In Projects

We may receive a commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations.

shaker trestle tableThe following is excerpted from a new book, Furniture Fundamentals: Tables, in which you’ll find collected many of the best table projects published in Popular Woodworking. You’ll find the full step-by-step instructions for this Glen D. Huey piece in the book, but the measured drawings below are an excellent place to begin.

I’ve built a number of trestle tables in the Shaker style over the years, usually following the style of an original table from one Shaker collection or another. But when I decided to do a trestle table for Popular Woodworking readers, I took a second look at some of the designs and decided I could add a feature and come up with a stronger table without sacrificing the simple Shaker lines.

The one shown here is a standard two-pedestal table with a single stretcher tying the bases together. One of the concerns I’ve always had with this design was the stability of the joint at the stretcher. Anyone who has been to a family dinner at my house knows that a sturdy table is important when everyone starts hungrily reaching for platters of food. To solve the stability concern I doubled-up the hardware from another sturdy piece of furniture – the bed. By using a pair of bed bolts at each joint, this table becomes amazingly stout.

PWE141222_PatternsFull

Click image to enlarge.

Save Money on Wood

If you’ve seen my other furniture, you know I’m addicted to figured maple. Though they’ve tried to get me into treatment, I haven’t yet accepted that I have a problem.

But when it came to choosing the wood for this table, even I had to admit that with such a simple piece, adding busy figure to the base would be gilding the lily. So I saved the good stuff for the top and chose to use painted poplar to build the base.

— Excerpted from Furniture Fundamentals: Tables

 

Order or download your copy of Furniture Fundamentals: Tables now for:

  • Detailed plans and step-by step advice that will help you produce beautiful tables while also improving your skills as a woodworker.
  • The majority of the projects can be built with the standard set of tools and machines the average woodworker has in his shop. (No lathes required.)
  • 17 table projects in a variety of sizes and shapes, and in popular styles, from Shaker, to Country, to Arts & Crafts and beyond.
  • Design and construction advice to help woodworkers customize tables to fit specific spaces in their homes.

Product Recommendations

Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.

Recommended Posts
Showing 2 comments
  • BobGroh

    I am intrigued! From a structural standpoint, your design seems to be a very solid concept. I would, of course, probably make a few changes to the design! Well, isn’t that the way it is for all of us! I look forward to the book and probably will even break down and buy a copy.

  • Christopher Hawkins

    Are you going to post a table of contents or pictures of the projects? This would help my decision making process.

Start typing and press Enter to search