A Guide on How to Make a Dining Table

Making your own dining table is a fun, simple project that can be completed in a weekend. With a few common household tools and supplies that are available at any home improvement store, you can create a simple wooden dining table that you can be proud to show off. Building a dining table is a perfect project for a beginner wood worker, because of its simple construction. A table is basically a top, four legs and a structure to support the table in its upright position. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Determine what size table you want to make. Choose your table top first, and lay it out with the underside up. Measure a square in the center of the top to determine the length of the 2-by-4 wood pieces. The 2-by-4 pieces will determine the size of the table legs and corner supports. When purchasing the materials, ask for assistance to double-check the measurements to ensure everything fits together tightly.

2

Lay out all the materials in your work area; lay them down on a tarp to protect the wood while you work. Start by placing your table top upside down, and set your 2-by-4 pieces in place as you measured them. The square made with the wood pieces will support the table legs and keep the structure stable. The square should be tight, and centered within the table-top space. This is called the top rail.

3

Secure the 3-inch wood pieces to the inside of the top rail you made with the 2-by-4 pieces. The wood pieces will sit on the inside of the top rail and attach to both the top rail and the table top to hold them together. Place the wood pieces on the inside of the top rail, centered in the middle of each rail. Using your drill, screw the wood supports into the table top, then to the rail. Do each board one by one so you can ensure a proper fit.

4

Place a corner support in each of the four corners of the top rail, and use a drill to screw both sides of the corner support to the adjacent rails. Repeat this for each corner of the top rail.

5

Drill a hole through the center of each corner support. The holes will be used to attach the legs to each corner of the top rail. To ensure you drill the hole in the correct position, place the leg first as a guide and mark with a pencil where you will need to drill.

6

One at a time, attach a leg to a corner support using a coach bolt. The coach bolt will be inserted through the leg and into the corner support. The bolt should be secured with the cap of the coach bolt. Once the legs are secure, turn your table over -- you're finished.