DIY Farmhouse Coffee Table

Sarah
by Sarah
12 Materials
$45
2 Days
Medium

Deciding on a coffee table style is hard, y’all. Like, I have seriously been back-and-forth about what type of coffee table I want in this space probably since we moved in about three years ago. For a while I wanted a tufted ottoman but then decided that wasn’t super practical with two kids who like to rub food and crayons on everything. Then I wanted something more modular that could double as seating when people came over but again changed my mind. Ultimately I decided that a DIY farmhouse style coffee table would be the best fit for my space. This coffee table is both beautiful and functional and I will walk you through how to make your own!

Deciding on a coffee table style is hard, y’all. Like, I have seriously been back-and-forth about what type of coffee table I want in this space probably since we moved in about three years ago. For a while I wanted a tufted ottoman but then decided that wasn’t super practical with two kids who like to rub food and crayons on everything. Then I wanted something more modular that could double as seating when people came over but again changed my mind. Ultimately I decided that a DIY farmhouse style coffee table would be the best fit for my space. This coffee table is both beautiful and functional and I will walk you through how to make your own!Farmhouse Coffee Table Inspiration

When deciding on style, browsing on Pinterest helped me find a couple of options that I liked, but the plans weren’t quite right for my space. There is some great inspiration out there that you can modify and customize to make it work for your own space. You don’t have to recreate the wheel with every project you make! I’m including the link below from the table where I took my inspiration. Give credit where credit is due, my friends. And Sincerely, Marie Designs did great work here! Check her out and this great tutorial: https://sincerelymariedesigns.com/diy-modern-farmhouse-square-coffee-table/ Building Process

The first thing you need to do when designing a coffee table for your space is to determine what dimensions you are looking for. A rectangle is the best fit in my space as I have two identical sofas facing each other (IKEA with washable slipcovers, by the way. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!) My space needed something relatively substantial so I went for a 36″ wide x 48″ length.Coffee Table Base

The base was created using 2×2 boards. The shelf is a half inch thick MDF project panel that I attached with pocket holes (if you read the tutorial I linked, you’ll see she used plywood. I opted for MDF because it is inexpensive, sturdy, and smooth for easy painting). 

The two long sides were created first, then adding the shorter cross bars. The MDF project panel is an already cut piece. It was a super tight fit for the shelf but ended up being perfect! If you want your table to be smaller, Home Depot can cut down your panel to your dimensions. Pocket hole joinery and wood glue were made for all the connections.

One additional middle brace was added to give the table top extra support. It was then painted with white satin finish spray paint which gave a nice smooth finish and was a bit quicker than using a brush and a quart of paint. 


Coffee Table Top

The coffee table top has a one inch overhang all the way around, so the base is 2 inches narrower than the top dimensions. The horizontal boards are 1x8s and 1×6 boards were used for the outside framing. The corners of the framing are mitered and I think this really makes the table look more high end and adds some visual interest. If you didn’t want to do that step, you could always have the ends square like a breadboard on a dining table.


The coffee table top boards were all attached using wood glue and pocket holes. One mistake I made here was not using pocket holes at the mitered joints and only using glue. Once the piece was set I was worried those mitered corners wouldn’t be strong enough. A corner brace was added to each corner on the underside of the table top. You can’t see the brace and it adds some extra strength.

The top was then sanded down to be as smooth as possible before I stained it using general finishes Java gel stain (the best!). I then sealed it with a water based polyurethane.End Result!


This DIY Farmhouse Coffee Table with shelf adds a ton of farmhouse style to the room but is still very clean with a modern feel. It is sturdy, substantial, beautiful, and functional. Make your own modifications to make it perfect for your own space! And please share your versions, I would love to see!

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Sarah
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  • Debbie Nance Debbie Nance on Nov 26, 2018

    It looks fantastic! Love the color choices. And your sofas. Wld you mind sharing the model of IKEA sofas you have? Your room is fabulous.

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  • Mary Coakley Mary Coakley on Nov 14, 2018

    Fantastic the two colours really make it pop good choice on your part

  • MandF Tann MandF Tann on Dec 01, 2018

    I want this so bad! Trying to get my hubby build it shouldn’t be a problem. Thank yo

    • Sarah Sarah on Dec 02, 2018

      Good luck! Would love to see your finished product once it is built!


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