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Most dining tables are built long first and legroom is an afterthought; this one is sized deliberately small, with legs spaced only 20" apart to fit one chair per side, which makes the X-stretcher's job harder — it has to brace a small footprint without the diagonal bracing getting in the way of anyone's knees.
The X-stretcher pieces interlock with a half-lap notch cut into the center of each, so the two pieces sit flush with each other instead of one crossing awkwardly over the top of the other. Cut this notch by hand with a saw and chisel, or with a jig-guided router if you'd rather not do it freehand.
The top attaches with z-clips, not screws straight through the aprons. Solid wood tabletops expand and contract across their width with humidity; z-clips let the top move slightly while still holding it down, where fixed screws would eventually crack the top or tear out.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Construction lumber, 4x4, 6 ftLegs. | 2 each |
| Construction lumber, 2x6, 8 ftTabletop. | 2 each |
| Pine board, 1x4, 6 ftSkirt boards. | 1 each |
| Construction lumber, 2x3, 8 ftX-stretcher. | 1 each |
| Z-clips | 1 pack |
| Pocket hole screws, assorted | 30 each |
| Wood glue | 2 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Legs4x4Optionally ripped to 3x3in for a slimmer look. Notch each leg for the X-stretcher starting 6in from the bottom, running up 2-1/2in. | 4 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 29 1/2" |
| Skirt boards1x4Grooved on the inside face for z-clip attachment. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 20" |
| X-stretcher pieces2x3Half-lap notch in the center of each so they interlock flush. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 2 1/2" × 29 3/4" |
| Tabletop boards2x6, ripped and edge-joinedEdge-glued into a roughly square top; adjust to your own square dimension. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 23 1/2" |
Buy 5 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
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 →
Cut four legs from 4x4 stock, optionally ripping them down to 3x3in for a slimmer look. Cut an angled notch in each leg — starting 6in from the bottom, running up 2-1/2in — to accept the X-stretcher.
Cut the skirt boards to length, groove each for z-clip attachment, then pocket-screw and glue them between the legs.
Cut the X-stretcher pieces to length with a half-lap notch in the center of each so they interlock flush, glue them together, then pocket-screw the assembly to the legs.
Rip and edge-glue the tabletop boards into a roughly square panel, then attach it to the leg assembly using z-clips so the top can still expand and contract.
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