Farmhouse tables are a fantastic trend in my opinion. The premise is that they are sturdy and able to withstand the wear and tear of a busy farm kitchen, but also that they tout a bit of dignity in a room. Their fame is partly due to the DIY community that has produced plans for these types of tables that are not only a beginner to intermediate woodworking level, but also make Farmhouse Tables quite affordable. Keep reading to learn how I built our cheap pallet farmhouse table or pin this image to save for later:
The table you see here was made pre-blog and doesn’t come with pictures of the process. But keep checking back because a new Farmhouse Table will be appearing here on Charming Imperfections sometime in July with detailed plans and instructions and lots of pictures. For now, I hope you enjoy this DIY pallet farmhouse table.
I was oogling over the beautiful tables on Pinterest, like the one below from Shanty2Chic, and decided, why not? I had pallets, some tools (I’m currently building my inventory of power tools, the sander is the newest edition), and a free afternoon. Well, as free as an afternoon can be with a baby and house work.
First order of business was taking apart the pallets. Those things are stubborn! I used about four total.
Once the pallets are taken apart, the next thing was to assemble the top. I made the frame out of some 2x4s that were left in our storage shed by the previous owners of our house. The dimensions I came up with were not based off of any standards, just what was easy. The long sides are 10 feet and the short are 4 foot.
Next I screwed in 5 supporting beams spanning the width of the frame (all four foot). Then I flipped the table top over and began the puzzle of figuring out where to put the pallet boards which varied greatly in width and length. This took hours! I had never imagined it to be so hard, but maybe that was the perfectionist in me.
The legs were fun to put together. I knew I didn’t want four posts on each corner; too hard to make perfectly even so it doesn’t wobble with the material I had (you never know what your going to get with pallet wood).
Below is a graphic that explains pretty well the dimensions and plan for the legs. You will need four 2x4s with 45 degree angle cuts on each end for supports. Two 26″ 2x4s that are highlighted in bright green. Two 11″ 2x4s to bracket the middle supporting beam. And, finally, the top and bottom 2x4s cut at 28″ long.
Once you have assembled the legs, flip the table back over and screw them into the top from the inside skirt of either side. The final (and most fun) part is to slide the 2×4 beam into the spaces you left in the center of the legs. This gives added support and stability.
Be sure to finish the table in a protective stain and polyurethane coating to preserve it in the elements if you choose to keep it outside.
This would be the perfect table for your summer barbecue parties and Fourth of July celebrations.
The farmhouse table trend is one I support all the way. They are beautifully rustic and so functional with their massive size. Another huge pro is that they are affordable when built at home. This one was almost free for me because I used pallets and scrap 2x4s.
If you don’t have scrap wood at your disposal, keep checking back because later this summer I will be giving you the plans for a new farmhouse table using standard lumber (still super cheap for a gorgeous table, but not as difficult to find).
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