DIY Guide To Build Your Own French Inspired Farmhouse Dining Table

Today I am sharing a tutorial on how to build your own French farmhouse dining table!
Hey, friends! I know what you’re probably thinking—didn’t she just share a DIY post last week? The answer is yes, but what can I say? We LOVE a good DIY project around here! Haha. Plus, I couldn’t resist finally sharing all of the details of our French-inspired farmhouse table with you all!

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Dining tables can be ridiculously expensive, but building your own dining room table can save you a ton of money while allowing you to customize every detail. From the design to the wood to the stain—every single element can be perfectly crafted into the farmhouse-style table of your dreams. If you have that fearless DIY spirit like Mike and I do, building your own DIY farmhouse dining table will be a breeze haha

I’m definitely thankful to have a self-taught carpenter for a husband! Mike is incredibly talented at home renovation projects, building furniture and all things DIY, and I feel so blessed that he was able to make this farmhouse dining table for me. I hope these basic instructions can be helpful if you’re thinking about building your own farmhouse style table!

The legs of the table are made from reclaimed barn wood beams that we salvaged from a local barn burn-down, while the tabletop boards and skirting are reclaimed maple we found on Facebook Marketplace. Fun fact—the top boards were actually part of an old work table! Using reclaimed wood is a great way to get that farmhouse finish.

To create the notches in the legs, Mike used a jigsaw to cut out the pieces, then a chisel to carve out the space for the cross brace and stretcher. He hammered them into place using a rubber mallet for a snug fit. To make it extra secure, you can use wood glue when fitting the pieces together. You can pickup this list of supplies at any Home Depot or home improvement store, but for convenience I have them all linked on Amazon.

We started by cutting down the table legs, each measuring 28 inches tall, 4 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. Then, we notched out a section of each leg to fit the cross brace, which is 20 ¾ inches long, 4 inches wide, and 2 inches deep. The cross brace starts about 5 inches from the bottom of each leg.

Next, we worked on the stretcher—the long board underneath that connects to the cross braces, giving the table extra support. The stretcher measures 4 inches wide, 2 inches deep, and 75 inches long, and Mike notched out a section of the cross brace to attach it securely.

For the tabletop, the two outer boards are 13 inches wide, the middle board is 10 inches wide, and the full width is just over 36 inches (3 feet). The table itself is 7 ½ feet long. The skirting measures 18 inches wide on either end and 63 ¼ inches long on the sides.

Mike used his Kreg Jig to join the top boards and skirting with pocket hole screws, securing the skirting to the tabletop and legs.

We didn’t use any stain on the table! Instead, we sanded and scrubbed the wood until the water ran clear, then sealed it with a clear finishing wax. We were lucky to find reclaimed wood with a beautiful natural patina, so no staining was needed. If you’re building your own, I highly recommend using aged wood with a color you already love to avoid the hassle of finding the perfect stain!

Mike has built three tables for me over the years, but this one is by far my favorite because of the character and history in the old wood. The previous tables had a new-construction look since we used fresh lumber, but this one has so much more warmth and authenticity.

This table is one of my favorite pieces in our home. We share family meals, homeschool, and do arts and crafts here. I love that I can style it with home décor or strip it down for projects.

I hope these DIY farmhouse table plans are helpful if you’re ready for a new DIY adventure! What do you think of our French farmhouse table? Let me know in the comments below, and be sure to sign up for my free mini homemaking course below for more home decor inspiration!

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