How to Build a Large Trestle Table
- 1). Measure in 6 inches from each end of a piece of 25-inch 2-by-6 lumber and make a mark on one side of the lumber. There will be 13 inches between the two points. Put a straightedge from a 6-inch mark to the end of the 2-by-6 lumber on the opposite side to the mark, and draw on an angled line.
- 2). Repeat on the other end, then cut along the lines with a saw so that the piece of lumber has two angled ends. Repeat on five more piece of 25-inch 2-by-6 lumber. Each plank will have a short edge of 13 inches and a long edge of 25 inches.
- 3). Lay two of the angled planks flat on a work surface, with the shorter edges of the planks facing each other. There should be 30 inches between the long edges of the planks.
- 4). Place two pieces of 30-inch 2-by-6 lumber between the angled planks, with an inch space between them. The ends of the 30-inch planks should be flush with the long edges of the angled planks and the outer sides of the 30-inch planks should be right at the end of the short sides of the angled planks, where the angled end starts.
- 5). Drill three pilot holes through the 30-inch planks into the angled planks around an inch down from the ends of the 30-inch planks, then secure the 30-inch planks to the angled planks with 2 1/2-inch screws. Repeat with two more 30-inch planks and two more angled planks. These are the trestle legs.
- 6). Place the remaining two angled planks over the top of the 30-inch planks congruent with one of the angled planks already attached. This will make the feet of the trestle legs. Secure the planks in place with three screws through the angled plank into the 30-inch planks, positioned slightly lower than the screws you used to attach the first angled planks.
- 7). Stand the leg units uprights, with the feet, or double angled planks, on the bottom. Slide a 60-inch length of 1-by-6 lumber between the tops of the legs, sitting in the space between the 30-inch planks, and flush with the top of the leg units.
- 8). Drill three pilot holes through the angled plank at the top of the legs into the end of the 60-inch stretcher plank and secure in place with 2 1/2-inch screws.
- 9). Attach a 1/4-inch-thick drill bit to your drill and make four evenly spaced 1/2-inch-deep holes along the top edge of the stretcher plank, and a hole of the same size around 2 inches in from the ends of the top angled planks.
- 10
Insert a dowel peg into each hole and mark the top of the peg with a generous amount of chalk. - 11
Center a 36-by-72-inch tabletop over the legs and stretchers and place it gently on top of the pegs. The chalk on the pegs will mark the underside of the table, so you know where to drill the holes on the tabletop to receive the pegs. - 12
Turn the tabletop wrong-side up so the chalk marks are visible and drill a 1/4-inch wide-by 1/2-inch deep hole at each position. Fit the tabletop back over the legs and stretcher, mating the holes with the pegs. This allows for easy assembly of the table, and you can pack it away quickly if necessary by taking off the tabletop and unscrewing the stretcher.
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