How to Make Your Own Wood Table From 2 x 4s

Cuts the 2-by-4s at the following measuring points: Cut four pieces at 30 inches for the legs, two pieces at 52 inches for the long rails, two pieces at 32 inches for the short rails, and 10 pieces at 60 inches for the table top. The finished table will measure 60 inches in length by 40 inches in width by 32 inches in height and seat six, comfortably.

Make rabbet cuts in the corners of your short rails. A rabbet cut is basically a corner cut used to connect two pieces together similar to the cuts in Lincoln logs. Cut a 2-inch corner out of both ends of the short-rail pieces. The easiest way to do this is to perforate the corners using the circular saw. Then scrape out the remaining wood chips with a chisel and a hammer to make smooth, flat rabbets.

Connect the top of each leg piece to each rabbet in the short rails to make the table frame. The side corner of the legs should overhang the short rails by 2 inches, which is where the long rails will connect.

Drill two screws straight in through the rabbets to connect the short rails to the legs. Drill two more screws in at a 45-degree angle where the corner of the rabbets and the corner of the legs meet for reinforcement.

Connect the long rails to the overhang corner of the legs and short rails, and fill in all the screw holes with wood filler to complete the frame.

Connect all 10 of the 60-inch slats to the top of the frame to make the the table top. Drill in two screws to connect each slat to the short rails and a few screws, evenly spaced, to connect the two end slats to the long rails. The table top should overhang all sides of the frame by 2 inches.