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A good portion of furniture builds include some sort of tabletop. There are a variety of ways to build them, but this is one of the simplest methods.
No fancy tools. No fancy assembly. No fancy pants.
Just a good ol’ tabletop doing what tabletops do best.
As you can see, this is a pretty small tabletop. But no matter: I use the same build and jointing for all my basic tabletops. You can see more examples of it on the blanket chest, this coffee table, and my nightstands.
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Tools & Supplies:
- Miter Saw
- Drill
- Kreg Pocket Hole Jig
- Pocket Hole Screws (size depending on board thickness)
- Tape Measure
- Square
- Clamps
- Wood Glue
- Pencil
- Safety Glasses
- Ear Protection
Step 1.
Cut boards to length for your project.
Step 2.
Stagger pocket holes on the bottom side of the tabletop boards.
Depending on the length of your tabletop, add more pocket holes as necessary for strong joints along the length of the boards.
Step 3.
Run a bead of wood glue along the long edge of the first board.
Align the boards so the ends are flush, clamp in place, and attach with pocket hole screws.
Repeat for each board.
If you have pipe clamps, you can apply glue to all the boards, line them up, clamp, and then attach with pocket hole screws.
If you do not own clamps large enough to span a whole tabletop, work with one board at a time. I typically apply glue to one edge, align, and clamp along the joint between the two boards. That holds it well enough to drill the pocket hole screws into place.
Step 4.
Once the wood glue is dry, sand and finish as desired.
Take care to select the correct finish for your tabletop so that it withstands wear and tear for years to come.
And there you have a brand new tabletop!
Let me know if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Joe
Tuesday 19th of January 2021
What type of wood did you use no this shaker style DIY End Table Project. Or should I use on this project. Joe
tylynn_sattler
Monday 25th of January 2021
Pine