Gather your materials

Materials

• 1 - 1 x 8 x 8
• 1 - 1 x 4 x 8
• 1 - 2 x 2 x 8 furring strips
• 1 - 1 x 6 x 8
• 6 - corner braces, 1" or longer (they come with 3/4" screws)
• Wood glue (optional)

Tools

• Saw - miter, table or circular saw will work (if you don't have one the hardware store will make these simple cuts for you)
• Drill & drill bits
• Screwdriver
• Level
• Sander & sandpaper (80 & 120 grit - 220 grit is optional)
• Pencil
• Paint
• Tile (optional)

Cut the legs to length

Cut the 2 x 2 & 1 x 4 wood pieces to 30".

You will need a total of

• 4 1 x 4's @ 30"H
• 2 2 x 2's @ 30"H

Measure, mark, & predrill holes for leg placement

1. Lay the 1 x 8 on a flat surface (this is the top).
2. Measure out the placement of the 1 x 4's on each end of the 1 x 8 (these are the legs). I wanted a bit of a modern look (as opposed to a plank look that's more farmhouse) so I kept a small space between the legs.
3. Mark the placement of the screw holes on each piece of wood. I marked & numbered mine to be extra safe (because I can be pretty forgetful these days). Drill a pilot hole in each of the place you marked.

ALSO:

1. Mark the INSIDE edge of the 1 x 4 legs - this is important for the next step.
2. Measure the distance between the inside edges of the 4 x 4 legs (end to end on the 1 x 8). Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the 2 x 2's (these will be the center legs).

Attach the end legs ONLY

1. Using the 2" screws, attach each of the end legs - the 1 x 4's - to the to the top (the 1 x 8).

Add braces for bottom shelf

Flip the table over onto it's top.

1. Measure out where you want the bottom shelf. Mine is 9 ½" from the bottom. This dos NOT factor into any other measurement so it can be wherever you want it.
2. Using the short screws, attach the corner brackets to the inside center of the 4 end legs (the 1 x 4's), 4 brackets total.

Attach the shelf

Put the 1 x 6 on top of the brackets with 1 edge flush with the back edge of the legs & attach each bracket to the BOTTOM side of the shelf. This will be the BACK of the table.

Flip the table right side up, place a 2 x 2 in the spot you marked in step 6 - in FRONT of the 1 x 6 shelf - and attach it to the top with a 2" wood screw.

Secure the FRONT middle leg

Lay the table on it's front - the long side with the 2 x 2 attached. Attach the shelf to the 2 x 2 the same as you did the 1 x 4x's using one corner brace, centered.

And because I made a miscalculation...

NOW THIS IS WHERE I MADE A PRETTY BIG MISTAKE MISCALCULATION.

You can read all about that in the full post on the blog. It's always funny & so easy to notice after the fact 😏

1. The 2 x 2 that you DID NOT attach in the previous step now needs to be cut at exactly the height you chose for the bottom shelf (9 ½" in my case). Mark & drill pilot holes into the middle of the longer piece on each end.
2. With table standing right side up, wedge the longer piece of that 2 x 2 between the top (the 1 x 8) & the shelf (the 1 x 6). Attach it to the top from above using a 2" wood screw.
3. Flip the table over & attach the other end of that 2 x 2 to the shelf from the bottom using a 2" wood screw. This is the top back leg.
4. Using the short screws, attach 1 side of a corner bracket to the underside of the short 2 x 2, centered. This will be the bottom back leg.

The structural part of your table is done! It should be stable on a flat surface and completely level. (I made the mistake of thinking mine wasn't level because our floors have a little texture. Once I took it into the garage to paint I realized it was perfectly level.)

Finishing off

Sand your new table with 80 grit paper to smooth it out.

Follow with 120 grit & wipe it down well with a clean dry cloth or "sweep" with a paintbrush. A 220 grit sanding is optional - remember that some imperfections in the wood add character & shows that this is not a mass produced piece.

Once it's sanded & cleaned, paint the table in your choice of color or stain. I like to spray paint furniture for a smooth finish with less work & chose a pretty matte gold.

I knew that I would add tile to the top of my table so I didn't bother with sanding the top. If you do the same, just make sure it's clean.

I attached the tile with construction adhesive applied to the back & laid it in place.

The original plan was to finish off the edges of the top with a piece of finishing trim but we decided we like the look of tile's edges. So I painted them the same color as the rest of the table & we LOVE the faceted look it has.

STYLE IT UP!!

Overall this table turned out perfect for our space - the size, the style, the color... it's all just perfect! And that's the great thing about it... you can make this custom console table to your exact needs & specifications!

Get the details on why I decided to build instead of buy in this case...

SPOILER ALERT: let's just say I saved us a cool $1K at least!

I'd say that's about a thousand wins!

BTW... there's lots more tips & trick in the original blog post. Head on over & don't forget to leave me a message to tell what you think!