On Thanksgiving husband offered to host Christmas for his family. Think 30 some people all wanting to eat at once. The most we’d accommodated in this house was 15 before and husband was adamant that folding tables were not an option. Since our table only seats 10 he decided we needed 2 more tables we could use for any future family events. We can build our own he declared when I told him we didn’t have the budget to buy more furniture. My skeptical look did nothing to deter him.
I soon found myself at the hardware store buying various bits, pocket hole drilling apparatuses, screws and an assortment of lumber in different shapes and sizes. The total came to a little under $300. I sighed and prepared for the project to go nowhere fast.
For several weeks the lumber sat on my dining room table while we mudded windows and sanded them down, trimmed out doorways and nailed up baseboard, painted areas with mud on them and cleaned every inch of the house in preparation for Christmas Day.
Then over this last weekend husband suddenly remembered that we had two tables left to build. We stayed up till 3am Saturday night just building the legs.
Sunday he slowly started to assemble the top. But soon lost motivation when he realized we had to go collect ten chairs from my cousin. Luckily he didn’t work Monday and eventually resumed work on his table top.
By the end of the night one table was completed! Now I’m just hoping he can stay motivated and not let his ADD get in the way of completing the second table top before Thursday. If he does we do have a couple folding tables in the basement lol.
The completed table!
dobetteralways 
Reblogged this on Use Me Again – Re-think everything.
Ooo very nice! Its crazy how similar that is to one I built. What was the inspiration for your plans?
Husband found a post somewhere on building your own table except he decided he wasn’t going to add decorative edges and wanted no interruption in the middle of the table.
As an amateur woodworker myself I have to saw, well done! Happy Holidays!
Thank you, it was an 80/20 effort so I will pass the compliment on to the husband. 🙂
Nice job! I like to work with wood barefoot as well 😉 Warm wishes to you and your family!
Thanks! Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
Nice job, BUT, what does that baby weigh? Better check the joists under the dining room!
It’s not that heavy actually. All the glue and screws keep it sturdy more so than weight.
Looks great DBA. I assume you’re doing a buffet or are hiring a waiting staff. Ha! $300 for two tables that size is pretty reasonable. I assume your hubbie will put some sealer on that fresh wood. The food is going to cost you more than the tables, I am sure. That’s a lot of cooking – I hope you’ve gotten started. I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We’re going to set up food buffet style in the kitchen and people can grab what they want and sit down. Luckily he completed the second table last night but we won’t seal/stain them till after Christmas. For now they just get a table cloth put over them. I am definitely starting food prep today so all I really have to make tomorrow are the turkeys and pot roast. This will be the most people I’ve ever hosted and the first time I’m doing all the cooking alone, hope I don’t disappoint.
You’ll do fine 😀
Thank you! Hope you have a wonderful day 🙂
Lovely table! Your story so reminded me of what it was like when I was young and still living at home with my parents. My father was a cabinet maker /joiner and when I was 15 years old he went self employed. He always got distracted and hardly ever finished jobs around the house. He found most carpentry jobs boring. I remember him promising my mother he’d make her a kitchen cupboard and eventually decided he ought to finish the job on Christmas Day. My mother was furious as she was trying to cook a large Christmas meal for 9 people and he was sawing and hammering away and making a mess right where she was trying to work. Ah, happy memories!?
Sounds like something my husband would do lol. Hope you’re having a wonderful day!
All over now – I’m very tired but can’t sleep (1.40 am) The day went very well, thank-you. Hope yours is wonderful too. Happy Christmas!
That’s a really lovely table, made to last, and looks good. Might have taken some time but your husband did a great job. And glad Christmas Day was good – now you can enjoy your nervous breakdown!