Well, this post is a couple months behind schedule, but hey, better late than never, right?! I FINALLY finished my At Home DIY challenge project for the month of….ahem…..June! I know, I’m a slacker. But with the high temps in June and our family vacation, I just wasn’t able to get this project completed and posted in time. So, you get to see it in August! (And hopefully I’ll have my August post done in time for this month’s challenge….. This whole full-time work thing really takes away from my DIY fun! ) The June Challenge was a Build-it-Cheaper challenge, where we had to find a piece of furniture at a retail store and, yep, you guessed it…. build it cheaper! I have been needing (okay, wanting) new end tables for my living room that matched the DIY Media Center/TV Stand that I built last Fall. That stand was also inspired by a TV stand that I found at Pottery Barn, so when it came time for this challenge, back to the Pottery Barn website I went to search for some end tables to match my TV stand. And wouldn’t you know it, I found these end tables, and they match perfectly!! So off I went to develop woodworking plans to build these two Pottery Barn inspired DIY end tables.
DIY End Tables Wood List (quantity shown is for one end table, double if building two):
| Qty | Board | Cut Length |
| 1 | 1/2″ plywood | 1/4 sheet |
| 1 | 1×2 | 6′ |
| 1 | 1×3 | 6′ |
| 1 | 1×4 | 6′ |
| 1 | 2×4 | 8′ |
| 2 | 2×6 | 6′ |
| 1 | 4×4 | 8′ |
DIY End Tables Cut List (per end table):
| Qty | Board | Cut Length |
| 2 | 1/2″ plywood | 3″ x 14″ |
| 2 | 1/2″ plywood | 3″ x 8 1/4″ |
| 1 | 1/2″ plywood | 14″ x 7 1/4″ |
| 2 | 1×2 | 11″ |
| 2 | 1×2 | 4″ |
| 1 | 1×2 | 11″ |
| 2 | 1×2 | 12 1/2″ |
| 2 | 1×3 | 12 1/2″ |
| 1 | 1×3 | 16 1/2″ |
| 1 | 1×4 | 11″ |
| 1 | 1×4 | 3 7/8″ x 9 5/16″ |
| 2 | 1×4 | 16 1/2″ |
| 2 | 2×4 | 16 1/2″ |
| 2 | 2×4 | 22″ |
| 2 | 2×6 | 16 1/2″ |
| 4 | 2×6 | 15″ |
| 2 | 2×6 | 12 1/2″ |
| 1 | 2×6 | 11″ |
| 4 | 4×4 | 22 1/2″ |
DIY End Tables Materials List:
Note: This post contains affiliate links. I will receive a small commission on any purchases made through these links which helps me to support the cost of maintaining and updating this website.
DIY End Table Build Instructions (instructions are for one end table):
- Cut four 4×4 boards to 22 1/2″ in length each.
- Cut two 2×6 boards to 12 1/2″ in length each.
- Cut one 2×6 board to 11″ in length.
- Drill two 1 1/2″ pocket holes into each end of one side of the 2×6 boards.
5. Using 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood glue, attach each of the 12 1/2″ 2×6 boards between two 4×4 boards, aligning the top of the 2×6 boards with the top of the 4×4 boards, and along one edge of the 4×4 boards (pocket holes should be facing inward, opposite the side aligned with the edge of the 4x4s):
6. Use 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws and wood glue to attach the 11″ 2×6 board between two 4×4 boards to connect the two sides together. The top of the 11″ 2×6 should be aligned with the top of the 4x4s and also should be aligned with the outer edge of the two 4×4 boards, pocket holes facing inward.
7. Cut one 1×2 board to 11″ in length.
8. Cut two 1×2 boards to 4″ in length each.
9. Cut one 1×4 board to 11″ in length.
10. Drill one 3/4″ pocket hole in each end of one side of the 11″ 1×2 board.
11. Drill two 3/4″ pocket holes into each end of one side of the 11″ 1×4 board.
12. Using wood glue and 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws, attach the 11″ 1×2 board between the two front 4x4s, the top of the 1×2 should be flush with the top of the 4×4 boards, and the front of the 1×2 should be flush with the front of the 4×4 boards, pocket hole facing up.
13. Using wood glue and 1 1/2″ wood screws, attach each of the 1×2 4″ boards to the front two 4×4 legs, the top of the 4″ 1×2 should be flush with the bottom of the 11″ 1×2, and the front of the 4: 1×2 boards should be flush with the front of the 4×4 legs and the 1×2 top board (drill a pilot hole through the top of the 11″ 1×2 and then attach the 4″ 1×2 boards with a 1 1/2″ wood screw through the top 1×2 board into each of the side 1×2 boards.
14. Using wood glue and 1 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the 11″ 1×4 board between the front 4×4 legs, directly below the 4″ 1×2 boards, pocket holes should be facing down.
15. Cut the boards for the bottom shelf:
- Cut two 2×6 boards to 16 1/2″ each.
- Cut two 2×4 boards to 16 1/2′ each.
- Using a jig saw, band saw, or scroll saw, cut a 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4″ notch out of each end of each of the 2×4 boards
- Cut two 1×2 boards to 11″ in length each
- Cut two 1×2 boards to 12 1/2″ in length each.
16. Drill pocket holes into the 2×4 and 2×6 boards for the bottom shelf:
- Drill two 1 1/2″ pocket holes into one long side of each 2×6 board
- Drill two 3/4″ pocket holes into each short end of the two 2×6 boards
- Drill two 1 1/2″ pocket holes into one long side of one of the 2×4 boards. The pocket holes should be drilled towards the side of the board without the notches cut out.
- Drill two 3/4″ pocket holes toward the shorter long side of each 2×4 board.
- Drill two 1 1/2″ pocket holes towards each short end of each 2×4 (pocket holes should be drilled so the hole is pointing towards the notched section of each 2×4).
17. Assemble the bottom shelf (see above picture).
- Using wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the 2×6 boards together so they are parallel along the long side of the boards.
- Using wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach one 2×4 board on the long ends of the connected 2×6 boards, make sure the 16 1/2″ ends are the sides attached to the 16″ side of each 2×6 board.
- Using wood glue and 1 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the 11″ 1×2 boards to each 2×4 board (the top of the long, narrow side of the 1×2 board should be flush with the top surface of the 2×4 boards).
- Using wood glue and 1 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the 12 1/2″ 1×2 boards to each end of the 2×6 boards.
18. Using wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the bottom shelf 3 1/2″ from the bottom of the legs (bottom of the shelf should be at 3 1/2″). Tip, I placed two scrap 4×4 boards on their sides below where the bottom shelf would sit, and then put the bottom shelf in place to ensure it was 3 1/2″ up on all sides – be sure to also use a level to ensure all sides are even before attaching- and then clamp the shelf in place, flip the table over and attach with the 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws.
19. Cut and assemble the drawer slide support boards.
- Cut two 1×4 boards to 16 1/2″ in length each
- Use wood glue and 1 1/2″ wood screws to attach the 1×4 boards. Front of 1×4 boards should align with front 1×2 4″ trim pieces and extend to back 2×6. Predrill two holes at each end of each 1×4 and attach to 4×4 legs using 1 1/2″ wood screws.
20. Install 14″ drawer rails 3/4″ back from the front.
21. Cut and attach support boards for table top.
- Cut two 1×3 boards to 12 1/2″ in length each
- Cut one 1×3 board to 16 1/2″ in length
- Drill two 3/4″ pocket holes into each end of one side of each of the 1×3 boards
- Using wood glue and 1 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the 12 1/2″ boards between the front and back legs on each side, the top of the 1×3 should sit flush with the top of the legs.
- Using wood glue and 1 1/2″ pocket hole screws, attach the 16 1/2″ 1×3 board in the center, between the front and back boards, the top of the 1×3 should be flush with the top of the front and back boards.
22. Cut and prepare the boards for the table top.
- Cut four 2×6 boards to 15″ in length each
- Cut two 2×4 boards to 22″ in length each
- Drill two 1 1/2″ pocket holes into the long side of three of the four 2×6 boards
- Drill two 1 1/2″ pocket holes into each short end of all four of the 2×6 boards
23. Assemble the table top.
- Use wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to attach the four 2×6 boards together.
- Use wood glue and 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to attach a 2×4 onto each end of the attached 2×6 boards.
24. Use wood glue and 2 1/2″ wood screws to attach the top to the table. Predrill through the top 1×3 support boards into the top, and attach the top with screws through the 1×3 boards into the top.
25. Cut the boards for the drawer (be sure to measure the distance between the installed drawer rails and ensure that the total width of your drawer is 1″ less than the distance between the two rails – adjust your cuts accordingly).
- Cut two 1/2″ plywood boards to 3″ x 8 1/4″
- Cut two 1/2″ plywood boards to 3″ x 14″
- Cut one 1/2″ plywood board to 7 1/4″ x 14″
26. Assemble the drawers.
- Use wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails (easiest with a nail gun) to attach the two 3″ x 14″ boards to each 14″ side of the 7 1/4″ x 14″ board.
- Use wood glue and 1 1/4″ brad nails to attach two 3″ x 8 1/4″ to the front and back of the drawer assembly.
- Attach the drawer slides to each side of the drawer.
27. Cut and attach the drawer front.
- Cut a 1×4 board down to 9 5/16″ x 3 7/8″
- Use wood glue and 1 1/4″ wood screws to attach the drawer front (attach through the back of the front drawer assembly board) (Quick tip: push the drawer assembly all the way in, place the front face board in proper position, and then use a brad nailer and 3/4″ braid nails to hold the drawer in place before attaching with screws).
28. Fill all visible brad nail holes with wood filler and let dry.
29. Sand the table until all sides and tops are smooth (start with low grit sand paper and work your way up to a higher grit).
30. Stain the end table (I used a 1/2 and 1/2 mix of Varathane Briarsmoke and Varathane Weathered Grey) and let dry.
31. Coat with at least three coats of Interior polyurethane in satin finish.
32. Add the drawer knob in the center of the drawer front and enjoy your new furniture!
Don’t forget to check out all the other DIY Build it Cheaper projects on the At Home DIY Challenge website:
Leave a Reply