How to Build a Rustic Table Using 2-by-4s

Lay the four 30-inch-long, 2-by-4 boards on a flat surface, parallel to each other. Space each board 1 inch apart.

Coat one 4-inch side of each of the 20-inch boards with a thin layer of wood glue.

Set one 20-inch-long board on top of the four boards, perpendicular to them. Place the glue side down. The 20-inch-long board should be 6 inches in from the left side of the four 30-inch boards.

Place the remaining 20-inch-long board on top of the four boards, glue side down, perpendicular to the boards and 6 inches in from the right side of the boards.

Turn the glued-together boards over, so that the four boards are on the top. Secure the two 20-inch boards to the other boards by drilling a wood screw into each of the four boards at the spot where it connects to the 20-inch boards. You'll use two screws per 30-inch board -- one at each end.

Turn the boards over again so that the 20-inch boards face up. This is the table top.

Lay the 26-inch-long boards on a flat surface on one of the 4-inch sides.

Drill two 1/2-inch-deep holes into each 26-inch-long board. The first hole should be 2 inches from the top edge on the 4-inch side and the second hole should be 2 inches from the bottom edge on the 4-inch side. Center each hole on the 4-inch side. When you press two boards together, you want the holes to line up.

Coat one end of a dowel with wood glue and push into one of the holes. Coat the end of another dowel and push into the other hole on the board. Coat the ends of the dowels sticking up from the board with glue and push another wood board on top of the dowels. You should now have a piece that measure 4-inches square and 26 inches long. This is one table leg. Repeat, joining pairs of boards together with dowels, to make the remaining three table legs. Let the glue dry.

Drill two 1/2-inch holes on the top side of each table leg. Each hole should be in the center of one wood board. Drill a total of eight 1/2-inch holes on the the underside of the table top, on the two 20-inch boards. The holes on the table top should be 1 inch away from the edge, in the center of the board and 3 inches away from the edge, in the center of the board.

Coat eight dowels with glue and push into the holes on the table top. Coat the tops of the dowels with glue and push the legs onto the dowels. Let the glue dry for a few hours, then turn the table right side up.

Pour vinegar over the steel wool. You want to completely saturate the steel wool. Another option is to pour the vinegar into a bowl and set the wool into the bowl. Let the wool soak in the vinegar for at least a day.

Sand the table with medium-grit sandpaper while the wool soaks.

Rub the steel wool over the wood. The vinegar weathers the wood, giving it a gray color. The steel wool help to rough up the wood, adding a rustic texture.