Rustic SawHorse Table Tutorial

Okay, here is the Sawhorse Table tutorial I promised with pictures and everything... woot! This past week I have been remodeling my sewing room, and that included making a nice large table for both sewing and cutting fabric.  I was going for the "minimalist industrial farmhouse chic" look that is all the rave these days, and the idea of this table seemed to fit the vibe. And supplies cost less than $40, which is a huge bonus!

Things You Will Need:
-Tape Measure
-Electric screwdriver
-Work gloves
-Circular Saw (if you are cutting at home, but some hardware stores will pre-cut wood for you)
-SawHorse Brackets (2 pairs)
-Screws
-4 2X4's at 8 ft long
-Scrap pieces of wood,fence slats, or a solid piece of plywood for table top
-Sandpaper (if working with unsanded wood)
-Wood stain (I chose "special walnut" by MinWax)
-Drop cloth (for staining)

Sawhorse brackets are sold in pairs and come in different colors like red, black, or stainless steel.  I chose the uncolored steel because I felt it fit the industrial vibe I was going for. They were very affordable at $7.85/pair at Lowe's. My table measures 6' long X 27.5" wide X 30" high.  You can adjust measurements as needed, but the following directions are for my specific table. 

Take your 2X4's and cut 8 legs for your table (4 per sawhorse). My legs were 27 1/4" in length (no I'm not a mathematical genius, it's what the bracket box suggested for a 30" high table.) There are other measurements on the box, so choose accordingly to your preference.
Slide the legs into the brackets so that they are snug. Use nails or screws (I ended up using screws later for strength) to hold them in place.

Using the other 2X4's, cut 2 cross beam supports. My table is 27.5" wide, so I cut the beams to be 26" so the table top would extend over the edge a bit. Clamp the cross supports into each bracket to create a sawhorse. Screw in place.  You should have 2 sawhorses and they should look like this.

Add the table top.  I used 5 planks of reclaimed wood that were 6' long by 5.5" wide because it was far less expensive than buying a piece of plywood (which can run upwards of $30 for a 4X8 board.) Of course, you can choose whatever you like. Lay the wood on top of the 2 sawhorses and measure the sides to make sure it is evenly centered. Drill some pilot holes through the tops of the wood pieces into the cross-beams of the sawhorses (especially if your wood isn't super nice) to keep wood from splitting. Screw through the top of the boards into the cross-beams. You will be able to see the screws, but I like the rustic look. You can choose to use wood-filler putty to hide them if you like.

Sand down any rough edges and remove sawdust before adding wood stain. DO THIS IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA and use OLD CLOTHING if you don't want to potentially end up with a migraine and a ruined outfit. Apply stain in the direction of the wood-grain (I use a cheap paintbrush). If it gets a little messy/gloppy, it's okay because it just adds to the shabby charm of your table.  Let set into the wood for 15 minutes. Wipe off excess with a clean, dry, cloth. You will need to let your table air out for a day or two to get rid of the strong odor.

There. You did it!  It should look something like this:

Of course you can adjust things to fit your needs... this table plan is very easy and forgiving to alter.  If you need it longer, I would suggest using a third sawhorse to support the center. Sawhorse table, huzzah!