We Built a Table (From Old Wooden Pallets)

A couple months ago I started mentioning that I'd like... ummm, I wanted a farmhouse table for our dining room.  Settling for a cheaply made, or non-unique table just wasn't going to cut it.  I started surfing Craigslist, yard sale and estate listings for reclaimed wood that was for sale.  I found a couple listings, but whoa, the price of reclaimed woods is OUTRAGEOUS!  So, Bill started searching the web for other ways to make my dream table, and discovered pallet furniture.  

A few days ago, he brought home four pallets, and drew out some plans for our future table.  

I couldn't quite see his 'vision' in my head, so I made him bring the pallets into the dining room so I could visualize the dimensions.

 

July 4th, we woke up ready to assemble our custom-made table.

Little did we know how much work tearing apart old pallets really is. 

  

We kept some of the top boards in place while we attached two parts of the pre-assembled pallet frames for the frame of our table.

 Bill tore the the planks off, and I hammered out the old nails, and reinforced and sanded the planks we used for the legs of our table .

We realized about half-way through this process that we were not going to have near enough planks for the table and legs so we ran, and got five more pallets.

Once we disassembled all of them, we got to work laying out the pattern for the table top.

 

Starting from the center outwards, we nailed the planks to the frame.

 

While Bill cut and nailed the planks, I started the rough sanding. 

About mid-way through building the tabletop, we decided to call it a night.  Not to mention, it was about 11 p.m. and I'm sure the neighbors wouldn't have appreciated hearing us sawing wood.

 

Day 2.  Before starting we had to make a Home Depot run for the paint and oil I planned to use on the table-top.  (Yes, we are missing trim around the door.  We replaced the door recently, and Bill is putting the trim up as I write this.)

And I got out of work for a little bit, because I met my beautiful friend, Tiffany for lunch.

Tiffany and I have been friends on Twitter and Facebook for some time, because we are both involved with the Susan G Komen 3-Day, and know of each other through a group we are part of called 'The 3 Day Tweeps', but Friday was the first time I've ever met her in person.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago, finished chemo a couple weeks ago, and will be undergoing her bi-lateral mastectomy next Wednesday.  I'd appreciate it if y'all would send a few prayers up for her and the hands of her surgeons, and I know she'd appreciate it, too.

She is just so incredibly brave, full of life, beautiful, and inspiring, and I am so incredibly blessed to call her my friend.

After my visit, it was back to work.

When I got home, Bill had set the table-top on the legs so it'd be easier for us to work, and not strain our backs.

Good thinking, babe!

As he finished measuring out, cutting, and nailing the planks down, I started painting random pieces in various different colors.

Once the paint was dry, Bill cut the boards flush.

I went over the entire top and sides with a rough grit sand paper, then Bill followed with a fine grit to smooth it out.

I used a hand sander with very fine grit to smooth the seams, and then rubbed coconut oil on the entire table to bring out the natural color of the wood.

 

Once we carried the legs and the table-top into the house, we attached them with 'L' brackets to secure the table-top to the legs, and added two beams for extra support.

After we had it set up, I decided the lantern that Bill's aunt and uncle gave us for the wedding would make the perfect center piece, and it does.  It's gorgeous.

 

We toyed around with a few miscellaneous things we had laying around the house to add to the center, and we added a bench for seating.

We decided we liked the look of the leather bench, so we scrapped the idea of making benches and set out to find another bench and two 'decorative' chairs for the ends.

I had saw a shop called the 'Bargain House' in downtown Pineville when I was searching for the reclaimed wood, so we decided to go check it out.

We really didn't find anything there that we liked, but at the store right next door we found these.

 

Bill had noticed one at the front of the store, and I noticed one in the back, but at first we didn't realize they were the same chair.

Then we saw four more hanging overhead.

Six.

The exact amount we needed for our table.

The needle point and craftsmanship of these chairs is absolutely beautiful.

And the best part...we got all six of these chairs for the same price as one China-made chair we saw at Marshall's.

 

I could not be more in love with this room. 

And aside from it being completely unique, this project only cost us about $250.  Chairs included.

 

The salt and pepper shakers - Bill made those out of mason jars last night.

And the flowers, he grew and picked them for me.

He loves me well.

 

 

Do you think he's searching the web for our next project?  Or maybe a recipe for supper???  :)

Edited:  I've received a lot of questions about sealing the table.  The day we built the table, we used coconut oil to bring out the natural color of the wood.  I ended up sealing the entire table with Winwax Fast Drying Poly in a Satin finish.