For this step we are simply making the cuts necessary and organizing the layout of our barnwood top.

This was my girlfriends' first go of things around power tools, so of course she had to use them. Measure x2, cut x1, kiddos!

Step 1: Clean Barnwood

This is kind of important depending on the wood you get for the top. As i mentioned before, we used salvaged wood that was from really old barns in Colorado. This meant they were super dirty and in a bit of rough shape. We bought a wire brush and scraped them to remove any excessive dirt that had built up on them. I also lightly hand sanded any areas that were especially haggard. You will want to do this before adding any type of finish.

We also used the Mitre saw to cut and square each board so the edges would be as aligned as possible.

Step 2: Assemble Frame

The next step here is assembling both frames. As I mentioned at the beginning, we assembled a top box and a bottom box before attaching each to the legs. We butt-joined the wood together, gluing, and screwing using the constructions screws. We then added in the 2x2 supports, again glued and screwed with the construction screws. Be sure to drill in pilot holes and use clamps.

For the top frame we added in 2 rows of supports so we could attach the barnwood more securely.

For the bottom frame we added 6 rows of 2x2 supports to create a rack for blankets, magazines, laptops, fly tying gear, etc.

From here we screwed both frames onto (4) 18" 4x4 posts that make up the legs, glued and screwed. We wanted the table to be 18.5" in total height to match the "legs up" height of our couch - each of our barnwood pieces were a minimum 3/4"" thick

Step 3: Stain Frame

After the frame has been assembled, we gave it a quick sand to take out any blemishes, hangers, or splinters, then we got busy adding on the mahogany stain. This stain was pretty dark, so we only used one coat and touched up the areas that needed extra.

Put newspaper down to protect the ground/floor.

Step 4: Attach Barnwood Top

This was the step we wanted to be most careful of. Since we wanted our wood to not have any visible screws or holes, we decided to drill pilot holes through the 2x4s that comprised the top box of our frame. We used cabinet screws that were 3 1/8" so they would go completely through the 2x4 frame and only partially through our barnwood top. Similarly, we used 2" cabinet screws on our interior supports to drive into the barnwood. We drilled pilot holws from the bottom of the frame with the barnwood clamped in place. Then we were very careful to not over-tighten the screws because they could easily pierce through the barwood top (not what we want).

We also added wood glue to the top of the 4x4 supports, and to the top of our 2x4 frame for added security in the attachment.

We added on the barnwood 1 piece at a time, gluing, clamping, and screwing into place.

Step 5: Seal Barnwood

After our table is assembled, our bottom frame is stained, we are good to go with sealing the barnwood. We have already sanded, wire brushed, and screwed them into place. We used the dead flat finish to seal the wood. We wanted to keep the character of the wood - so dead flat finish was the perfect choice.

We put on 2 coats - and may do an additional later. It just helps ensure the wood is smooth and clean.