 2x4x8 Pine or Whitewood Boards
- 2 – 4x4x8 Pine or Whitewood Posts (can laminate 2 2×4’s)
- 1 1/4″ Pocket Hole Screws
- 2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws
- Kreg HD Screws (for 4×4’s)
- 1 1/4″ Brad Nails
- 2 1/2″ Wood Screws
- Wood Glue
- Stain and/or Paint
Tools:
- Miter Saw
- Drill
- Kreg Jig
- Brad Nailer
Of course, we want you all to be able to build one too so we have FREE Printable plans for you! Just click the image below or HERE for the free Farmhouse Table Plans.
And, as always, I’ve provided my tutorial pictures to make it even easier for you to create your own! I love building farmhouse tables because you get so much bang for your work and money. They look intimidating but this one, especially, is VERY EASY to build! So, let’s build this DIY Restoration Hardware Dining Table!
Building the Table Top
I started by attaching the tabletop planks, with the 1×6 boards, to create the planked top!
First, I used my Kreg Jig set at 3/4″ to drill pocket holes around the edges of the boards.
- You can find the Kreg Jig HERE on Amazon.
Next, I used 1 1/4″ screws to attach the boards. To create a smooth surface and to keep the top from bowing, just clamp each pocket joint as you go. We love our Kreg Face Clamp for planking table tops.
- You can find the Kreg Jig Face Clamps HERE on Amazon.
Easy enough! Time for the table top trim!
Make sure to measure and cut as you go for the trim pieces.
I started by cutting the long side pieces to size. Then, I attached them to the sides of the table top with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws and wood glue.
I followed up by measuring for the width of the table top. I cut my end trim pieces to size and attached them with 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws from the end of each plank, into the trim pieces.
Step 2: Building the Base of the Table
I used my Ridgid 12″ sliding compound miter saw to cut the 4×4 table base pieces.
Here’s a pic of the 45 degree miter that you will need to cut for the feet.
Before assembling the pieces, I gave them a good sanding with my Corner Cat sander. I don’t always do this before assembly but the 4×4’s were dirty and pretty rough. I used a 50-grit sanding pad for this. I used a 50-grit sanding pad for this and sanded with the grain of the boards.
To attach the 4×4 leg pieces together , I used my Kreg HD to drill the pocket holes into the long base runner. It’s super easy, just clamp and drill! I attached the runner to the feet with Kreg HD screws.
- You can find the Kreg Jig HD HERE on Amazon.
Here is the runners and the feet assembled. Don’t use wood glue here because this is a temporary assembly just to establish the pocket hole joints. After assembled, remove the stretcher.
Then, attach the short feet.
With the table feet upside down, attach a foot pad to each foot.
Flip the feet right-side-up and attach the table legs.
Then, start stacking the 2×4 cuts on top of the legs. I used 2 1/2″ spax screws. They are a bit pricey for wood screws but you don’t have to pre-drill!
Here are the legs completely assembled and now, believe it or not, it’s time to stain! Don’t assemble the table yet, stain first!
Step 3: Staining the DIY Dining Table
Before staining, we like to use the water-popping technique. Just use a damp cloth to wipe the entire table down and let it dry.
I chose Carrington by Rust-Oleum to finish the table. Just wipe on one-coat with a dry cloth, wait 5-minutes to let it sit, then wipe with another clean cloth to blend it. Make it your own with any finish you like! We love the variety of stains that Rust-oleum carries!
- You can find Rust-oleum Stain HERE on Amazon
I wanted the table to look worn so I used my Ryobi Corner Cat sander to distress all over. I used an 80-grit sanding pad for this part. (I didn’t decide to do this until the table was inside and assembled. It made a big mess so if you know you will do this, do it before you bring it inside.
I did add 3 coats of Varathayne polyurethane to the table in, matte finish, with a bristle brush. The matte gives it a very natural finish and protects the table top from minor spills. Now the table top is more kid-friendly 😉 I would still use coasters and placemats when using the table but this finish makes clean up super easy!
- You can find the Poly HERE on Amazon
Step 4: Attaching the Table Top to the Table Base
To attach these angle pieces we suggest screws in the plans. However, if you have a nailer, that will work great! If you choose to use wood screws, just predrill from the top of the angle piece into the leg post at an angle (bottom pieces angle down, top pieces angle up). Follow with 2″ wood screws and fill your screw holes with wood filler.
LOVE it 🙂
I love my new dining room table! Now I need to get busy on the benches and filling up the rest of the room! I have to say that this is by far my favorite Farmhouse Table that I have built so far! It completely transformed my dining room and it adds the perfect touch of farmhouse style!
Free plans for the matching benches can be found HERE
Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂 – Ashley
Curious about some of the other things you have seen in this room? Just click the links below for more info!
Pottery Barn Inspired Pallet Art
We have built a ton of gorgeous farmhouse tables over the years! You can click the images below for more free Dining Table Plans.
Looking for more styles? We have a complete list of over 25 DIY dining table plans so you can find the design that suites you best!
Finished the table! Going to tackle the benches next. For the stain, I went with a 60/40 mix of Weathered Oak and Classic Grey and then distressed. Love how it turned out!
Just about finished with mine. I love this table! Thank you for the plans. I modified the top with reclaimed wood to give a different character. I am so happy how it came out. I also made chairs to match instead of a bench.
Can you tell me how tall the table is… We’d like to order some chairs for it before building it, but can’t figure out the height. Thanks.
Hi! I’m late to the party but I reeeally want to build this table. I bought almost everything, including equipment like a miter saw, kreg jig kit, most of the wood….only to realize that I can’t find 4x4x8’s anywhere!!! 🙁 I can special order knotty white pine in 4x4x12’s but they’re unfinished and quite pricey. Are there other alternatives or suggestions you could offer?? Thanks in advance!
Just finished my table and made 2 matching benches. Building my house currently so don’t have it installed and set up fully. Used Select 1’1/8′ pine from Home depot for the tops and used douglas fur 4×4’s for the bases. Hand sanded everything, filled all holes and jig bores and routed the corners with a 1/4” round over bit on my rigid hand router. Finished with Sherwin williams new ebony and 8 coats of semi gloss wipe on poly by minimax with 400 grit and extra fine steel wool between coats. Now on to building a coffee and end tables 🙂
Hi there! I LOOOVE this table and was all prepared to build it…we even got most of the wood and any equipment we didn’t already have, only to realize that 4x4x8’s in pine are nowhere to be found where we live!! 🙁 I can special order rough knotty pine but it’ll be 12′ and pretty expensive, too. 🙁 Do you have any suggestions for alternatives to the 4x4x8’s?? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Hello Shanty 2 Chic,
What a beautiful table you have built! Your website is like a candy store for my wife as we like rustic furniture.
I am planning to build this table for my wife. I was looking into different types of wood as I am not sure what I want to use yet. It would be more expensive but do you have any opinions on wood such as Notty Pine, Oak, Cedar, or Maple? What in your opinion would be the most durable wood to use? Also I am looking through your plans to build a patio table as well, what type of would would you suggest for outdoor durability. I live in Alberta so we defiantly have changing climates so the more durable the better.
Thank You
Markus
Hi, I love this table. I just got done building mine but I had to put some wood filler into the inside joint of all of the 2x4s around the table edge because some of the gaps were too large. Any idea how to smooth the filler down a bit as my sander can’t fit down in between the joints?
Hello, I write from Italy, great plan and explanation. I have a question: how much weight can tolerate the pedestals? I would like to use one of the beams you see in the pictures that have thicknesses of about 8 cm of solid wood. Thanks for the reply. Hello.
I had a really hard time leveling the table. I followed all the directions but when I put the stretcher on the first time I only screwed in slightly to make the holes. I think I should have screwed the HD screws all the way in to make sure it was sitting level before I removed it and proceeded? Any tips you can give would be appreciated I still had to schim the top before I screwed in to the base to get it level as well. Was a bit of a challenge. I want to make another one for my daughter so any help would be appreciated.
Hi. I’m about to embark on this project for my kids and their new home. My son is concerned the thin 1x6s for the top will sound hollow and not substantial. I’m concerned the thin planks could split and check. Could you provide your thoughts on this? Thanks
Great plans and explanations. Very dry wood is a must if you use 1″ on the bench and table top, otherwise it will separate from the 2″x 4″ frame. I did a 99″ table and bench , would not have been possible without the Kreg system.
Thanks again for your time and all the details.
jyg
Hi Jean-yves,
What did you do to attach the angled braces to the feet and vertical 4×4? Screws? Nails? The plan calls for drilling screws down into the feet and into the 4×4, which leaves some eye sores of holes. But I don’t notice those holes in your picture. Did you do something differently? Or did you just fill them really well? If so, how did you fill them?
Thanks!
Hi there! Attempting to make this table next weekend. I see that you need the Kreg HD for the 2×4 and 4×4 pieces. Is it possible to use the Kreg Jig R3 for the 1×6 pieces? Excited to start – wood working first timer! 🙂
Hi Shanty2Chic…we made a farmhouse table using your plans with some modifications. For the tabletop we wanted breadboards…so we used the tabletop from another one of your tutorials and for the base we used this one. We mostly used mortise/tenon joints. Wanted to share the pictures here, and thank you guys for providing the plans and inspiration. 🙂
Here’s another view.
Hi there, what color stain did you use for this?
Hey I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to respond earlier. The stain we used was varathane dark walnut. We applied it wiped it right off so it didn’t get too dark. Hope that helps!
Awesome, thank you! Did you use a rag to stain? or a sponge brush?
No problem! 🙂 We used a brush and then wiped off with a rag.
Also we did use a wood conditioner prior to staining.
Hi …sorry took so long to respond! We used Varathane Dark Walnut…applied it and wiped it right off so it wouldn’t become too dark. Hope that helps! Feel free to ask any other questions…I’ll reply sooner this time 🙂
Maria
Hi Maria,
What did you do to attach the angled braces to the feet and vertical 4×4? Screws? Nails? The plan calls for drilling screws down into the feet and into the 4×4, which leaves some eye sores of holes. But I don’t notice those holes in your picture. Did you do something differently? Or did you just fill them really well? If so, how did you fill them? Same question with the pocket holes on the 4×4 going down into the base foot.
Thanks!
Hey Andrew!
For most of the joining we used mortise/tenon joinery. But for the angled pieces we did screw it in but countersunk before putting in the screw then covered with wood putty. I am out of town right now but when we are back home I can send you a picture of the wood putty we used. Please feel free to ask if you have any other questions.
Thanks,
Maria
Thank you for the awesome plans! We love our table! Here is a picture of how my husband finished ours. Now for the seating…..
Love the painted base, it looks so good! Can you give any tips on what you used or how you painted it? Thanks.
Here’s a pic of how my husband finished ours.