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Three leg assemblies carry this table: two X-braced end frames and a plain center leg standing on its own small shelf rail. The X is the only joint in the whole build that isn't a straight butt-and-screw, and it's simpler than it looks — dry-fit the two crossing 2x2s inside the leg frame, trace where they overlap onto BOTH pieces with a pencil, then cut the lap on only ONE of the two boards. The other stays whole. That's the entire technique; no notch depth gauge or dado stack required, just a saw and a traced line.
The center leg is built and squared as its own small unit before it ever meets the ends — legs to a top rail first (working upside down so the top edges land flush), then a lower shelf rail supported on scrap to get the reveal right, then flipped onto its side so the shelf attaches perpendicular to the legs instead of parallel to them. Getting that perpendicular orientation right is what keeps the finished shelf level instead of racked.
Once all three leg units stand on a flat surface about 30" apart, they're tied together lengthwise with 2x2 stretchers, screwed in at a slight angle so the screw threads act like hooks instead of pivot points — square screws pull straight out under load, angled ones don't. Do this step off a garage floor if you can; most garage floors slope slightly to a drain, and a trestle base assembled on a slope looks fine until the table's sitting in the living room.
The tabletop is three 2x6 boards laid side by side and screwed up from underneath — no visible fasteners on top — and the shelf below is slatted 2x6 with a 1" gap between boards, which is both a design cue and a place for dust and crumbs to fall through instead of collecting.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x2, 8 ft (furring strips work)Legs, X-braces, and the stretchers tying the three leg units together. | 6 each |
| 2x6, 8 ft or stud lengthTabletop and the two shelf levels. | 6 each |
| 2x4, 8 ftShelf support rails and the center leg's own top and lower rail. | 2 each |
| Exterior self-tapping trim screws, 2-1/2" | 100 each |
| Wood glueEvery X-brace and shelf joint. | 4 oz |
| Wood stain or finish | 1 qt |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| End-frame legs2x2Four per end assembly, two end assemblies. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| Center leg2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| X-braces2x2Both ends cut at 24° off square, ends ARE parallel, long point to short point. Two per end assembly; only one of each crossing pair gets the lap notch. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 26 1/4" |
| Shelf support rails2x4Attached to the X-braces from outside; carries the lower shelf slats at each end. | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 28 1/2" |
| Center leg top and shelf rail2x4One at the top (flush to the legs), one as the lower shelf, elevated 1-1/2" on scrap while attaching. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 12 1/2" |
| Tabletop boards2x6Laid side by side, screwed up from underneath. | 3 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 73 1/2" |
| Shelf slats2x6Split between the lower shelf and the center leg's mid shelf, laid with a 1" gap. | 23 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 12 1/2" |
Buy 15 boards at 8 ft.
6 boards
3 boards
6 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Build two end leg sets from the 2x2 legs. A scrap 2x2 block clamped under the bottom shelf position as you assemble helps you land the height consistently on both frames.
Dry-fit the two X-brace pieces inside one end frame, crossing them the way the diagram shows. Trace the overlap onto BOTH pieces with a pencil, then cut the lap notch on only ONE of the two — the other stays a full, uncut board. Repeat for the second end frame.
Attach the full-length X piece to the inside of the leg frame first, then the notched piece, matching the pencil lines you traced. You may need to drive a screw at a slight angle to seat the second piece — glue and clamp is fine here too, since the shelf rail added next locks everything in place.
Screw the 2x4 shelf support rail across the outside of the X, tying the whole end frame together.
Build the center leg upside down: attach all four legs to the top 2x4 rail first, top edges flush. Flip right side up, then add the lower 2x4 shelf rail, propping it on a scrap block to elevate it 1-1/2" off the bottom of the legs.
Turn the whole unit on its side to attach the shelf rail — it needs to sit perpendicular to the legs, not parallel, or the shelf comes out racked instead of level.
Set all three leg units on a flat, level surface about 30" apart. Working with a second pair of hands helps here. Tie them together lengthwise with the remaining 2x2 stock, driving screws at a slight angle so the threads grip like hooks rather than pivoting under load. Glue every joint.
Do this on a level floor, not a garage slab — most garages slope gently toward a drain, and a trestle base built on that slope reads level right up until it's in the room it's going to live in.
If you have a pocket-hole jig, join the three tabletop boards edge to edge first; if not, that's fine too. Lay the boards on a flat surface, center the assembled leg frame on top, and screw up from underneath into the tabletop — no fasteners show on the show face.
Add the shelf slats to both shelf levels with a 1" gap between each board, two screws per joint. Sand every edge, then finish the whole piece — this design works stained for an entryway or left for exterior-rated finish outdoors.
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