Dreaming of a dining table that seats everyone without the store price tag? These 38 DIY dining room table projects will get you there. You’ll find farmhouse builds with chunky X legs, a herringbone trestle table, a round table with a fluted base and a live edge patio table with welded chain legs. Already have a table? There are refinishing projects too, from a gel stain makeover with no stripping to a Danish oil finish on a thrifted find. Perfect for family dinners, holiday hosting and a porch or patio meal!
1. DIY Built In Breakfast Bar Dining Table
This built in breakfast bar dining table started with knocking a closet wall down to table height and using the half wall as the base. The top is pieced together from old barn boards salvaged from outbuildings, cut to the same length, then glued and screwed. Because the room steps down on one side, it sits at chair height on one side and bar height on the other, with stools and benches to match. Knot holes were packed with wood filler, redrawn with a Sharpie to look like knots, then sealed under about seven coats of polyurethane.
Get the full tutorial at Kammy's Korner.
2. DIY Farmhouse Kitchen Table
This DIY farmhouse kitchen table came together in one Friday night for under $100. The build uses four ready made 29 inch table legs, two 2x4s and two 1x2s for the frame, and seven 2×6 boards cut to 72 inches for the top, joined with 2 1/2 inch pocket hole screws, wood glue and finish nails. Most home improvement stores will cut the lumber for free, which saves a lot of sawing. The top gets dark walnut stain and the legs get satin white paint, a two tone look that hides crumbs and dings well.
Get the full tutorial at The Inspiration Board.
3. Easy DIY Octagon Table
This easy DIY octagon table began as a secondhand claw foot table with a laminate top, and the real lesson is how to paint laminate so it lasts. Wipe the whole top down with Krud Kutter to cut the gloss, sand with medium grit to remove the printed wood veneer, then sand again with fine grit and wipe away the dust. Roll on two coats of primer and three coats of paint, letting each dry fully. The old claw feet were swapped for hairpin legs, and the finish held up for months of daily use.
Get the full tutorial at Classy Clutter.
4. Antique Dining Table Updated With Chalk Paint
This antique dining table update proves you don’t have to strip every inch of an old piece. The tabletop was stripped and lightly sanded to reveal the wood underneath, then protected with about 10 coats of polyurethane and no stain at all. Instead of sanding the turned legs and chairs, they got a creamy white homemade chalk paint, some distressing and a clear furniture wax applied with a rag. Clear wax is a smart pick over white paint because it won’t yellow the way some polyurethanes do. Painting the base also makes the turned details stand out.
Get the full tutorial at anderson + grant.
5. Conduit Pipe Table DIY
This conduit pipe table pairs an industrial pipe base with a glass top. Use rigid steel electrical conduit, not the thin kind that can’t be threaded, and have the store cut and thread the four long 50 inch pieces while the short ones come precut. The base takes floor flanges, elbows, T joints, bushings and pipe joint compound to help the threads tighten. Every closed rectangle needs one pipe screwed deep into its fitting first so it can back out into the other end. A used 3 by 5 foot glass top saved about $1,000 over a new one.
Get the full tutorial at Vintage Revivals.
6. Pecan Farmhouse Dining Table
This pecan farmhouse dining table has a top milled from a fallen pecan tree, joined with a Kreg jig so no screws show. The top was belt sanded with 80 grit and finished with 150, then sealed with four coats of Waterlox, a tung oil finish, letting each coat dry 24 hours. Sanding with 400 grit before the last coat leaves it smooth as glass. The X legs are pine painted in chalk paint and given an easy aging treatment before sealing. One warning: raw wood left outdoors overnight soaks up humidity and can pull seams apart.
Get the full tutorial at Wildfire Interiors.
7. X Brace Farmhouse Table
This X brace farmhouse table comes with free building plans and a design sized to work in a dining room or a breakfast nook. Chunky X legs on each end give it the classic farmhouse shape, while a metal pipe stretcher running between them adds strength and a little industrial edge. It is a solid wood build that holds up to kids and daily meals, and the pipe beam keeps the base from racking. Seal it well, since an extra coat of sealant is what turns a pretty table into one that survives spilled juice.
Get the full tutorial at The Crafty Blog Stalker.
8. West Elm Inspired Dining Table
This West Elm inspired dining table copies a $1,199 wooden truss design for about $75 in lumber, using free plans from a furniture plan site. Pick the straightest boards you can find, since they make every step easier. Two tweaks are worth copying: swap the 2×4 braces under the top for 2x6s so they sit flush, and cut the top boards to fit the room, here 67 3/4 inches for a table about 74 3/4 inches long. Glue between every board and use plenty of long clamps, then flatten the top with a belt sander.
Get the full tutorial at Mountain Modern Life.
9. DIY Dining Room Table With Hairpin Legs
This DIY dining room table with hairpin legs seats eight and cost about $350 in supplies. The top is four long pine planks, with nine smaller boards bracing and framing the underside, a few of them oak for extra strength since oak is harder than pine. Plan on roughly 90 screws. It is assembled upside down, then flipped, sanded and stained. Four 28 inch three prong hairpin legs keep it modern and light. Before choosing a stain, look at the floors and other wood in the room so the table complements them instead of clashing.
Get the full tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.
10. Farmhouse Table Remix From Two Old Tables
This farmhouse table remix skips building legs entirely. Two identical secondhand 5 foot tables, bought for $20 each, sit end to end as a 10 foot base. A sub-frame of thin boards laid across the old tops extends past the edges so the new top can grow to about 4 feet wide. The top is knotty, distressed 1×8 pine at about $13 a board, which hides dings from kids. Measure the actual board width before cutting the frame: a board sold as 8 inches wide is really 7 1/4 inches.
Get the full tutorial at East Coast Creative.
11. Knock Out A Farm Table For $50
This farm table knockoff copies a pricey modern farmhouse table for about $50 in pine. The lumber list is short: two 2x2s, four 1x8s and two 1x3s at 8 feet, plus a 10 foot 1×4 and two 10 foot 1x6s. Add finish nails, roughly 100 two inch wood screws, about 20 longer screws, wood glue, filler, sandpaper and your choice of finish. The page links out to the full tool list and directions. Pine at these prices takes stain unevenly, so a pre-stain conditioner is worth the extra few dollars.
Get the full tutorial at Curbly.
12. Vintage Style Dining Room Table
This vintage style dining room table cost about $200 to build with everything included. The top is premium Douglas fir 2x8s, the frame is pine 2x4s, and the legs are four pre-made deck awning posts cut down to table height. Drill the frame with angled pocket holes so the screws sink out of sight. Round over the corners of the top for a softer vintage shape, then stain it a deep rich color. Sanding the edges again after staining and finishing with wax gives it that worn look, while country white legs add contrast.
Get the full tutorial at RemoveandReplace.com.
13. Wood Pallet Table DIY
This wood pallet table DIY is a small kitchen table with a patchwork top of reclaimed pallet slats. Start with a piece of plywood cut to the table size, then pull the slats off an old pallet, or two for a bigger table. Lay them out like a puzzle, mix the colors and textures, mark where they hang over the edge and saw off the excess. Liquid Nails and about 12 screws hold everything down. Sand with a block to knock off splinters, then add hairpin legs for a modern contrast.
Get the full tutorial at A Beautiful Mess.
14. DIY Concrete Dining Table
This DIY concrete dining table copies a $2,500 designer piece with a cast top about 84 by 40 by 1 1/2 inches. Build a mold from plywood lined with melamine, with 2 1/4 inch melamine strips for the sides, and press every corner down flat, since a lifted corner shows in the finished slab. Lay in wire mesh plus rebar along the edges, seal the seams with 100 percent silicone caulk, then mix about five bags of high strength concrete with tint. Buy an extra bag, and wear heavy gloves for hand mixing.
Get the full tutorial at Uncookie Cutter.
15. DIY Modified Modern Farmhouse Table
This DIY modified modern farmhouse table is a fine furniture take on the classic plans, built by a detail minded woodworker who refuses shortcuts. The tabletop boards are laid out to see which way the grain flows best, run through a planer for a seamless fit, then joined with wood glue and biscuits and clamped tight. The legs are smoothed with a belt sander and attached with pocket screws. A wood conditioner before staining prevents blotchiness, then Minwax Dark Walnut, two coats of poly on the legs and three on the top.
Get the full tutorial at Nuestra Vida Dulce.
16. Farm Table Tutorial
This farm table tutorial builds a cottage style table with nothing more than an electric drill. The top is three 1×12 pine boards, 6 feet long, framed by a 1×3 apron and set on four pre-turned 29 inch legs, all held with self-drilling 1 3/4 inch wood screws. Slip two or three nails between the top boards as spacers for an even, cottage style gap, and leave about a 3 inch overhang all around. Fill the screw holes, sand smooth, then stain the top and paint the base.
Get the full tutorial at Miss Mustard Seed.
17. Farmhouse Table Built for $45 in Lumber
This farmhouse table cost $45 in lumber plus about $20 to $25 in stain and polyurethane. It follows a popular free farmhouse table plan with one change, breadboard ends instead of all lengthwise boards. Expect about 4 to 5 hours of building, an hour of sanding, 30 to 45 minutes of staining and an hour for three coats of poly. Stud grade whitewood gives a rustic look where flaws are welcome. Wipe off excess stain: leaving extra on for a darker color makes the table tacky, and a second wiped coat fixes it.
Get the full tutorial at Decor and the Dog.
18. Shipping Pallet Dining Table
This shipping pallet dining table is built entirely from carefully disassembled pallets, mostly oak, bought from a local pallet dealer for $32 for eight. The design keeps some of the pallet’s original structure in the bracing and legs while giving the table a streamlined silhouette, so it reads as furniture rather than a crate. Instead of polyurethane, it is finished with a mix of coconut oil and beeswax, a food safe option that brings out the grain. Take pallets apart slowly to keep the boards whole and usable.
Get the full tutorial at little paths.
19. Farmhouse Table With X Legs
Want a sturdy table that works indoors or out? This farmhouse table has chunky X legs joined with a lap joint, so it’s rock solid and skips pricey turned legs. Cut the 4×4 leg pieces with a miter saw, notch the lap joint with a circular saw and chisel, then top it with 2×10 planks joined with pocket screws. Figure eight fasteners hold the top on. It finishes at 66 inches long, perfect for a screened porch!
Get the full tutorial at Lovely Etc.
20. Round Dining Table With a Fluted Base
Love those designer round tables with rippled bases? This one costs a fraction of the price! The base is a 12 inch concrete form tube wrapped in about 45 hardwood dowels, glued and stapled in place, then weighted with expanding post foam and big rocks so it won’t tip. Paint it a deep midnight blue. The top is birch plywood routed into a circle, whitewashed and sanded smooth with a high gloss clear coat. So luxe!
Get the full tutorial at …love, Maegan.
21. Farmhouse Table From Curbside Finds
Keep an eye on the curb, because your next table base might be sitting there! This farmhouse table started with salvaged end pieces from an old bed. Build a 1×4 frame with a pocket hole jig and wood glue, attach it to the leg base, then lay 1×4 stain-grade pine boards across the top with about 2 inches of overhang. Wipe on a gray stain with cheesecloth and finish with three coats of wipe-on poly. So pretty!
Get the full tutorial at Do Dodson Designs.
22. Live Edge Patio Table With Chain Legs
Want a patio table with real wow factor? This live edge table pairs a rustic pine top with welded steel legs wrapped in a decorative chain detail. The top arrives as pre-drilled pieces, so you glue, clamp and screw them together, then belt sand the seams smooth. An exterior semi-transparent stain in chestnut warms up the wood and protects it outdoors. No welder? Buy pre-made metal legs and attach them to the top instead!
Get the full tutorial at Dans le Lakehouse.
23. X Leg Patio Table With Pipe Trestle
Never built furniture before? This X leg patio table was a first build, made with just a circular saw, a drill and a pocket hole jig. The top is six boards joined with pocket screws. The chunky X legs are 4×4 cedar, and a black spray painted electrical conduit pipe runs between them as a trestle, which keeps it sturdy without looking heavy. Matching benches use the same steps. Stain it espresso and it’s ready for a party!
Get the full tutorial at Lemon Thistle.
24. Herringbone Trestle Table
Planning a bigger build? This trestle table has a herringbone top that really sets it apart. The base is pressure treated 4x4s and 2x4s cut to the detailed cut list, with the angles shown in diagrams on the page. Cedar deck boards cut on the angle form the herringbone pattern, held with exterior screws. Finish with stain and spar urethane for the patio, or use plain pine for a cheaper indoor table. It seats a crowd!
Get the full tutorial at The Navage Patch.
25. Reclaimed Wood Table With Hairpin Legs
Got your hands on some old barn wood? Turn it into a dining table! Lay the boards top side down, then screw three support boards across the underside, kept 1 1/2 inches back from the edges. Clamp it tight as you go. Trim the ends even with a circular saw and a straight edge, sand it smooth and attach 28 inch hairpin legs. Four coats of water-based poly protect the top. Simple, modern and full of character!
Get the full tutorial at The Merrythought.
26. Faux Concrete Outdoor Dining Table
Love the look of a concrete table but not the price tag? This round outdoor table started as a thrifted fiberglass top. Sand it, spray paint it white and remove the old legs. Then screw a scrap of wood under the top and another inside a 30 inch faux concrete planter pot, add liquid nails and drill them together. The planter becomes a modern pedestal base. A designer look for a fraction of the cost!
Get the full tutorial at Simple Made Pretty.
27. Refinish a Dining Table Without Stripping
Dreading the idea of stripping an old table? You can skip it! The trick is gel stain over the original finish. Clean the top with a degreaser, lightly sand with 150 to 220 grit and wipe with a tack cloth. Brush on the first coat, then build a soft faux wood grain with a chip brush and a softening brush over the next few coats. Seal with several coats of tung oil finish. Just give each coat time to dry!
Get the full tutorial at Stow&TellU.
28. Thrifted Farmhouse Table Makeover
Found a thrifted table with a tired orange finish? Give it an old world look! Scrub it clean with TSP, then sand the old varnish off with a detail sander. Soften deep scratches with a cabinet scraper and add your own distressing, like clusters of wormholes and a few hammer dings. Mist the wood with water to open the grain, wipe on Danish oil in dark walnut and seal with matte water-based poly. Warm and rustic!
Get the full tutorial at Snazzy Little Things.
29. Old Door Table
Have an old wooden door waiting for a project? Turn it into a table! Cut the door so both ends match, then glue and screw on wooden legs trimmed to the height you want. Flip it over and add 1×4 rails between the legs with wood glue and nails. Fill the holes, sand and paint. Using it for dinner? Add a glass top or a pour of epoxy over the panels so plates sit flat. So much charm!
Get the full tutorial at Jared Turner.
30. Thrifted Round Table With a New Modern Base
Found a round tabletop you love on a base you don’t? Keep the top and build a brand new base! This dated pedestal table was separated, and the top was reused on a modern angled base made from 2×2 dowels. The steps walk you through picking a base style, cutting the angles and attaching everything securely. A colorful stain on the base gives it a fun, playful look. It’s a smart way to get a custom table for about $20 plus lumber!
Get the full tutorial at At Charlotte's House.
31. Two Toned Antique Pedestal Table Makeover
Have a scratched up antique table? Give it a classic two toned look! Sand the top down to bare wood by hand or with a sander, then use a pre-stain conditioner and a dark walnut stain. Seal it with a wipe-on satin poly. The base gets wood filler in the deep nicks, a coat of primer and a crisp white semi-gloss paint, finished with paste wax for extra protection. The step by step tutorial makes it easy to follow!
Get the full tutorial at Erin Spain.
32. Farmhouse Dining Table From a Picnic Table
Who knew a wooden picnic table could become a farmhouse dining table? Tighten every bolt and add a few screws so nothing wobbles, then sand any spots you plan to paint. Paint the crossed legs and one bench with a white mineral paint for a two toned look. Lay reclaimed wood planks over the old top with a little overhang and screw them down. Finish with furniture wax. It’s an easy, budget friendly way to get a solid wood table!
Get the full tutorial at Funky Junk Interiors.
33. 60 Inch Round French Farmhouse Pedestal Table
Need a round table big enough for the whole family? This 60 inch French farmhouse table seats a crowd! The pedestal base uses 4×4 and 4×6 posts joined with cross lap joints, and the top is made from 2×10 boards joined with pocket screws, then cut round with a router. The base gets a chippy white paint finish over dark stain, and the top is stained and sealed. Lumber costs about $85. The detailed tutorial covers every step!
Get the full tutorial at Her Tool Belt.
34. Painted Herringbone Dining Table Makeover
Is your dining table covered in marker and worn spots? Sand it smooth and paint on a herringbone pattern! Sand the whole top down to a fine finish, then print a herringbone design onto card stock, cut out the open spaces and use it as a stencil. Paint the pattern across the table with white acrylic paint, then seal it well. It’s a bold, budget friendly makeover that turns a tired family table into a statement piece!
Get the full tutorial at Homemade Heather.
35. Herringbone Parquet Dining Table
Love a herringbone pattern? Build a dining table with a parquet top! Screw the legs to an MDF board, add timber braces between them, then flip it over. Snap a center line with string, mark the middle of each parquet tile and glue them down in a herringbone pattern. Cut the edge pieces on a miter saw, add a wood strip trim and fill the gaps with a sawdust and glue paste. Sand and finish with oil for a warm, modern table!
Get the full tutorial at Fall For DIY.
36. Rustic Reclaimed Wood Farmhouse Table
Dreaming of a farmhouse table made almost entirely from salvaged wood? Start with the legs, doubling up old 2x4s and mitering the ends. Notch the inside pieces to hold a 2×4 frame under the top, then join the frame with pocket screws and glue. Lay out reclaimed boards for the top, prop up thinner slats so they sit level and secure everything from below. This table seats eight and shows off every old saw mark. So much character!
Get the full tutorial at Scavenger Chic.
37. Faux Marble Bistro Dining Table
Want a Parisian marble bistro table without the marble price? This one starts with a faux marble laminate countertop! Measure and tape the cut line, then cut it to length with a circular saw and a fine finish blade. Screw cast iron pedestal legs to the underside, adding a painted 2×6 if you need extra height. It takes under an hour and very basic skills. Perfect for a breakfast nook or a long, narrow dining space!
Get the full tutorial at Bless'er House.
38. Gel Stained Pedestal Kitchen Table Makeover
Is your kitchen table top chipped and stained but the base still looks great? Just redo the top! Remove the screws holding the top to the base, then clean the pedestal with water and vinegar. Strip the old paint off the top with a stripping gel and a plastic scraper, wipe it down with mineral spirits and apply a dark gel stain with an applicator pad. Finish with a durable waterproof topcoat. Half a makeover in half the time!
Get the full tutorial at Salvaged Inspirations.
