DIY $40 coffee table

I had been searching for a coffee table for some time, and couldn’t find one that fit our space that was within our budget. So instead of getting anything, I decided to make a temporary table. 

I wanted something simple and low profile. What started as a temporary table has now become our permanent coffee table and it fits our space well. 

This table doesn’t require much, and is customizable in whatever length and color you want. Here are the simple steps I took to make this table:

My first step was buying the supplies. I bought two 2x10x8 pieces of pine wood, which cost me $40.

Then I measured out the length I needed and cut the pieces to size. I used my miter saw and had to make two cuts, because my blade wouldn’t cut all the way through in one pass. 

This is what one cut with my miter saw cut. So I flipped the board, lined the cut up with the blade and cut another pass to fully complete the cut. 

Once I had them to the size I needed, I ran the inside edges through the table saw, to take of the rounded edges of the wood, where the pieces were going to be screwed together. This is optional and if you don’t have a table saw, you can make your table with rounded edges. I kept the outsides edges round. 

Once I had all of my pieces cut and edges trimmed off, I used pocket holes to attach the table top pieces together. I then took two short pieces and used those for the legs, again using pocket holes to attach this to the table top. 

As you can see, the table top pieces are all attached with pocket holes and the legs are also attached with pocket holes. 

Once everything was attached, I sanded it all down, including the two ends, which had sharp edges. Once I softened the edges and sanded it all down, I added white stain. 

I let this sit for 10 minutes and then wiped it off. Then I added two coats of sealer and allowed it to dry. 

I decorated with a few pieces that I had from Target and we have been so happy with our table. It’s held up for almost a year now and didn’t break the bank! 

I hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions. You can find the tutorial and pictures on my Instagram as well: @onesimplebliss. 

Items used:

2x10x8 pine boards

Pocket screws 

Stain

Wood sealer 

Table saw

Miter saw

Total cost: $40 (since I had everything else)