Rustic Farmhouse Coffee Table

Make this easy rustic farmhouse coffee table with balustrades or country-style legs and whitewash finish. The table is large enough for any room and has plenty of storage.

4 of 100 x 1200mm PAR pine – frame – long sides
4 of 100 x 400mm PAR pine – frame – short sides
2 of 100 x 200mm PAR pine – frame- cross beam
6 of 100 x 1100mm PAR pine – tabletop planks
2 of 100 x 600mm PAR pine – tabletop ends
16 of 77 x 600mm PAR pine – table base
12 of 4.5 x 50mm wood screws
4 balustrades or legs
Chalk paint, milk paint or Plascon Polvin
Woodoc antique wax
Soft, lint-free cloth

TOOLS:

Pockethole jig
Drill/Driver and assorted bits
Jigsaw and clean cut blade
Paintbrush
Tape measure and pencil

1. Join the frame together using a pockethole jig and 4.5 x 50mm screws, or pockethole screws. If you don’t have a pockethole jig you can use angle braces to join the sections together, or use dowel or biscuits joints.

2. Measure and mark for placement of the legs on the base of the frame. Drill four 3mm pilot holes through the top and into the legs. Countersink and drive in 4.5 x 50mm screws to secure. Make two frames – one for the top and bottom.

3. Centre the top planks onto the frame, allowing space to mount both end pieces. Use 3 x 30mm screws to attach the top by screwing through the frame. If you want gaps between the planks, use an old credit card as a spacer.

4. For the base cover the frame with 77mm wide PAR pine planks by screwing in place through the base of the frame. You may need to trim one of the pieces to fit. Drill through the base to attach the bottom of each balustrade leg in place.

5. On the base of the table, cut four blocks and mount roofing washers onto the base before screwing the blocks in place. These will prevent the table from scratching your floors.

6. To paint the finished table you can use chalk paint, milk paint or Plascon Polvin. Add a small amount of acrylic scumble glaze to the paint to prevent it from drying too quickly, about 3 parts paint to 1 part scumble glaze. Work in sections to apply the paint with a paintbrush and then wipe off the paint with a lint-free cloth.

7. Before the paint has time to fully dry, wipe with a soft, lint-free cloth – wiping with the grain. You will notice that the paint wipes off more on the raised sections, leaving more paint in grooves and grain. This gives the table a wonderful farmhouse or rustic finish.

Finish off with a coat of Woodoc antique wax buffed to a satin shine.