X-Base Dining Table
A 6 ft dining table that seats six: a thick 2x8 plank top on two steel X legs, with the legs set in from the ends so nobody bumps a knee.
- Skill
- Level 2 of 5 · Beginner
- Build time
- 5 to 7 hours, plus finish
- Lumber
- 5 2x8s and 1 1x4
- Joinery
- Pocket holes and leg screws
- Finished size
- 72″ L × 36¼″ W × 29½″ H
A 2x8 is actually 1½″ × 7¼″ and a 1x4 is ¾″ × 3½″. Every measurement in this plan uses the real size.
Shopping list
- 52x8, 8 ftThe top. Pick the flattest, driest boards in the pile; let them sit indoors a week before you build.
- 11x4, 6 ftThe cleats.
- 1 pair28″ X-shape table legs, pair28″ wide.
- ~10#10 × 1″ pan-head screwsFor the legs, if yours don't come with screws.
- ~302½″ coarse-thread pocket-hole screwsFor joining the top boards.
- ~201¼″ wood screwsFor the cleats.
- 1Wood glue
- —Sandpaper, 80 to 220 grit
- 1Stain and a clear topcoatPolyurethane stands up to a dining table.
Tools
- Miter saw or circular saw
- Pocket-hole jigSet for 1½″.
- Drill/driverWith a ⅛″ and a ¼″ bit.
- ClampsTwo that open 36″ or more.
- Random orbit sander
- Speed square, tape measure, pencil
Cut list
| Part | Qty | Size, inches | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATop boards | 5 | 1½ × 7¼ × 72 | 2x8 |
| BCleats | 2 | ¾ × 3½ × 32 | 1x4 |
Board layout. Each row is one board, cut left to right, with the remainder hatched. Dark lines are saw cuts, about ⅛″ wide.
Build it
01Cut the pieces
Cut every piece on the cut list:
- A Top boards, five at 72″
- B Cleats, two at 32″
Lay the five top boards side by side, best faces up, and shuffle them until the grain looks good. Alternate the curve of the end grain, smile, frown, smile, so the top stays flatter. Draw a big V across them.
02Drill the pocket holes
With the jig set for 1½″, drill five pocket holes along one edge of four of the top boards (A), on the underside: one in the middle, and 5″ and 18″ from each end.
03Join the top boards
Lay the boards (A) face down in order on a flat floor or two sawhorses, pocket holes along the joints. Clamp them flat, glue the edges and drive 2½″ pocket screws from the middle out, one joint at a time.
Watch outClamp across each joint right at the screw you're driving, so the faces stay flush. A dining top shows every step between boards.
04Add the cleats
Screw a cleat (B) across the underside of the top (A), 26″ from each end to its center, centered front to back. Make the outer holes ¼″ wide so the boards can move with the seasons, and drive six 1¼″ wood screws in each. No glue.
05Screw on the X legs
Set an X leg across each end of the top (A), its top bar centered 10″ from the end, 4⅛″ in from the front and back edges. Mark the holes, drill ⅛″ pilot holes no deeper than 1¼″, and drive a #10 × 1″ pan-head screw in every hole.
Check your legs' own instructions first. The plan is drawn for legs 28″ tall and 28″ wide, rated for at least 440 lb a pair.
Watch outThe top weighs about 70 lb. Get a helper to turn the table over.
06Sand and finish
Sand the top with 80 grit to flatten the seams, then 120, 180 and 220, and ease every edge. Finish it for a dining table: stain if you like, then three coats of polyurethane, sanding lightly between coats.
Build at your own risk. Check every measurement against your own lumber before you cut, test-fit before you glue, and wear eye and ear protection.