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Entry Table Made from Reclaimed Lumber

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Entry Table

Hello!  I am excited to share how I built an Entry Table.  I made it as a house warming gift for my sister and brother-in-law, who needed something for their front entryway.  I love making gifts for people, so this was a very fun project for me!

Entry Table made with old deck and scrap wood
Isn’t it cute!?   Let me show you how it got started…

Old deck wood
…with a pile of old deck wood.  I love repurposing old wood, and I knew from my old deck wood laundry crate that this type of wood is perfect to use.   Since I didn’t have a plan I will show you the basic process I used to build.
figuring out measurements and cuts for entry table
I started by cutting my top deck wood boards to the length I wanted, just under 3 feet.  I also cut the deck railings, which I used for the legs, to the height I wanted.  Then I placed the legs by the top boards with about 1/2 inch inset on each side, and began measuring and cutting the rest of the boards I needed.  All of the wood I used in this project was old deck wood (the top, bottom shelf, and the legs) the rest was scrap wood I had collected free from craig’s list.
Above you can see I cut the back and front boards all the same length.  I also cut the sides about 1/2 inch shorter than two top deck boards put together.  With all the wood cut and sanded it is time to build!
Using pocket holes to attach back piece to table legs
I drilled pocket holes with my Kreg Jig  and used my right angle clamps to help attach the back piece to the legs.  You can see I also drilled pocket holes on the board for attaching the table top later on.
Attaching front boards to table legs with pocket hole screws
For the front I attached the two scrap boards to the legs, the opening is for the the drawer.  Pocket holes make a strong hold, but I always love the added security of using Gorilla wood glue!
Attaching bottom support boards for entry table
Next, I added the bottom shelf supports with glue, a clamp to hold things in place, and pocket hole screws.
Front and back of entry table built
And that left me with this.  The front and back of the table.  Next up?  The sides.
Adding side boards to front table piece
I simply added the top sides and the bottom side supports with glue and pocket hole screws.  (I did build this on the table with clamps, but I moved it to take the pictures)  Now to attach the back…
Screwing on back piece to sides and front of table base
I put the front (with sides) on top of the back, clamped it down and screwed it together.  Easy!  I say easy because clamping makes all the difference when drilling pocket holes…trust me.  It is looking like a table!
Table top is not big enough
I used pocket holes in the deck boards and screwed them together (can’t for the life of me find the pictures, I know I took them…)  Anyway, I was so excited and plopped the top on the table to see how it fit aaaaand…..it didn’t.  What?  Took me a few seconds to realize why.  When I measured the side boards to the top two boards I forgot to include the legs in the measurement…heeeeello!
Cutting deck board in half length wise with a jigsaw
Since another deck board would make the top too big, I decided to just cut one in half.  I don’t have a table saw, so I used the next best thing, a jigsaw.  My $5 Restore jig saw to be exact. 🙂  It did the job and I can totally embrace the imperfections. I could have used a circular saw, but I think it is easier to match up the line with a jig saw, since I had to cut half, then flip it, and cut the other half.
With my new short boards cut, sanded, and pocket holes drilled I attached them to the table top and bottom shelf, making them both two and a half deck boards deep.
marking where to notch bottom shelf of entry table
Here you can see the top fits much better, and I am also marking where to cut my notches for the bottom shelf.  It was easy to just set the table on the shelf and mark out the notches, just ask Sunny, she was a very good helper.
Notching out spaces for the legs on bottom shelf
 With my jigsaw I cut out the notches on the lines I had marked, and it fit!
Entry table all built and ready for finish
On the bottom shelf I did mark and trim the sides and back to be flush with the legs, since they were a little longer.  I used my circular saw to cut off the excess.  This little table is now ready for a drawer.
Measuring the opening for the drawer
I actually measured for the drawer before I started building to make sure I had scrap wood the right size.  The space above shows where to take the measurement, my drawer wood was smaller than the drawer opening. I used scrap 1×3’s.
Building drawer and drawer guide
On the left is the drawer frame, I used scrap plywood to make a bottom (see top right).  I am also showing my drawer glide attached to the side of the drawer on the right.  I added one to each side of the drawer.
Adding wood for drawer guides in entry table
The drawer guides slide over these support boards I added above, I put one on each side.  The middle one is extra support for the drawer bottom.
Drawer face attached
I slid in the drawer, measured the opening for the drawer face, minus 1/8 of an inch on all sides, and cut scrap plywood to fit.  Then I glued and nailed it on.  For a more details on how I did this you can check out my night stand makeover.
Staining top, bottom shelf, and drawer front of entry table
With everything built it was time for the finish.  I used Rust-oleum’s Kona (because that is what I had) and stained the top, bottom shelf, and drawer front.  I had left over stain on my old sock rag and decided to rub it off on the edges of the table, just incase I decided to distress it.
Contact paper stencil to make arrow pattern on drawer of entry table
This table is pretty basic, so I wanted to add a little pizazz.  I went with some arrows I cut with contact paper on my cricut.  I also used painter’s tape to complete the shape to the end of the drawer front and then did a quick coat of white.  You can see I have also drilled the holes for the handles.
Painting entry table base white
I was really liking it, but I wasn’t done.  I needed to paint the table.  I ended up going with white because I didn’t know the best color for the room.  It is actually done with Rust-eolum’s Heirloom white, and I decided not to distress the edges… When it was dry I attached the table top from the inside with the pocket holes I had drilled and screws.  For the bottom shelf I glued and nailed it to the support boards.  I nailed the sides from the top first, then flipped it over and nailed the front and back from the bottom.
Close up of entry table arrow painted drawer
I found some great pulls at Home Depot and attached them, and I was finished!  I am loving the drawer front.
Old deck wood Bottom shelf of entry table
I did do three coats of poly on the stained wood, sanding with fine grit between coats 1 and 2.  For a rustic, yet smooth, finish to the old deck wood.
Entry Table made with old deck and scrap wood
I love that it is taller than normal and makes a fun statement.
Entry Table made with old deck and scrap wood
Before I gave it to my Sister and Brother-in-law I tried it out in my entryway.  And, I loved it…
Entry Table made with old deck and scrap wood
Are you starting to see why I collect other people’s trashed wood?   It has SO much potential with a little imagination and TLC.  My reclaimed wood table was also made from trashed wood and it is one of my faves.
Entry Table made with old deck and scrap wood, before and after
Do you think you would attempt building a table like this?  It might be worth a try!


Thanks for reading!
Mindi
see more great projects from Mindi
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ABOUT GAIL WILSON - A teacher at heart, Gail Wilson relishes the chance not to show off her projects, but to help others find their inner handywoman, step-by-step. Her blog, MyRepurposedLife.com, chronicles her scrap-saving adventures and has been featured on countless DIY magazines and websites, including Women’s Day, Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. She is a longtime influencer for both Homeright and Gorrilla Glue. With a tribe of more than 450,000 followers, Gail is inspiring a new generation of DIYers to pick up some tools and get to work.

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Comments

  13. I love this piece! Especially the detail on the front of the drawer. And the deep color of the top and shelf. And the white frame. And the handles. Okay, everything!

    Reply
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me! I read and appreciate every word!

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