Ginger Snap Crafts: DIY Console Table {tutorial}

Good morning! With a little more time on our hands, it is the perfect time to tackle building a piece of furniture. Thinking about building a piece of furniture can be a little daunting, but this DIY Console Table is the perfect project to tackle. The supplies are inexpensive. Everything including the wood and hardware cost under $50. It only takes an afternoon to put together, and you can find so many ways to use a piece like this in your home. From a TV stand to bookshelf or sofa table to entryway console, you are sure to find the perfect spot for this piece in your home. Right now we are actually using this table in our pantry. Let’s get started! :)

First you’ll need some supplies. :)

For this project you will need:
ten 8 foot 2x4 boards
two 8 foot 1x2 boards
2 1/2 inch premium trim screws
4 1/2 inch HeadLOK screws
miter saw
drill
nail gun
brad nails
wood glue
stain
sander
sandpaper
wood glue
rubber mallet
clamps

***Remember to use extreme caution and common sense when using power tools. Follow all manufacturer’s instructions, wear safety gear and build at your own risk.***

Step one: Cut out your wood pieces.

First, I cut out all of my console pieces. You will need four 5 foot pieces of 2x4 boards for the top. FYI: I used 1x2’s as brace pieces for the console. You will need six of these 10 1/2 inch long brace pieces.

I’m kind of skipping ahead, but while my console was in pieces I went ahead & drilled in two of my support pieces underneath the console’s top. They are positioned 1/2 inch from the edge with 1 3/4 inches left on each side. I used 2 1/2 inch premium screws to hold this in place. These screws are a little bit pricey, but with their smaller head I think they look better and are hardly noticeable. TIP: Always drill a pilot hole before drilling the screws into the wood. This will prevent the wood from splitting.

Alright, now let’s get back to the wood pieces. For the two bottom shelves you will need three 59 inch long pieces of 2x4 board. So, that is six total pieces all together.

For the legs, you will need four 32 1/2 inch pieces of 2x4s. Then I sanded all my pieces with a hand sander. Now, it’s time for the fun part ~ assembly!

Step two: Assemble your console.

I already showed you how I assembled my table top. The legs were the second thing that we put together. The first brace piece is 1/8 of an inch from the bottom and middle brace piece is 16 inches from the bottom on each leg. To hide the screws, we screwed in the 2 1/2 inch screw from the back and at an angle. Be careful not to let your screw show on the other side.

Next, we attached the table top to the legs using the HeadLOK decorative screws. I have used these screws before on our farmhouse kitchen table and picnic table. They are pretty, and you won’t mind them showing on your finished piece of furniture.

You’ll need one of these on each corner of your console table. So, that’s four screws in all.

Next, we sat the first shelf into place. The fit was tight, so we used a rubber mallet to get everything in place.

Then we flipped our console upside down to drill these in place. TIP: To keep all the boards nice and lined up, we used a clamp to hold everything in place as we drilled the boards to the brace pieces. Also, place some boards underneath your console, so the tabletop doesn’t get scratched.

Also, don’t forget to drill your pilot holes before screwing these boards together!

This is optional, but for extra support we drilled 2 screws on each side at an angle. Take it slow! You don’t want to drill threw your wood at a weird angle. Note: This is also how we drilled the brace pieces to the legs earlier.

Next, we laid our console on its side and drilled in the bottom shelf using the same method as above.

The last thing we did was add two Xs on each side of our console. This really makes the project. I love the Xs! These were custom cut for each spot using 1x2 boards and 50° on each end. To attach them we used a nail gun and brad nails and a little bit of wood glue in between each piece.

Here is the finished console. Wasn’t that easy? Sand it one more time, if needed.

Step three: Stain your console.

When you stain your console, it will take it to the next level! It’s amazing what a little bit of stain can do to wood furniture. Even furniture that is made with 2x4s! I used my go to stain color, dark walnut. TIP: Always use rubber gloves when staining. I also use an old rag and work the stain into the wood and then wipe off any excess stain with a clean rag. Let dry for 24 hours.

Step four: Enjoy your new table!

I hope you tackle this project for your home. Let me know if you do! Also, let me know if you have an questions. Don’t forget to pin this project for later. Annnnd enjoy these other easy DIY builds! Click the link for the tutorial. :)