Building A Unique Side Table

At one point in time, when I needed furniture, I went to RC Willey and bought what was there. For the most part, I liked it but you know you are limited to what's in front of you. When we first got married, our go-to-place was the RC Willey outlet store. We got our couch for a hundred bucks...yes. $100! I know, I know...you hate me☺jk. Next purchase was our table set. I think for all three it was somewhere between $100 and $150. I absolutely loooove these tables! It was actually hard changing out the coffee table for my tree stumps. It was worth it in the end, it brought uniqueness into the room, but still. I constantly remember my poor coffee table sitting in the basement all by its lonesome, and how much I still love it. I wish I had another living room to put it in :(

Here's the best before I can find of them all together.

Well, since the coffee table was moved out, all that remained in the living room were the side tables. These side tables looked awesome! when the coffee table was still there, but a little out of place without it. I've been wanting to change them since I changed the coffee table, but didn't know what direction to go in. I knew I didn't want to do the matchy-matchy thing again. Especially cuz it would look utterly ridiculous having tree stumps for my side tables and for my coffee table, 'know what I mean???

 Side table before

So, I went through a few ideas in my head about what I could do. I never got around to making those, so I figured they were useless ideas☺Cuz usually when I get an idea, I have to do it right.a.way. Like. That minute. I sleep thinking about it. With these ideas, totally didn't go through that process. So. Obviously I would hate them if I made them. Right? Obviously. haha. Aaaaanyways.

Then I tried an Ikea table that I got for twenty bucks. Looked hilarious. Husband hated it and for good reason this time☺

So, on went my adventure. Until one night, I was trying to get to bed, and my imagination went berserk. Don't you hate that??? This happens to me all the time. Like, why can't I think of things while I'm fully awake and can actually remember them??

 The best thing about this new 'idea' was that it was sooo simple. I think thats why I didn't go for the other ideas...they were just to complex, and I didn't want to deal with that.

So, the next day, went the good ol' Home Depot and got myself some wood! I ended up making two tables out of these, two different styles, the other one I will show you soon.

So, here's the supplies I used:
....Miter Saw....Nail Gun...2x6 pieces of wood....1x2 pieces of wood....Screws and Drill...wood stain...polyurethane...


First was to figure out what size I wanted everything. I really had no idea. haha. I just knew I wanted it to be smaller than my current side tables, so I kind of took some educated guesses from there.

The bottom piece consisted of 3 pieces of 2x6 cut at 25 inches each. I stacked these side by side, and secured them on one end with a 1x2 which was the same length as all of them put together. I just did this with my nail gun.

Next was to create the top and side pieces. I new I wanted it about 25" high, so for the side, I cut 3 more 2x6 pieces at 24 inches each (a little over an 1" was already there from the base since I was going to stack them on top of each other). I cut one end on each piece straight and the opposite end with a 45 degree miter cut. I then did the same with the top section, cut 3 2x6 pieces at 13" each, one side mitered at 45 degrees, the other straight.


I then took one top piece of wood and put its mitered edge against one side piece of wood. Made sure it was square in the middle, and secured the joint with my nail gun. I did this to all the top and side pieces.

Next, I turned the bottom piece onto its side and placed one of the side/top pieces against it. made sure the joint was square, and screwed in two 2" screws. I then did the same thing for the next to pieces.

To finish this off, and make sure it was secure, I took a 1x2 piece and used the nail gun to secure it to the connecting joints, one on the top, and one on the bottom. I then took a piece and finished the top edge, nailed these in also.


After all the craziness, time to stain! I used Minwax's dark walnut. Put a coat on, let it sit, then took a rag and wiped off the excess. After it was dry, I put a coat of polyurethane on.

Next was to see how it actually looked in my house☺ Thats they thing with making your own stuff, you don't really know until its done, and if it looks ridiculous, you can't return it. lol.

Luckily, this didn't look so ridiculous. I was worried, cuz its obviously a little different.

The next thing was to find a vase that I liked, that was white, and cheap and tall enough to look good on this thing. ...and I couldn't find one that fit all that criteria. But! I did find a red one that was $8 and tall enough. So that was good enough. Nothing a bit of spray paint can't fix, right?

This table took a little less than three 8' 2x6's. Which is a little under $12. Everything else I had on hand! Much better than anything you can buy at RC Willey☺

stay tuned for the next side table!

Linked to: I Heart Naptime Under the Table and Dreaming Between Naps On The Porch The DIY Showoff