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DIY dining table from wooden planks

DIY build your own dining table from old wooden planks

You want to build a DIY dining table yourself from old wooden planks? Then this article from the DIY furniture blog help with this. I also built my own dining table - in a rustic industrial style. Now I'd like to show you exactly how I went about it and how you too can build your own dining table from planks. Good luck!

Here is another short Table of contents for you:

Plan for building your own dining table

DIY dining table from wooden planks
Before you get started, you should answer the material, style and size questions clearly.

First of all, it is important to have a clear picture of the future dining table in mind and to at least roughly draw this picture on paper. This makes it much easier to build the dining table, as you know the exact goal and don't have to constantly make adjustments. However, before you make the first handshake on your table, you should be clear about what kind of dining table you want to build yourself. By answering the following questions in advance, you will be on the safe side:

In what style build the dining table yourself?

For example, would you like a simple, straightforward dining table or would you prefer a table in the minimalist style with a touch Industrial charm? As you can see from the pictures, I opted for the latter. Personally, I think industrial design is just really cool - especially in combination with wall posters of big city skylines (you can find them at https://myloview.de/poster/nach-kategorie/stadte/) and a concrete wall in the room just looks strong.

So it was to be a DIY dining table made of wooden planks and metal - just two different materials. The old, reclaimed oak planks and the solid table runners make the dining table simple yet rustic.

So the question of style is ultimately also a question of material. It was also important to me that the edges of the table, where you eat later, are not trimmed (straightened), but that the natural tree edge is retained. This gives each table a truly unique style.

Where should the dining table be placed later?

If you want to build a dining table yourself, you should be aware of the later Location be pretty clear. This is because old wooden planks in particular have a small blemish here and there. For example, if you already know that a side of the plank with a blemish will be under the dining table anyway or on the edge of the dining table that will not be visible later, you can be more satisfied with this than if the material defects are in a visible place.

In addition, the future space of the DIY dining table may not be rectangular, but may have a slope. To ensure that the table still runs parallel to other furnishings or walls, it can make sense to give one side of the table the corresponding angle of the slope.

How big should the DIY dining table be?

DIY dining table from wooden planks
It's important to know in advance what dimensions you want your dining table to have later on. The sketch doesn't have to be beautiful 😉

You should be pretty clear in advance how you want your DIY dining table to look later on. I had decided in advance that the DIY dining table should be about 165 cm long, 90 cm wide or deep and 75 cm high should be. Ordinary dining tables are not quite as wide, but to create a massive effect, I opted for a slightly wider table. Not least because there were enough wooden planks available.

So before you start planing, sanding and painting, you should really first be clear about what dimensions the DIY dining table should ultimately have.

DIY build your own dining table

DIY build your own dining table - instructions
This is what the three wooden planks looked like after I came back from the carpenter.

The idea for the dining table is ready - now it's time to get down to business. We now know what material the dining table should be made of, roughly what size it should be and what style it should be built in. In the following, I would like to show you step by step how I went about building my own dining table.

1) Get wooden planks for the dining table

Finding suitable wooden planks for a home-made dining table is actually easier in the village than in the city. This is because the demand for high-quality Oak planks is now significantly higher in urban areas. In villages, on the other hand, there are many farmers who still have old wooden planks in their attics or barns. I don't want to say that the planks can be found there like sand by the sea, but.... say the planks can be found there like Plastic waste in the environment.

So if you are looking for inexpensive but high-quality wooden planks and Save money should start in the village. When selecting suitable planks, it is important to ensure that the wood has not yet been eaten away by woodworms and is still relatively straight. A few unevennesses can be evened out later by planing. The planks should of course be the desired length for the future dining table - to be on the safe side, you should add 30 cm if you decide to use old wooden planks. Of course, it's all a bit easier at the DIY store.

2) Cleaning, planing, trimming and sanding planks

DIY build your own dining table - instructions
The wood planks are trimmed, planed and cut to the desired length by the carpenter.

You have the wood for your self-built dining table, now you just need to finish it. I proceeded as follows:

First, I made the wooden planks for the DIY dining table with the High pressure cleaner cleaned. When planks have been lying on a farm for more than 30 years, a lot of dirt can accumulate on the wood. After cleaning, I could then see whether there was still Nails or screws in the wood. A few nails were actually still in the wood, which I then removed with pliers. This is very important before going to the carpenter in the next step.

My carpenter friend then made the wooden planks for the DIY dining table smooth. planed and finally edged - except on two sides, where I wanted to retain the natural tree edge. All the timbers were also cut to the same length shortened.

The carpenter's work was done. Afterwards, the wooden planks for the DIY dining table looked like the picture above - smooth, clean and coordinated.

I then first used an 80-grit and then finally a fine 180-grit to clean the wood. Sandpaper Edited.

Tip: Only sand the surface and the sides at the edge. You should not sand the inside of the wood and the underside, or only sand them roughly so that there are no unevennesses in your self-built dining table. Also make sure that the annual rings of the respective planks all point in the same direction - then the wood will not work in different directions over time and the surface will remain even.

Things like a multi-sander, by the way, are also great for borrow. But I actually sanded everything by hand to keep the final costs as low as possible. It also sounds a bit cooler afterwards when you're sitting at the new dining table with friends for the first time and telling them about it, doesn't it?

3) Order dining table metal runners in parallel.

So the foundation stone for the surface of the DIY dining table had been laid. But what about the legs of the table? I ordered them while I was still working on the wooden planks. That saves a lot of time. The Internet is teeming with suppliers of metal runners for DIY furniture - but the prices vary greatly.

Some people take 400€ for two dimensionally accurate runners - luckily I found someone who will make me two runners in the dimensions I want for 100€ including shipping. If you are also interested in the contact, just write me an e-mail at metal skids[at]careelite.com and I will gladly pass on the contact to you.

4) Screw together dining table wooden planks

DIY build your own dining table - instructions
This is how the finished dining table made of wooden planks looks from below - all planks are stably screwed together.

This step is of course optional, but I really recommend it to anyone who wants to build their own dining table. As already described, works wood over time - This means that it bends. Either it already has or it will. Unevenness on the surface of your wooden plank dining table is inevitable.

That's why I went to the carpenter and got three more Oak crossbars These were screwed crosswise under the three wooden planks to hold the surface together. I tightened screws at the transition to the next wooden plank, as shown in the picture, so that the table would later be nice and even and hold together solidly.

Tip: You should first drill small indentations in the crossbar at the points with screws and place a metal washer under the screw. This is how you stabilize your self-made dining table made of wooden planks.

5) Painting the surface of the DIY dining table

DIY build your own dining table - instructions
To protect the wood and give the dining table a cool, slightly glossy look, you can paint the table with transparent hard wax oil.

After I had sanded the surface well and finally removed the dust, it was finally ready to be painted. In order to preserve the natural character of the wood, I painted the wooden planks with a paint roller, a brush and a transparent paint. Hard wax oil It protects the wood and gives the DIY dining table a slight glossy effect. After about 12 hours, the oil will be dry and the surface will already have its final look.

You can get the transparent hard wax oil in any DIY store - alternatively you can get the hard wax oil here*.

6) Machine the metal runners and screw them to the surface

DIY dining table build yourself from wood and metal
This is where the holes are drilled in the metal runners through which the table top and legs will later be connected.

This is the final step if you want to build your own DIY dining table. The metal runners should have arrived by now. In my case, I placed them on the underside of the table top as they were to be screwed on later. I then made holes in the metal at the appropriate points to attach the Screwing wooden planks to the metals. Then I just sanded the metal briefly and gave the table legs a slight glossy effect with a little clear varnish. However, if the tables are really only in the home, the legs don't really need to be sprayed at all.

The cool thing about joining metal and wood: When the wooden planks are pulled against the metal, the last unevenness will be evened out. If the dining table is still not completely smooth, you can loosen a few more screws and place thin boards or cardboard in between. This can be a bit of a fiddly job, but it's worth it in the end.

The corresponding By the way, you can find screws here*. (to be selected according to plank thickness)

Sit down at the dining table and enjoy

DIY dining table from wooden planks
This is how the finished DIY dining table made of wooden planks looks like. What do you think of it?

Now it's done and you can sit down at your finished dining table that you built yourself according to your personal wishes. With this DIY dining table, we have used old material with the wooden planks in the spirit of the Zero Waste Lifestyle and supported a local service provider from Germany with the metal runners. No mass-produced goods from furniture stores - no unnecessary packaging waste. Instead, a truly unique piece with lots of industrial charm for ultimately little money. And you don't even have to be a carpenter to do it. All you need is a good plan and a desire to make things yourself.

How do you like the self-built dining table? Do you have any questions, tips or suggestions? Then I look forward to your comment.

Best regards,

Living plastic-free - Less plastic waste in the environment


PS.: I have not only built the dining table itself and the instructions here in the Do It Yourself Blog published. At the same time, I also used the same material to create a Coffee table and a Desk built by yourself. Get some inspiration for your DIY furniture in the respective articles.

Coffee box Suggestions for improvement Newsletter

* Links with asterisks are so-called Affiliate linksIf you click on it and buy something, you automatically and actively support my work with CareElite.de, as I receive a small share of the proceeds - and of course nothing changes in the product price. Many thanks for your support and best regards, Christoph!

Christoph Schulz

Christoph Schulz

I'm Christoph, an environmental scientist and author - and here at CareElite I'm campaigning against plastic waste in the environment, climate change and all the other major environmental problems of our time. Together with other environmentally conscious bloggers, I want to give you tips & tricks for a naturally healthy, sustainable life as well as your personal development.

57 thoughts on “DIY Esstisch aus alten Holzbohlen selber bauen”

  1. Where to put old wooden planks? Now I can easily answer the grandpa's question, thank you! He can make the similar one himself for our garden house. The living room is already decorated with a dining table made of oak, which we had built last year. Each of the relatives can now easily find their place. Thank you for your creativity!

  2. Great if you are able to make custom furniture. Unfortunately, I lack material, tools and skills. But I think it's wonderful that there are people who share their experiences.

    1. Hi Emma, thanks for your feedback. I don't quite believe you when you link a carpentry shop here as your website 😉 But I'll leave it at that. The post tells you exactly where to get the materials - skills can be improved 🙂 .
      Many greetings
      Christoph

  3. Moin Moin,
    I'm excited about your table and happen to be planning the exact same one, with the same dimensions and everything. Now I've finally seen it 🙂 .
    My problem though is getting the oak planks, you don't happen to have any handy that you want to get rid of 😀.
    Beautiful work!
    Greeting Yannick

    1. Hello!
      Thanks for your feedback, glad to hear it 🙂 .
      Where do you live? If you come from the district of Uelzen (Lüneburger Heide), I can certainly help you. Otherwise look at eBay classifieds in your area, you will almost always find something.
      Many greetings
      Christoph

      1. Hello 🙂
        I find your contribution super! However, I also have the problem to get me suitable wooden planks. How expensive would they be at your "acquaintance"`?
        Love greetings
        Shari

        1. Hi Shari! Thanks for your feedback! I got them for a few euros. Of course, you always need a little luck. But there are a lot of them lying around on old farms. Just ask around a bit or look in classified ads 🙂
          Good luck with the implementation,
          Christoph

  4. Hello Christoph,
    What a wonderful table! And your tutorial is also really great- thanks for that:)
    That's exactly how I want to build it! Unfortunately, I can't find any suitable building boards near me. Ebay classifieds I already regularly scour.
    Can I maybe come back to your offer you made Yannick above:)
    My brother and I would like to work together on the project, so build two tables at once. Since I occasionally drive to the Lüneburg Heath, maybe something can be done?:)
    That would be terrific! Because of the contact for the table legs I write you later again a mail:)
    Many greetings and thanks again for the great tutorial,
    Maren

    1. Hi Maren, thanks for your feedback on the DIY dining table. Of course with pleasure! I'll just wait for your mail.
      Many greetings
      Christoph

  5. ... I thought the dining table is self-made?! The planks are machined by carpenter, the runners were commissioned...
    Apart from sanding and painting, there's not much here Do it your self! My five-year-old son can also sand and paint.

    1. Hi Carsten! All right, then I order the skids next time with you 😉
      I just want to give a little inspiration here and show that tables can also be built wonderfully yourself.
      Best regards,
      Christoph

  6. I think it's really great that you show how to make something beautiful out of old wooden boards instead of letting them rot or throwing them away.
    Especially today there are hardly beautiful solid wood furniture, as they were back then. And if then so expensive that they demand half the salary :-)).
    For the table that you have screwed together from these old wood panels and -gewerkelt a designer would certainly demand at least 1-2000€!!! Wonderful, the glossy color by the hard wax oil I also like very much.

    1. Hi Isabell! Thank you for your feedback and I hope you can also build a similar table 🙂
      Many greetings
      Christoph

  7. Hi Christoph, I'm thrilled with your instructions and would love to recreate the table.
    What is the thickness of your planks? In my area, unfortunately, there are only some with 2.5cm thickness - I'm afraid that's too thin.

    1. Hi Ina, about 3-4 cm. Even with 2.5 cm it should still work well. I'll write you another email about it.
      LG Christoph

  8. Hello Christoph,
    a really great table! Do you have problems with the table wobbling sideways? I recently built myself a very similar table, 140*80 with identical metal cams and mine moves quite a bit to the left and right....
    Kind regards,
    Anne

    1. Yes Anne! Thank you for your feedback. No, nothing wobbles with me.
      This is then 100% due to the metal runners - they will then not be completely straight or the surface is crooked. By sticking felt stickers under the skids, for example, such problems could be solved 🙂
      Many greetings,
      Christoph

  9. Hi Christoph,
    your tutorial is great, thanks for that.
    How often have you oiled the wood? Does the wood structure also straighten up during oiling and then need to be sanded again?
    I was able to purchase 2 ready made cast iron runners online relatively inexpensively, there were even choices in design and pre-drilled holes for the future table top.
    Your projects are great, thanks for sharing.
    VG Julia

    1. Hi Julia,
      thanks for your feedback! I sanded the wood sufficiently before, then painted 1x. The wood structure has not changed, so no need to sand or paint again.
      Perfect, now you have everything together for the new dining table!
      Have fun and best regards,
      Christoph

  10. My brother has built a table out of pallets. That also looks pretty good. Pallets is now not so my case but build a table myself I'm still thinking about. I got a few wooden parts from a friend that I would like to use. Vlt I let these previously processed by a carpenter or make the feet, so that is not so heavy.

    1. Moin Mailin,
      great, hope I could give you a little extra inspiration with the DIY dining table!
      Have fun with the implementation!
      Greeting Christoph

  11. A great job! Just for my garden shed, thanks for the tips! After all, after the construction work remained some of the planks, they could be used practically. Such a table could be quite well in line with the Hälzernen wall cladding.

  12. Hey Christoph, the table looks totally cool!
    This is exactly what I imagine for our kitchen.
    We still have some linden planks with us on "stockpile."
    A DIY corner bench made of planks haste not by chance also planned?
    This would be the absolute dream team for our kitchen.
    Where exactly are you from in UE County?

    1. Hi Antje! Great, thanks for your feedback 🙂
      Currently there is no corner bench, but maybe after the next move.
      I come from a small village near Uelzen.
      Wish you much success with your projects 🙂
      Best regards
      Christoph

  13. Great table! Thanks for the inspiration.
    How long did it take to build the table?
    Love greetings,
    Nicola

    1. Hi Nicola! Thank you for your feedback on the DIY dining table 🙂
      The waiting time for the skids was 2 weeks. Worked on the surface for about a week. And all in all, it was then already finished after 2 weeks.
      Best regards
      Christoph

  14. Wow, this is a very nice table and a good DIY. Almost unbelievable how beautiful the table turned out when I think about the boards in the first picture.
    Many love greetings
    Wolfgang

    1. Hi Wolfgang! Thanks for your feedback on the dining table. Yes, from such old planks can conjure up something beautiful! 🙂
      Best regards
      Christoph

  15. Hey Christoph,
    Really nice table. I really want to build a similar one. Where did you get the skids?
    Greetings Shady

    1. Hi Shady! Thanks for your feedback 🙂 I found this on the big, wide internet. There's an email in the text that you can contact.
      Many greetings
      Christoph

  16. Hello,
    we want to build a Gatenrisch in the same style and your tutorial is gold!
    Does the table have enough stability to the side? We thought the metal parts would still have to be connected. Are the cross connections under the planks enough?
    Thank you and many greetings
    Anne

    1. Hi Anne, great! Yes, it's sturdy - since metal runners and oak planks are both super hard. The crossbars are also sufficient.
      Have fun and best regards,
      Christoph

  17. Hello, super tutorial 🙂
    How thick should the planks be approximately? In the hardware store I found some with 2.6cm, is that too thin?
    LG

    1. Hi Lina, if they are stable enough, then of course it works. In the end, it's a matter of taste - I personally find it more visually appealing when the planks are 3-4 cm thick.
      Have fun with the implementation!
      Best regards
      Christoph

  18. I bought at a flea market old wooden planks and wanted to have them converted into a table. Since I don't have the proper tools, I will have some done. It is a good tip to make sure that there are no woodworms in the wood.

    1. Hey Mailin! Thanks for your feedback! Always makes sense, otherwise you annoy a certain time later 😉
      Best regards
      Christoph

  19. Hi Christoph,
    Your table is really cool. Tell me, what are the dimensions of the metal runners?
    Best regards
    Gregor

    1. Hey Gregor! Thank you! The "tubes" are 12 cm wide and 2.5 cm thick. But there are many different variants, so you also have some choice.
      Best regards,
      Christoph

  20. Hello Christoph,
    first of all congratulations for such a wonderful table and thank you for the great tutorial.
    I am so excited that I also want to try it.
    I have already procured planks, but none could be found that are exactly straight. This will probably result in a different height of the individual planks when they leave the planer. Maybe screwing the individual planks together to different degrees will be enough to compensate for this. Have you had similar experiences or perhaps the decisive tip on this ?
    If you can tell me the exact designation of the screws you used for the crossbars and for the attachment to the frame, I would be very grateful.
    With kind regards
    Peter

    1. Moin Peter! Thanks for your feedback, I'm very pleased! Mine were also not totally straight, they lay for years on a stack. Through the planing still went down quite a lot, so that the planks were reasonably straight at the end. Screwing them on again helped a bit. But 100% straight, you will never get such old planks, because in the apartment, the wood also continues to work well. But one thing is for sure: you have an absolutely unique piece in the apartment 😉
      Best regards
      Christoph
      PS: Unfortunately, I can no longer tell you which screws I used. But by the stable crossbars has the retightening really again brought what.

  21. Manuel Löhrmann

    Thanks for the list of important clues before building the table. I've been wanting a table like this for a while now and I finally dare to do the craft. If need be, there is a good carpentry shop around the corner that could help me.

    1. Christoph Schulz

      Moin Manuel! Thanks for your feedback and have fun building the table! 🙂
      Best regards
      Christoph

  22. I too think the industrial charm is best for a dining table. We have already bought our table, but your blog motivates me to build other furniture myself. If I can buy foam somewhere cheap I will try to build a sofa.

    1. Hello Manuel! Thanks for your feedback and maximum success with your next projects!
      Many greetings
      Christoph

  23. I need a new table for my kitchen. I like the idea of building the table myself. But am a klutz. would it also be possible to design a table and then have a carpenter make the table?

    1. Hello Kyra! Of course, that is also possible. Then of course you have to reckon with a few extra costs. But then nothing wobbles afterwards 😉
      Best regards
      Christoph

  24. This was an interesting article about dining tables. I want to buy some new furniture for my home. I am going to visit a cabinet shop so I can see what kind of furniture I can get for my home.

  25. I like the tip about screwing the planks together from the bottom. I have built a coffee table this way. Overall, however, it was quite expensive and time-consuming. I'm curious how long the bark will stay on. I got inspiration from a furniture restoration company. With special oils you get very nice colors.

  26. I want to build a wooden table myself. I have all the materials together so far, even a varnish solution for the wood at the end. Some planks I may still need. I wede times visit some farmers in the village.

  27. Dear Christoph,

    great blog and very interssanter article about DIY of furniture! Your doozy looks really great.
    Have you also had experience in the field of garden furniture?

    Thank you and greetings!

    1. Hi. Thanks for your great feedback on the dining table! Garden furniture is due next year when we have moved 🙂

      Many greetings
      Christoph

  28. So it's that easy to build a free table yourself. Your finished dining table looks fantastic! Congratulations.

    LG Hans Peter

  29. I want to buy a wooden table. Through the post I know that you can also easily build a table yourself. The best I will hire a carpenter for wood construction.

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