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Thursday, February 21, 2013

Farmhouse Table

I really am a great big chicken at heart! (Just in case the name of the blog didn’t give that away already.)

I have been scared to death to actually try to BUILD something on my own…but oh, how I’ve wanted to.

Moving to a new house with a lovely empty dining room seemed to be the perfect opportunity to overcome my fear.

I chose to make a modification of Ana White’s Farmhouse Table.

Yeah, that’s me….never really built anything before (unless you count the laundry tower, but I have to change things like I know what I’m doing!!)

(via Ana White)

It’s gorgeous, isn’t it??  But for my purposes, I knew I had to make some changes.  For one thing, eight people have to sit around the table every day.   Although I love the look of the stretchers between the legs, let’s be honest—they would be a major pain for anyone sitting at the ends.

I also love the look of Pottery Barn’s Solomon table, so I chose to make mine look more like that.

(via Pottery Barn)

I adjusted the measurements of my table so I would end up with one 78” long x 40” wide, and plenty of space between the legs for three chairs!  I figured out all the cuts beforehand, and had a very nice man at Home Depot make them for me.  Oh, and one “extra” I had him do was to make a clean cut off the end before he started making the necessary measurements.  That way I knew I had all nice square cuts.

I came home and sanded…sanded…and sanded some more.  I started with 60 grit, then 120 grit, and finally with 220.

Red Hen Home table base

When I got the table base assembled, I was almost as proud of it as I am of my children, and I sent pictures via text messaging to several friends and sisters!

What I don’t have a picture of is that I added two 2x2 cross braces to keep the table square.  Alternatively, I think I could have added diagonal braces near each leg, but…I chose the other route!

Note:  The apron boards are flush to the top of the table legs, but set back about 1/4”.  I just used a piece of 1/4” scrap to offset them a bit.

Red Hen Home table top

Then there was the tabletop.  As you can see, I used three 2x8’s and two 2x10’s to give me a top that is about 40” wide.  The boards are all held together with pocket screws, about six per board.  The “breadboard” ends are also 2x8’s.

I will mention here that I did a pretty darn good job of picking out boards that were not bowed, or bent, or warped, or just plain wonky

I had to have a Home Depot employee help me sort out a good 4x4x10 piece (for the legs), and I’m sure he got sick of me rejecting board…after board…after board.  The others I managed on my own, and I had quite a pile of rejects left over when I was done!

However, I did have to go get one more 2x8 when I started assembling the table, as I hadn’t caught it’s funky little c-curve!

Red Hen Home table collage

There was more sanding of the tabletop, and then the fun part!

I love staining.  It’s such instant gratification.

I put two coats of Minwax Weathered Oak on everything, and I really liked it.  It’s got a gray tint to it, but it’s not overpowering like a true gray stain, or even like the color you get using the vinegar-and-steel wool method.  However, in the end I decided I wanted a little more brown tone, so I mixed a little dark walnut stain in the last batch.

Red Hen Home table

Rather than using pocket holes, I used metal L-brackets to attach the top to the base.  I gave everything three coats of Minwax Hand-rubbed Polyurethane, followed by one coat of Minwax Dark Wax.  I really dislike rustic furniture with a glossy finish, and this avoided that nicely!

And this is how it turned out…

Red Hen Home Farmhouse Table 4

Red Hen Home Farmhouse Table 5

I’m going to admit that while I was proud of it, I wasn’t IN LOVE with it right away.  I think that may have more to do with the color than anything; against the dark floors, everything just seemed too…brown.  I knew I wanted to do white or black (or another color?) chairs with it, though, so I figured I would like it better “all together.”

 Red Hen Home Farmhouse Table 2

But just for an experiment, I thought…why not list it on Craigslist and see what happens???

Red Hen Home Farmhouse Table 3  

Well, I did…and it sold!

Huh.  Back to the drawing board, I guess

And wouldn’t you know it…I bought the wood to make a bench for it just this morning  ;-)

I think I have officially been bitten by the building bug!

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This project has been featured at Knick of Time and My Repurposed Life.
 
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Linking up here:
Domestically Speaking Elizabeth & Co.
Primitive & Proper Thrifty Décor Chick
Friday Remodelaholic 2805
My Simple Home Life’s Simple Creations Friday Miss Mustard Seed’s Furniture Feature Friday
Funky Junk’s Saturday Night Special The DIY Show Off
Stone Gable
Beyond the Picket Fence Someday Crafts
Knick of Time
Mod Vintage Life
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Perfectly Imperfect Sawdust Throwdown
Common Ground My Repurposed Life
From My Front Porch to Yours All Star Block Party
A Little Knick Knack
Cowgirl Up!
Thrifty Décor Chick
{aka} design
Coastal Charm

33 comments:

  1. YOU SOLD IT???!!! I am sooooo laughing at you! Oh my heavens Korrie. What are we going to do with you! :D

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  2. I love how it turned out! You did a great job! And now you can make another one! Maybe you'll like the next one enough to keep it!?!?

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  3. well it is gorgeous! but keep the next one! you deserve and awesome table, too!

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  4. You have a career in furniture building ahead of you my friend! Oh my goodness that table turned out awesome! I can't believe you made it all by myself. What is the name of that pocket screw thingy? I need one, I think I will follow your lead and make the coffee table I've been needing! Great job, I always get excited when I see Red Hen Home lit up on my reader!
    Susan

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  5. You did a fabulous job on this table! I can't believe this is the first time you tried to build a table.. It looks so good! - Susan

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  6. Holy cow Korrie, that table is amazing! You really let it go??? Thank goodness you can make another one! And seriously, you could sell these like crazy! ... And yes, sometimes picking out straight wood is the hardest part of all!

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  7. That is so awesome!! I can't believe you sold it, yet I have done the same thing too! Build yourself a new fab table and enjoy the process!

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  8. Awesome job girl! You are a natural at the building thing. I cant believe you sold it :) The things I love I always tell myself if they don't sell in a month I can keep them. That's the only way I can get them out of the house ;)

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  9. You are my hero! That is one gorgeous table and I'm so proud of you for making it yourself! You've definitely inspired me!

    Jeanine

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  10. Haha, awesome!!! It is a beautiful table but it turned out not to be the perfect table for you. You will think of something awesome, I know it.

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  11. You did a fantastic job! I agree the color was a little off for your flooring, but it looked great nonetheless! If you make another one, maybe a rug under it will help you love it enough to keep it!!!

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  12. You made a table. You sold a table. Why do neither of those two things surprise me? Looking forward to seeing the next one, that is providing you don't sell it. Hope that Home Depot guy doesn't run and hide when he sees you coming.

    Bliss

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  13. It was a beautiful table and I wish we lived a few states closer:)

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  14. You are so talented! Do not fear, you are great! I crave each new design..my fave is the suitcase wall and now this! May I ask what you sold your table for and are you taking orders??
    craftinmom@msn.com

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  15. Good grief, Korrie, I can't believe you sold it. It was wonderful. Can't wait to see what the next one looks like :)
    Hugs,
    Laura

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  16. Wow. You're brave! You did a great job too. Good for you!

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  17. You are incredible girl. What ambition and bravery. Good for you. Don't think I'd attempt that on my own but I'd sure get hubs to make one. Our problem would be having a place to keep it until we sold it. No place for tables in our house.
    Your table turned out so fantastic, can't believe you made that yourself. Very talented. Happy days.

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  18. your table turned out beautiful, i love farm tables you did such a great job!

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  19. Oh wow how I love that table. I need one about 10 feet long.

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  20. woo to the hoo! Korrie--I've always wanted to build one, but never have. I love it! Can't believe you sold it. that guy at home depot might not want to see you coming for the next table. hahahah
    way to go Korrie!!

    gail
    ps don't you LOVE those pocket holes?

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  21. Big congratulations to you! We are furniture and house builders over here and you did a great job for your first time! You have a good design eye and that makes a BIG difference! Believe me, I've seen some nicely built and finished furniture that was ALL wrong...wrong shape, wrong color, wrong balance......it DOES make a difference! Looks like you're in the furniture building business now!

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  22. Can't believe you sold it after all your hard work!!! Fantastic job....you have a future in furniture building!!!

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  23. That turned out amazing! Congrats. I host a DIY link party every Monday and would love for you to join! http://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-diyers-link-party.html

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  24. That's pretty darn cute Korrie, that you made it and then turned around and sold it! I'm not surprised it sold, you did an amazing job, for someone who had never built anything before! I love Ana's plans for just that reason. I'm sure we'll all look forward to seeing what you come up with next!

    Debbie

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  25. That table looks so awesome! You did a great job and you were able to sell it! Wow! Congrats and keep up the "wood" work!

    - BelFab.net

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  26. Wow wow and wow! Please share your project at www.creativecraftsthursday.blogspot.com each and every week and check out what other creative divas are up to.

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  27. Awesome job!! I'd be freaking proud of that too! and good for you selling it.

    I'm totally bitten by the building bug and you've inspired me to sell my pieces too. Can't wait til I can get back in my shop and start building again.

    Cheers!

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  28. Oh wow, Korrie! It's gorgeous! I can't believe you sold it! lol! Beautiful work! I'm gathering the courage to build and your project is inspiring! :)

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  29. It's gorgeous, no wonder it sold!!
    Kim

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  30. Oooh lots of good inspiration here! As you know I've been working on my coffee table. I always struggle with the layering and stacking so I enjoy seeing pictures like these. I have a magnifying glass that I just ran out and put in the bowl after seeing one in your picture! I like your coffee table vignette- you always do a great job!

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  31. I really love the simplicity of this table. You did a great job on it. I would love to make one of these for my deck. You didn't use any stretchers, which I love, and am wondering if you found the table to be nice and solid? Are the legs 4x4's or 3x3's? And last one...where did you place the two 2x2's for the cross braces? ...sorry..one more. What would the diagonal braces near each leg been for? sorry...so many questions and you are probably busy building.

    Thanks you so much.
    Debbie Cadene
    debcadene@bell.net

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  32. Did you get around to making the bench. If so can u post the instructions? Love the table!

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  33. We loved your table so much, that we are making one ourselves. Can you tell me where you put the apron pieces in relation to the legs? Flush with the top and centered?
    Thanks!

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