How to Build a Gathering Table

Gathering tables are nice for family or community events because they often seat eight to 10 people and are usually simplistic in design. Building your own gathering table requires little time and few materials. One sheet of plywood, a moderate amount of construction lumber and a little hardware should suffice. Building your own gathering table will save you money from buying one from a store, and it will give you the satisfaction of building a functional addition for your home.

Tape measure
2 Pine boards, 2 by 6 by 48 inches
2 Pine boards, 2 by 6 by 33 inches
Screw gun
40 Wood screws, 3 inches long
Plywood board, ¾ inch by 4 feet by 6 feet
4 Pine boards, 4 by 4 by 30 inches
2 Pine boards, 2 by 4 by 33 inches
Pine board, 2 by 4 by 35 inches
Orbital sander
Sandpaper, medium and fine grades
Tack cloth
Wood stain
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Lay two 48-inch boards horizontal, on edge, and parallel. Space them so they are 33 inches apart. Place two 33-inch boards perpendicularly between them, and space these boards 45 inches apart. Screw the 48-inch boards into the ends of the 33-inch boards. Place the screws ¾ inches from the ends of the 48-inch boards. This is the frame that the tabletop will sit on.
- 2
  Set the plywood board on top of the frame. The frame should be centered underneath the board, with the 36-inch sides of the frame one foot away from each 48-inch side of the plywood and the 48-inch sides of the frame six inches away from each 6-foot side of the plywood. Use eight screws to screw the plywood to the frame.
- 3
  Turn the plywood board upside down so the frame is on top and laying horizontally. Stand a 30-inch board perpendicularly in the lower left-hand corner. Screw through the 2-by-6 board into the 30-inch board. This is one leg for the table. Repeat this process in each corner with the other three 30-inch boards to attach the rest of the legs.
- 4
  Screw one of the 33-inch 2-by-4 boards to the two vertical legs on the left side of the table. The 2-by-4 board must be perpendicular to the legs, on the inside and 10 inches from the bottom. Screw the other 33-inch 2-by-4 board to the other two table legs in the same fashion.
- 5
  Position the 35-inch board so it is perpendicular to the 16½-inch centers of the 33-inch 2-by-4 boards. Screw through the 33-inch boards into the ends of the 35-inch board.
- 6
  Position your table upright. Sand down the entire table with medium grade sandpaper, then fine grade sandpaper. Wipe your table clean with a tack cloth, and apply your wood stain with a paintbrush. Let the stain dry according to instructions.

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