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An end table is the ideal starter piece: enough joinery to teach how a leg-and-apron base works, but small and cheap enough that a mistake costs a board. This one rides on 2x2 legs, wears a 1x12 top, and carries a lower 1x12 shelf tied in by a center support so the shelf can't sag and the base can't rack.
The build order is deliberate. Build the two leg pairs first, then join them with the side aprons and — importantly — the bottom support. That bottom stretcher does double duty: it holds up the middle of the shelf and it triangulates the base so the whole table stays rigid. Skip it and you get a wobbly table with a bowed shelf.
Everything joins with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" screws for the 1-by parts and 2-1/2" screws where 2x2 meets 2x2. The top can be a glued-up 1x12 or, as one builder did, a piece of 3/4" plywood — either works. Cut the top a couple inches longer than the shelf for a slight overhang, sand everything smooth, and finish to taste.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x2 board, 8 ftLegs, aprons, supports. | 3 each |
| 1x12 board, 8 ftTop and shelf. | 1 each |
| 1x3 board, 8 ftTop edge pieces. | 1 each |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 2-1/2" | 40 each |
| Wood glue | 3 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Legs2x2 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 23 3/4" |
| End aprons2x2Cut to the width of your 1x12 (expected 11-1/4"). | 4 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Side aprons and support2x2Two side aprons plus the bottom center support. | 3 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 37" |
| Shelf1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 40" |
| Top1x12 | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 42" |
| Top edge pieces1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 42" |
Buy 5 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
1 board
1 board
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 leg assemblies, joining each pair of legs with the end aprons using pocket holes — 1-1/2" holes and 2-1/2" screws where 2x2 meets 2x2. Keep them matched and square.
Connect the two leg pairs with the side aprons at the top and the bottom center support down low. That bottom support both holds up the middle of the shelf and stops the base racking, so don't leave it out.
Set the 1x12 shelf on the bottom supports and screw up through the supports into the underside of the shelf — easy and clean, with no visible fasteners on top.
Build the top from the 1x12 with the 1x3 edge pieces (or use a piece of 3/4" plywood), joining with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" screws. Attach it to the base the same way you did the shelf. Sand everything smooth and finish.
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