Scavenger Chic

Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

• By Joan
• April 17, 2024
• 2 Comments

Reclaimed Wood Dining Table

When I shared with you the buffet makeover in the above picture last year, I mentioned that everything in this photo with the exception of the rug was either a thrift store find or a dump find.  The dump find (or finds) was the dining room table.  In Baltimore there is a fantastic  second hand salvage store,  Second Chance .    What they can’t sell in their store they put in a corner of their parking lot  in a huge dump pile and leave it free for the taking.  For a scavenger like me, it’s gold!  If you ever hear me talking about getting something from the dump pile, that’s probably where I was.

The dump pile is where I found these two butcher block table tops.  The two end pieces are actually from one table  and the piece in the middle is a second table top.  I’ve put the piece in the middle sideways so that the grain from each of the table tops go in the same direction.

There were no legs in sight for either of these two tables.

  I’ve cut down the center butcher block so it is the same width as my ends and using a 240 grit sandpaper to remove all the old varnish and scratches.

These legs were also found at my favorite dump pile a couple of months earlier.  I knew they would come in handy one day.  They just screw into the wood top.

I also plan to add a 1×4 wood skirt to the table, between the legs to give the table a little more presence.

I cut and stained the wood skirt a dark walnut.  Truth be told, the skirt was new wood, so that I could get  nice long pieces that weren’t warped.

Around the inside of the table skirt I added 1×2’s screwed directly to the table top.

Once the 1×2’s were attached I could use finish nails to attach the skirt directly to those 1×2’s.

More 1×2’s span the length of the tabletop.  All of these will prevent that middle section of table from sagging.

Do use more screws than what I am showing here.  I was using the minimum amount possible because I had to take the table back apart to move it.

For added support, I added more bracing to the bottom of the table.

I used lag screws to attach the end bracing directly to the solid wood legs.

It does help to construct the table on a flat surface.

When the socket wrench screwing got too hard I did have to call out the big guns, thank you Brian.

The top of the table was finished with a dark walnut stain and three coats of a tung oil finish.  If you’ve never used tung oil, it leaves a beautiful hand rubbed finish.  To use tung oil, wait for your stain to dry completely.  With a soft lint free rag apply a coat of the tung oil and let dry.  If there are any bumps, use  fine steel wool in between coats to buff.  Wipe off any steel wool remnants then apply a second coat of the tung oil.  Repeat as often as you want until you get a finish you like.

The pieces on the bottom of the table, the legs and braces,  were sanded then painted with a black semi gloss paint.

For someone who is not a furniture maker, I think this reclaimed wood dining table turned out rather well.  You never know what you can make until you try.

Until next time, stay inspired.

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