sheds plans : DIY Kids Farm Table Ella Claire

DIY Kids Farm Table - Ella Claire

I know I can’t be the only one out there who loves a good farm table! In my dream home I imagine myself having a giant dining room with a big honkin’ 16 foot table that everyone can gather around and eat, but for now our little table gets the job done. I have had an itch lately to create a table solution for the kids that gather at our home. We like to have parties and invite lots of friends and that means lots and LOTs of Kiddos and with our son’s third birthday approaching I felt like it was past time to find a great spot for the kids to park during backyard barbecues. I got to work designing and constructing this adorable and heavy duty kid sized farm table and I’m so excited to show you how it’s done!

Easy to follow plans to build this adorable and super sturdy children's farmhouse table!

Supply List:

Standard 2×4’s – 7

White Wood 1×10 @ 8ft long – 3

White Wood 1×4- 1

Hex Bolts 3/8-16, 9″ long- 6 (with coordinating bolts)

Hex Bolts 3/8-16, 5″ long- 4 (with coordinating bolts)

1/2” washers with a 3/8 opening- 6

Long Wood Screws ( I prefer the star bit)

Stain/Paint etc. Your preferred method of finishing the table.

The

first step is to cut 6 pieces ( I only have 4 pictured….I left out a couple) of 2×4 at a 45 degree angle – measuring from the longest ends these should measure 25″ long.

Four of these pieces will be used on each end of the table as “top braces” for the legs of the table. You will want to attach the first of these pieces 8” inward from the edge of the table top. Measure 8″ from the ends of the 3 pieces of 1×10 white wood planks and mark them.

You will want to make sure that you have a flat work place, place one of the 25” angled 2×4’s short side to the ground and center the white wood planks on it ( also making sure that you place the 8″ marks directly over the 2×4).

Now using a drill and wood screws attach the white wood to the 2×4.

Make sure that you do this at both ends of the table top.

Next you’ll be attaching the second brace to each side, you will want to attach it in the same manner making sure you leave enough room for the legs of the table but no more than is required. I did this by placing a piece of a 2×4 in between the braces while I attached the top to the second brace. Again repeat on the other end of the table.

At this point you can cut the four leg pieces. These are simple, 19″ long pieces of 2×4.

Now you’ll be able to mark the spots for the table legs. To get an accurate mark you will want to slide two of the leg pieces in between the top braces, and use a scrap piece of 2×4 as a spacer between them, like is pictured below.

This is when we mark where holes will be drilled for bolts. Take the legs and the scrap 2×4 off of the top braces and using a 3/8 drill bit drill holes on your markings.

Using a tape measure mark where the holes should appear on the remaining top brace and drill.

Next slip the legs and scrap 2×4 back into place, using the predrilled holes as a guide mark the legs,

remove and drill holes.

Place the legs back into the top braces, using the 5″ bolts to line up the holes. Place the bolt in from the outside edge of the table, when it pokes through the other side place a washer and then a nut onto the end and tighten using a socket wrench.

Repeat this step on the other leg and then with the other set of legs.

Next you will want to make the “feet” or bottom braces of the table.

To make the cuts for the feet you’ll need to cut four 2×4’s at a 45 degree angle (instead of cutting the thin side as we did for the top braces, you’ll want to cut on the broad side of the 2×4) so that each measured from point to point is 29″. Then you will cut four pieces of 1×4 measuring the length of the shortest points on the 2×4’s (when I measured the short points the length was about 26″, I used each 2×4 as a guide to mark the 1×4’s). The last cuts for the feet will be four 2×4’s cut at a 45 degree angle with the longest points measuring 26″or the measure of the shortest points of the 29″ 2×4 ( I know that sounds very subjective but sometimes a measurement will be just a hair off and it will look more uniform to match these new cuts to the old then try to hold fast to the number you think they need to be).

To assemble the feet you will be making a sandwich….

Bottom: 29” piece

Middle: 1×4

Top: 26″ piece

Next you’ll want to screw the pieces of the “sandwich” together. I’ve found this is much easier if you use the other pieces of 1×4 on either side and use your feet to hold the “sandwich” together. I drilled three screws into each foot.

When you are done attaching all of the “foot sandwiches” you should have four feet that look like this.

To drill the holes in the feet you will follow the exact same procedure used for the top braces and legs. Once the holes are drilled in the feet and legs you will place 9″ bolts into the holes from the outside edge of the table and secure with a washer and nut, tightening them with a socket wrench.

Remember how we’ve been using a 2×4 scrap to create a space in between the table legs? Well, now we actually get to put something there! Using the last whole 2×4 place it between both sets of legs and scoot it all the way up until it is resting on the top braces ( by “scoot” I mean hammer the daylights out of it….mine took some coaxing which is good, the more snugly these pieces fit the sturdier your table will be) the 2×4 will be a little longer and will run past the legs, mark the long side and trim off the excess so that the 2×4 sits flush with the edges of the legs on both sides. Then you’ll want to mark where the bolt will go through (using the same marking procedure used on the top braces and the feet) and drill the proper holes.

Pop one of the 9″ bolts through the holes (this may also require a bit of hammering) and secure with a nut.

Next you’ll want to put in the support braces. Remember those other two 25″ angled 2×4’s left over from the first step? You’ll want to slide those in between the table top and the long support 2×4, as pictured below…

You will want these support braces to be spaced evenly to distribute the weight of the table top in order to prevent it from sagging. Attach the table top to the support braces by using a drill to fasten screws from the table top into the braces.

Now comes the most important and fun step of the whole process…….customizing your table! You can sand it down, rough it up, leave it as is, paint it, stain it….just about anything.

I opted to stain the top and sparsely stain the base, then dry brush on my favorite creamy white chalk paint.

I LOVE the way it turned out, it’s super heavy duty so I know it will stand up to the beating our little guy is bound to give it. The big chunky legs and feet make it perfectly rustic enough to make the abuse of a three year old pretty beautiful and purposeful. I can just see our little guy and all his buddies croweded around it for food and crafts and lots of fun.

I think some matching benches may be next on my agenda! What about you? Will you be taking on a kid sized farm table of your own? Thank you for stopping by the Ella Claire blog and sticking around for my little project!