
This Simple DIY Coffee Table Is the Perfect Beginner WoodWorking Project
What is more exciting than building an entire piece of furniture with your bare hands?
Well maybe an endless sundae bar but other than that, nothing!
Coffee tables can be kind of pricey & I have a hard time spending a lot of money on something that my toddler is going to use as a toy car racetrack & to hold his suckers in between licks.
So when I saw we had wood left over from our outdoor table build I knew exactly what I needed to do!
Supplies:
- (3) 2x6x8
- Scrap Plywood
- Rockler Metal Legs
- Circular Saw
- Wood Glue
Procedure:
- The first thing I did was decide what size I wanted the coffee table to be. I went 4′ long & 24” wide.
- Next, I cut my scrap piece of plywood to the correct length using a circular saw & guide.
- Then I used the table saw to cut it to the correct length.
- After that shelf was cut we moved onto the 2×6’s. We cut them directly in half using a miter saw.
- Once the 2×6’s were cut down to size, I pre-drilled 3 sets of pocket holes
along the board. This is how we will secure the planks together.
- Next, we joined the planks together using wood glue & clamps. It’s important to clamp the boards together long ways & also at each of the ends to make sure the boards will be flush.
- For the 2” planks we used 2 1/2 “ pocket screws to join them.
- We also added a support piece across the width of the boards for extra security.
- This is just a scrap piece of 1×2 I secured to the planks with wood screws.
Finishing The Coffee Table Top
- Next, I sanded the edges, planks, & plywood for a smooth finish.
- We went with a Minwax Mocha stain for the coffee table. I absolutely love how rich this color is, it paired perfectly with the iron Rockler legs we will be attaching later. To apply stain I usually just use a clean rag, applying the stain in one direction.
- Finally, it’s time to make this thing look like a real table! We got these beautiful V-shaped steel legs from Rockler.
They come in multiple sizes & finishes! I simply attached the legs to the table top using screws.
The bottom plywood shelf fit perfectly inside the base.

Y’all this piece of furniture is my quickest build to date for sure! It is such an easy & fun project that costs less than $30 in wood.
The Rockler legs add an industrial vide that I absolutely love & accent the stain perfectly.
It’s a huge relief to know that at least these steel legs will be able to hold up to my acrobat of a toddler!
Let me know what y’all think of our brand new coffee table & which set of Rockler legs we should use for our next project!
The table looks amazing! I love the color!
Thanks so much Michelle! It’s one of my favorite stains!