I have been on the hunt for the perfect coffee table for years. Until recently we were still getting great use out of our Target table we purchased just weeks after we were married. We got a TON of use out of that little table (insert: my husband is a pastor and church planter. Before we moved to Tampa we hosted 2 small group bible studies in our home every week as well as numerous other gatherings and upon our move to Tampa the number of people in our home each week quadrupled… and our number of children tripled too.) By the end of its life screws were quite literally falling out of the bottom and it was so squeaky I begged Aaron not to put his feet up on it anymore.

We had been on the hunt for a new table for awhile but I just could never find one that I loved. The look was just never quite right and the price tag was always high.

So, when I stumbled upon this amazing DIY by Wit & Whistle I knew I had finally found the perfect coffee table and I had an idea how to make my own version. We quickly sold the rickety coffee table on craigslist (yippee for new screws and new owners who didn’t mind the squeaky!) along with its matching end table. Using the money from the sale I purchased a gorgeous table top from Ikea’s As-Is section for less than $30.00 The piece was big and although the original plan was to cut it down we decided we liked the size and opted to keep it just as it was. I then purchased 4 hairpin legs from here for less than $20.00 each. I used leftover stain from a previous project (my favorite stain ever – the color is perfect!) as well as leftover polyurethane making the total cost of our coffee table around $110.00. Best investment ever. We absolutely love the table and it was incredibly simple to produce!

DETAILS
Items Needed
+ Wood Top
+ Hairpin Legs
+ Electric Sander (or sandpaper – to take existing finish off table top)
+ Stain
+ Brush or Rag (for stain)
+ Polyurethane
+ Natural Bristle Brush (for poly)
+ Drill & Screws

Directions
1. Lightly sand surface of table to remove varnish
2. Wipe down with damp cloth, allow to dry completely.
3. Apply stain as directed
4. Apply polyurethane as directed (I did two coats of the most heavy duty poly available)
5. Once dry flip over. Measure and mark for your table legs (I measured in about an 1 1/2 from the outside edges)
6. Attach legs to table by drilling in the provided holes

That’s it!! So simple and so perfect!! You can see mine below for a bit of inspiration but you could easily make this project fit your home and style by painting the wood a color or staining a different shade. In fact, I currently have two friends who are putting their own spin on this great DIY project. I would love to see yours if you give it a try!!

What do you think? Will you try your hand at one?

Now to work on those end tables….