Plans

Free DIY Furniture Plans // How to Build a Vintage Inspired French Work Table

06.08.15 By //
You Can Build This! Easy DIY Furniture Plans from The Design Confidential with Complete Instructions on How to Build a Vintage Inspired French Work Table via @thedesconf

Did you miss me? Did you notice all was quiet on the western front for a few days? No? Well, I still love you guys… Oh how fun is this project. I feel like it would be a chic outdoor gardening area, or a fabulous covered work table that just bekons stylish creation… don’t you think? Yahoo.

As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!

You Can Build This! Easy DIY Furniture Plans from The Design Confidential with Complete Instructions on How to Build a Vintage Inspired French Work Table via @thedesconf
$100-$150
You Can Build This! Easy DIY Furniture Plans from The Design Confidential with Complete Instructions on How to Build a Vintage Inspired French Work Table via @thedesconf
  • 1 – 1×2 at 8’
  • 4 – 2×2 at 8’
  • 4 – 2×4 at 8’
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at – 4’x8’
  • 3 – 1/2” diameter Wooden Dowel Rods at 8’
  • 2 – 2×4 at 30” – Sawhorse Tops
  • 8 – 2×4 at 24” – Sawhorse Sides
  • 4 – 1×2 at 7-1/4” – Sawhorse Bottoms
  • 2 – 2×4 at 26” – Sawhorse Stretchers
  • 2 – 3/4” plywood at 3-1/2”x30” – Table Sides
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 30”x66-1/2” – Table Bottom
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 2-3/4”x66-1/2” – Table Back
  • 2 – 3/4” plywood at 4-3/4”x20” – Cabinet Sides
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 4”x12” – Cabinet Back
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 12”x20” – Cabinet Bottom
  • 2 – 3/4” plywood at 3-1/4”x18” – Drawer Sides
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 2-1/2”x10-1/4” – Drawer Back
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 10-1/4”x18” – Drawer Bottom
  • 1 – 3/4” plywood at 4-1/2”x13-1/2” – Drawer Front
  • 2 – 2×2 at 96” – Awning Posts
  • 4 – 2×2 at 36” – Awning Arms
  • 4 – 1×2 at 12” – Awning Supports
  • 3 – 1/2” diameter Wooden Dowels at 74” – Dowel Rods

Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.

Cut the pieces for the Sawhorse Tops and Sawhorse Sides. With the Kreg jig for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes in the top ends of the Sawhorse Sides. Secure Sawhorse Sides to the Sawhorse Top with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws. Repeat twice, once for each Sawhorse.

Cut the pieces for Sawhorse Bottoms and Sawhorse Stretchers. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Sawhorse Bottoms. Attach the Sawhorse Bottoms to the Sawhorse Sides as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. Make sure that the pocket holes face the ground when assembling. Attach the Sawhorse Stretcher to the Sawhorse Bottoms with glue and 2” wood screws. Repeat twice, once for each Sawhorse.

Cut the pieces for Table Sides, Table Back, and Table Top. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes along the outer bottom sides of the Table Sides, to later attach to the Sawhorses.

With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes along the left and right bottom sides of the Table Top. Attach the Table Sides to the Table Top with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.

With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Table Back. Attach the Table Back to the Table Sides with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. Attach the Table Back to the Table Top with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws, starting the screws from the underside of the Table Top. Apply edge banding to the exposed edges of plywood on the Table if desired.

Now it’s starting to shape up! Attach the Table Top to the Sawhorses (through the Table Sides) as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.

Next, cut the pieces for the Cabinet Sides, Cabinet Back, and Cabinet Bottom. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes in both ends of the Cabinet Back (on the back side) and along the top edge. Drill pocket holes along the top edge of the Cabinet Sides. Attach the Cabinet Back to the Cabinet Sides with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.

Attach the Cabinet Back/Cabinet Sides to the Table Top as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws.

With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes along the sides of the Cabinet Bottom on the bottom side. Attach the Cabinet Bottom to the Cabinet Sides and Cabinet Back as shown with glue and 1-1/4” wood screws. Apply edge banding to the exposed edges of plywood on the Cabinet if desired.

Cut the pieces for the Drawer Sides, Drawer Back, Drawer Bottom, and Drawer Front. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes along the front ends of the Drawer Sides, at each end of the Drawer Back, and along the front and sides of the Drawer Bottom on the bottom.

Attach the Drawer Front to the Drawer Sides and Drawer Bottom as shown with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. The Drawer Front will extend beyond the Drawer Sides on the top by 1/2”, the sides by 7/8”, and the bottom by 3/4”. Apply edge banding to the exposed edges of plywood on the Drawer if desired.

Install the Drawer into the Cabinet as shown. After finishing, apply a coat of paste wax to the bottom of the Drawer Box to help it slide smoothly. Add drawer hardware such as a pull or knob if desired. Drawer Box will have a 1/8” gap on each side once installed inside the Cabinet.

Cut the pieces for the Awning Posts, Awning Arms, and Awning Supports. With the Kreg jig set for 1-1/2” material, drill pocket holes on one end of each Awning Arm. With the Kreg jig set for 3/4” material, drill pocket holes on each end of the Awning Supports. Drill 1/2” diameter holes on one end of each Awning Arm (the opposite end from where the pocket holes were drilled) and at the top of the Awning Post as shown. Attach the Awning Arms to the Awning Post with glue and 2-1/2” pocket screws. Attach the Awning Supports to the Awning Arms and Awning Post with glue and 1-1/4” pocket screws. Repeat twice, once for each side of the Work Table.

Clamp the Awning Sides to the Work Table as shown. Drill pilot holes and screw in the Lag Screws in the locations noted. Repeat for each side of the Work Table.

Cut the piece for the Cloth Awning. If you cannot find fabric wide enough for the Cloth Awning, feel free to sew two pieces together to get the appropriate width. Turn under each side of the Cloth Awning 1/2”, iron, turn over another 1/2”, and iron again. To secure the edges of the fabric, you can use iron-on adhesive, fabric glue, or sew the edges.

Cut the pieces for the Dowel Pockets. Turn over all sides of the Dowel Pockets 1/2”, iron, turn over another 1/2”, and iron again. To secure the edges of the fabric, you can use iron-on adhesive, fabric glue, or sew the edges.

Place the Dowel Pockets on the Cloth Awning as shown. Secure the Dowel Pockets to the Cloth Awning along the long edges of the Dowel Pockets, leaving the ends open to later accept the Dowel Rods. To secure the fabric together, you can use iron-on adhesive, fabric glue, or sew into place.

Cut the pieces for the Dowel Rods. Insert a few inches of one end of the Dowel Rod into the drilled hole in the Awning Arm. “Thread” the Dowel Rod into the end Dowel Pocket of the Cloth Awning. Next, guide the Dowel Rod into the opposite Awning Arm. Repeat this process with the Dowel Rod at the top of the Awning Post and the Dowel Rod at the other end of the Cloth Awning. The Dowel Rods will extend past the Awning Sides by 1-1/2” on all ends. If you wish to secure the Dowel Rods into place, use 1-1/4” brad nails where the Dowel Rods pass through the Awning Arms and Awning Posts.

Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School

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