I Made a $2000 Dining Table For Under $200!

I’ve wanted a concrete dining table for so long but couldn’t find one that I loved that was affordable.

I searched for inspiration and found some elements that I wanted to incorporate like this one from Pottery Barn.

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This one is from West Elm.

I love the concrete top on this one from Wayfair. These are all beautiful but I was convinced I could build one for less and still get the look I wanted.

I’ve been inspired by Japanese culture, design and aesthetic and wanted to incorporate more floor sitting into our daily routine. I was also motivated by a really great book I read which also encouraged more floor sitting as a way to stay mobile and keep our bodies agile. Because of this, I decided to make the dining table a traditional Chabudai, or floor sitting table.

Spoiler alert, we’ve been using it for several months and I have to say we’ve been enjoying eating dinner every day sitting on cushions on the floor and I’m happy to report it has gotten easier! It’s definitely uncomfortable at first, but our bodies are great at adapting. Think about young children who have no problem sitting, laying, or squatting on the floor in various positions. Somewhere along the line we lose this mobility in our adult life due to our sedentary lifestyles. We go from laying in bed, to sitting in our cars commuting to work, to sitting at a desk all day, to sitting in the car commuting home, to sitting at the dinner table, to sitting on the couch or a comfy chair and back to laying in our beds at night. Of course this is a very broad generalization and many of us are active and have jobs that require us to be on our feet much more, but you get the idea.

TOOLS:

• Miter Saw
• Table Saw
• Circular Saw with Rip Cut Guide
• Drill & Driver
• Pocket Hole Jig
• Brad Nailer
• Orbital Sander
• Tape Measure
• Propane Torch
• Trowel
• Mixer Drill Attachment
• Speed Square
• Router
• Corner Clamps
• Wood Clamps

SUPPLIES:

• (1x) 3/4″ Plywood 4 x 8’
• (6x) 2 x 4 x 10’
• Henry Feather Finish
• Food Safe Sealer
• Polyurethane
• 2 1/2” Wood Screws
• 2 1/2” Pocket Hole Screws
• Wood Glue
• 220 grit Sandpaper
• 1 ½” Brad Nails
• Sponge/Rag
• Foam Roller and Tray
• Bucket
• Floor Cushions

Build plans are available HERE!

YouTube Tutorial PART 1 is available HERE!

This table size comfortably seats 6 people. This is designed to be a floor sitting table but can be used as a coffee table as well.

The only building materials I used was a sheet of plywood and some 2×4’s. The first step was ripping down the plywood to make the table top and the trim to go around the edges. I used a Brad Nailer and Wood Glue to attach the trim around the edges of the table top.

Next, I cut all the 2×4’s to build the base and the table legs. I used Wood Glue and countersunk 2 1/2” Wood Screws to connect the table legs. Super simple!

These Corner Clamps have come in super handy when making things like this and you need 90 degree angles.

After the table legs were complete, I used 2×4’s to make a frame to go underneath the table top. This was to give it stability and also have something to attach the table legs to.

I connected the base 2×4’s using the Pocket Hole Jig, 2 1/2” Pocket Hole Screws and Wood Glue.

I added one more piece of 2×4 to connect the legs so that it was one piece. I pre-drilled holes to mount the legs and then used wood screws to attach the legs to the base. I did not glue the legs to the base just in case I want to take it off at any point.

Here is what the table looks like!

Now it’s time to make the table look nice! Instead of using wood stain or paint, I’m doing a Yakisugi finish which is basically just burning the wood. I’ve done this before and you can check out the other Yakisugi project I did HERE. To do this you’ll need a Propane Torch. Be sure to wear proper PPE for this and do it outside. Have a spray bottle with water just in case anything catches on fire.

Once you get the desired Yakisugi finish, let it completely cool and then coat with 2-3 coats of Polyurethane to seal it. This will protect the finish.

Now that the base is done, it’s time to finish the table top. I wanted a concrete table, but they are extremely heavy and difficult to make. So instead, I’m trying a feather finish which is a very thin layer of cement on top which will give it the look of concrete without adding much weight. Not to mention, this stuff is very afforable! This is the first time I’m using this product and it definitely had a bit of a learning curve but it’s not difficult to use. All you need is a drill with a mixer attachment, a bucket and some water. I experimented with a couple different trowels and settled on this one as my favorite.

After mixing the powdered cement with water, the working time is very short, about 10-15 minutes so you’ll want to work in very small sections and make small batches. Once it gets too dry, you can not add water, you just need to make a new batch. The good part is that because it dries so quickly, you can do several coats right away. By the time you finish the first coat, it’s dry to do the second coat.

I ended up doing three coats before getting it to look the way I wanted it. Once you’re satisfied with the look, take a sponge or cloth and get it wet to sand it. Wet sanding before it’s completely dry will prevent you from having to sand it more later.

After it’s completely dry, use an Orbital Sander with 220 grit Sandpaper to get the surface super smooth. Do NOT get the cheap red sandpaper from the hardware store. It will leave red flakes of sandpaper in the cement that you will never be able to get out. Instead, get a quality sandpaper like this one! Totally worth the extra money.

Once you’re happy with it, dust it off with a tack cloth and then it’s ready to be sealed. I used this Food Safe Sealer but didn’t bother to read the directions. Then I wondered why it wasn’t working properly and went back and read the directions and realized I did it completely wrong. So don’t make the same mistake I did. Read the directions and apply the sealant properly and it will work just fine.

Last step is to reattach the base! Voila! You have a new table!

I love the way it turned out! We’ve been eating dinner at the table for several weeks now and we love it! Floor sitting definitely takes some getting used to, but I will say it’s become much easier. The only down side is now the table is at dachshund height and Arrow and Zero think they are now invited to every meal. Other than that, we love it!

Thanks for reading and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming projects!

Until next time, happy DIY-ing!

-Selene Builds Things