DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table

DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
A couple days ago, we shared an Autumn Harvest Table for some inspiration for a fall or Thanksgiving dinner. Today, we’re sharing how to make the actual table! One of the things we always seem to be in need of when we’re hosting gatherings, is more tables! And I specifically wanted a table that we could transport easily, and store away when we weren’t using it. So I told my handy carpenter husband about my dream portable table, and we set to work to make it happen!
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
Because of our love of natural, simple (and inexpensive!) materials, we chose to make a plywood tabletop and used pine for the sawhorse legs. These legs are similar to the ones we made for our Concrete Desk, but different in that these legs can fold up, and be easily transported or stored away. Of course, this could also be painted if you’d like a bit of color!
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
Materials:
– pine boards (1x8x8 and 1x8x6)
– plywood
– table saw and dado blade
– power planer
– drill + drill bit + screw bit
– screws
– nail gun
– nails
– wood glue
– clamps
– rope
– hinge (we used a piano hinge)
– polyurethane
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
Directions:
Cut pine boards into 8 legs, 4 top cross pieces and 4 bottom cross pieces. The measurements are below.

– leg pieces: 30.5” x 2” – 8
– top cross pieces: 28” x 2 1/2” – 4
– bottom cross pieces: 24” x 2” – 4

Cut dado’s in the legs 5” from the bottom and 2” wide so that the bottom cross piece will fit in snugly; all of the the dado depths should be half the thickness of your wood. Cut a dado on the same side at the top of the leg that is 2 1/2” wide starting from the top of the leg.
Cut dado’s in the top cross piece starting 2” in from the ends and make them 2” wide.
Cut dado’s in the bottom cross pieces 2” wide starting from the ends of the boards.
Glue and clamp the pieces together – make sure to use blocks when clamping so that you don’t put clamp marks in the wood. When they are dry remove the clamps and sand.
Install hinges flush with the top of the legs.
Drill holes big enough for your rope to go through 8” up from the bottom of the legs centered on the board. Tie a knot in one end of a 16” piece of rope and feed the other end through the holes tie another knot on the other end. Our legs are 9” apart when open. Repeat for remaining legs.

Cut your plywood tabletop to the desired size, we made ours 33” by 63”. We added a strip of plywood as a border around the edge of our tabletop, this gives the edge of the table a thicker look, and is optional. Do add the border, cut 2” strips of plywood using a table saw cut two pieces 66” long and two pieces 29” long, glue and nail these to the bottom edge of the table top which will make the edge of the table 1 1/2” thick. Sand the table top and edges, apply finish.

To use the table, set up legs, set tabletop on legs and feast!
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
DIY Sawhorse Leg Plywood Table @themerrythought
Here’s to many gatherings happening around the table over the next few weeks!

Enjoy this weekend!

-Manda

© 2018 The Merrythought Collective, LLC | Logo by Craig Pierce

 

AN ELITE CAFEMEDIA HOME/DIY PUBLISHER