A beautifully simple and natural piece of furniture made from reclaimed roofing timber. It’s a sturdy design that can be used indoors and outdoors, perfect if you’re short of space.
Materials & Tools
- Reclaimed roofing timber tops (6 x 600mm x 150mm)
- Joists to support the table top (4 x 600mm x 20mm)
- Legs (4 x 480mm x 94mm)
- Side aprons (2 x 600mm x 94mm)
- Side aprons – leg side (2 x 450mm x 94mm)
Step 1 – Build the top
Cut all the wood to the sizes above. Then lay the tabletop boards together on a flat surface and glue/ screw the joints. Ideally use two screws per joist and minimise the gaps as your screw it together. If you’re going for more of a rustic feel the spacing doesn’t have to be exact.
Step 2
Screw the larger side aprons to the table top. I used a countersink drill bit before screwing it in so I could conceal the screws before painting. It’s also a good idea to use wood glue to ensure a steady fit. For the screws I used 4.0 x 40mm multipurpose screws which you can pick up from any hardware store.
I pre-painted the top of the aprons and legs as these will have a fully painted and de-stressed finish to match the tops. If you you’re using the same wood throughout and not painting then this isn’t necessary.
Step 3
Attach the legs in the same way, although don’t use glue if you need them to be removable. Keep the outside edges flush. A top tip is to only put one screw in each of the legs. Then turn the table over to how it would be placed and then adjust the table so legs are level, top is level, and everything is square. Then add remaining screws.
Step 4
Finally glue and screw in the aprons between the legs. This should be a snug fit so might need to tapped into place. Don’t use a hammer on its own as it will damage the wood, an off cut between the hammer and apron will do.
Step 5
I really want a nice flush finish so I’ve applied wood filler to cover the joins and all of the counter sunk screws. Once dried lightly sand until even. Don’t worry about the filler being a different colour as the paint will conceal it.
Step 5 – The finish
I used chalk paint to finish the base of the table from Annie Sloan Paints It’s a unique paint in a classic white colour, especially made for painting furniture giving it that matt velvety finish.
The paint is really thick and only needs one application. Once the paint dries apply a layer of wax to protect the paint, especially if you’re using the table outdoors. I want a slightly shabby chic finish so rubbed the edges with wire wool, then applied another layer of wax.
