DIY Wood Crate Side Table - Quick, Easy, Inexpensive!

I know a lot of DIYers like projects that are super quick to do, but the reality is that a lot of the time to create something that is really nice, you trade the cost savings of doing it yourself for the time it takes you to create a beautiful final product... but not this time! If you are one of those people who want a quick DIY project that is really simple to achieve, this is a great project for you! I bet it takes longer to cut your wood and drill your holes for this DIY Wood Crate Side Table--which doesn't take very long--than it takes for you to put it all together! And look how great it looks in addition to being quick to make! Let's take a closer look at the project...

You can make these rustic side tables for any room that may need a side table: nightstands for the bedroom, end tables for the living room sofa, or side tables beside an accent chair!  I made two of these side tables as nightstands for our spare bedroom. I knew it was a great idea, but I am quite impressed with how they look in the end! I was going for a very rustic look to go with our modern farmhouse decor, so the fact that these tables are made from really inexpensive wooden crates is perfect for that! If you like the final look of my tables you should take a look at tomorrow's post to find out all about the painting/finishing process! Because these crates are made from rougher cut wood, and I used cheap lumber for the legs and scraps of plywood for the shelves, the rough texture of the wood lends itself very well to the finish I applied to them, and that rustic appearance. If you want a little less rustic look then sand them smooth before staining or painting. 

Let's take a look at the purchase list, cut list, and tools list for these crate tables.

PURCHASE LIST

(1) - Wood crate (mine was 12.5" x 9.5" x 18")

(US Link - http://go.magik.ly/ml/77jn/ || CANADA Link - http://bit.ly/2gJbPK3)

(1) - 2 x 2 x 8 piece of lumber

(US Link - http://go.magik.ly/ml/77k8/  || CANADA Link - http://bit.ly/2ytvLKS)

(1) - Scrap Piece of Plywood or 1" x 10" Pine Board || for shelf (I used a scrap piece of wood to save $$)

(Pine Board -- US Link - http://go.magik.ly/ml/77k9/ || CANADA Link - http://bit.ly/2ym3dTM)

(4) - 1/4" x 2 1/2" Hanger Bolts

(US Link - 2-Pack http://go.magik.ly/ml/77kf/ || CANADA Link - http://bit.ly/2yxiNvt)

(4) - 1/4" Tee Nuts

(US Link - 4-Pack http://go.magik.ly/ml/77ka/ || CANADA Link - http://bit.ly/2ieeHCh)

(1) - Package of 1/2" Brads (finishing nails) || you may need longer ones, double check if they'll go through the shelf support rails and into your crate, but NOT go through the other side of the crate

(US Link - http://go.magik.ly/ml/77k6/ || CANADA Link - http://bit.ly/2yOxvz4

WOOD CUTTING LIST

- Cut (4) legs from your 2 x 2 x 8 piece of lumber. I cut mine 7 1/4" long and my crate is 18" tall for a total finished table height of 25 1/4" tall.

- Cut a shelf from your scrap plywood or 1" x 10" pine board. Measure the inside of your own crate to get the proper dimensions since your crate size may vary slightly from mine.

- Cut 2 small strips of scrap plywood (or pine board) to make your shelf support rails. Scrap wood, if you have it, is best since these won't be seen, therefore the less you spend on them the better!

TOOLS YOU'LL NEED

Table Saw and/or ChopSaw/Mitre Saw - or get hardware store associate to cut your wood when you buy it

Drill & Drill Bits

Pencil

Ruler or Speed Square

Hammer

Pliers or Vice Grip

Wood Glue

That's it for this super easy DIY Wood Crate Side Table tutorial! I hope you all liked it and some of you will make some for yourselves! See ya soon! Don't forget to check out the post for the Rustic Dry Brush Finish Tutorial I used to finish my crate end tables! Let's finish this post with a puppy photo of my little helper... just for the heck of it! ;) 

Sam ♡