How To Build a Long (8ft!) MCM Entryway Table with Hairpin Legs

worstontheblockJune 1, 2021

Have a super long space that you want to fill with an entryway table? Looking online but everything you can find is SO EXPENSIVE?!

Look no further because this post will show you exactly how to make a large entryway table that you and your guests will swoon over, while sticking to the budget!

This table is 8 foot long, one foot deep and 32 inches high, with mitered corners and three sections for storage.

This design is great if you need a sturdy table (great for kids and pets!) as it is mounted to the wall in the back and has three hairpin legs on the front side of the table for support. It’s very secure.

I purchased the hairpin table legs from amazon, and used my own screws to attach them as the ones that come with them are too long. I love them and they give that touch of MCM that we all love.

Note that you absolutely can build this table so that it has four legs in the corners and is not attached to the wall, but I would recommend maybe making it 6ft instead of 8ft long as the longer the table, the more it will need that extra support in the middle.

And on that note, you can totally customize this table to fit your space. Love the design but don’t have an 8ft wall? Simply cut your wood to the appropriate sizes and use these directions as a guide with your own measurements.

This table fills two purposes in our newly updated bedroom:

There is a very large antique mirror hanging that we love. It was my great grandfather’s and makes the room look so much bigger, brighter and lets you check out the view on both walls.

But it was empty underneath and needed something to ground it. I didn’t have anything long enough AND everything I saw for sale was SO EXPENSIVE. No thank you!
The table connects to and extends our recently updated kitty jungle gym. Our cat wanted to be the king of the room and walk around gazing at his land (he told me this).

I also thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to add some DIY or upcycled cat beds under the table and donate the old ones. Stay tuned for that.

What you’ll need

Wood
A way to cut the wood
Sand paper
Paint or stain
Wood glue
Hairpin legs
Level
Screws
Drill & driver
Optional: nail gun
OR hammer and finish nails

Notes on supplies:

Wood: To make this 8’ long, 32” tall, 12” deep table, you’ll need two, 8ft, 1×12’s for the top and bottom of the “box” and a 2 feet of a 1×6 for the ends, 2 ft of a 1×4 for the dividers, and a 1x4x8ft for the back support.

*If you decide not to do mitered corners, you can just get a 4ft section of 1×4 that will be for the ends and dividers.

If you want to customize the table and change the dimensions, adjust your board sizes as necessary.

Check out our mistakes to avoid when purchasing lumber. Be sure not to get warped wood if at all possible!

A miter saw is ideal for this project, but you can get it done with a circular saw.

If you don’t have one you can ask a friend or family member that does to help you OR you can often get your wood cut at the place you purchase it from. Be sure to go into the store with a plan and know your measurements.

Be aware that they may not be able to do the mitered corners for you, but you can just make a “butt” joint at the ends by using four, 1-ft sections of 1×4.

1. Cut the top, bottom and support planks

Always read all directions in full and take all safety precautions when using power tools!!

For this design, I’m using mitered corners on the outside of the box.

To do this, set your saw to a 45 degree angle and cut the very end off both sides of your 8-ft 1×12 boards, so that the board keeps it’s length but gets a mitered edge.

**Make sure that the miter is cut so that the board ends up with a \_____/ shape, NOT a /_____/ shape, so that the edges can all fit together to form a box.

You’ll have to flip the board over on the second side to get that effect.

And don’t worry, if you make a mistake, it’s ok! You can recut it, but know that the board will be smaller than initially expected, so measure and make sure you take the same amount off both boards so they are even when the table is assembled.

Then set your saw back to a 90 degrees to cut your support 1×4. To do this, measure the inside, shorter edge of your 1×12 and cut your 1×4 to the same length. It should be in the ballpark of about 7’10”.

2. Cut your ends & dividers

Cut your 1×6 and it into two, 1-ft sections
Cut your 1×4 into two, 11-inch sections

These shorter 11-inch sections are for the dividers on the inside of the box, and are one inch shorter to allow for the 1×4 that is mounted to the wall in the back of the box.

*IF you don’t want to mount your table, don’t take off that extra inch and instead cut all 4 pieces to 12”

Then you’re going to take your two, 12” long, 1×6 boards and miter the edges long-ways. These are going to be the end pieces on either side of the table “box”.

You’re going to miter both long edges so that again, you have a \___/ shape ( not a /___/ shape)

When all assembled, it will line up beautifully with the edges of your 8ft boards to create a box.

BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL! Always follow all safety precautions and don’t put your fingers under the blade! You don’t have a lot of room to work here so it’s better if you clamp the wood to your miter saw to avoid getting your fingers too close.

Be VERY careful. It’s not worth losing a finger!

Seriously.

3. Sand

If possible, sand outside and wear a mask. It’s important to protect yourself. You don’t want to breathe in those tiny particles!

If you have a palm sander, it is certainly helpful for those large boards, but definitely not necessary. All you need is some sand paper.

Start off with a coarse grit paper to knock off any big splinters or imperfections, working in long sweeping motions with the grain.

Then finish off with a fine grit paper to get that nice smooth surface. You’ll really only see the outside of the boards (the longer side) so you don’t have to go crazy with the inside (the shorter side).

Remember NOT to sand the mitered edges! They won’t line up nicely if you take off that sharp cut.

4. Stain or paint

Now get creative and make it your own! Choose any color stain or paint you love and get to work.

I stained my boards with Verathane’s Early American. I love this color! It’s nice and rich but not too dark.

Use the same long sweeping motions that you did when sanding and go with the grain. If you’re staining, wipe off any excess stain with an old rag.

Tip: When staining, I simply use one rag to both smooth on the stain and wipe off the excess. I find it’s a lot easier than using a brush, saves time and there’s less clean up as you only have one item instead of two.

You may need two coats, and it’s a good idea to let one side dry before flipping it over to paint or stain the others, so this is a job that can be done between other projects, errands, or work as time allows.

5. Assemble the box

Collect all your boards and a buddy and bring it to it’s permanent place. I found, especially with these large boards, it’s easier to assemble where it’s going to live.

Lay out your boards and figure out the best placement for the ends. Depending on the conture of your boards, the sides may fit better on one end than another.

Then grab something to prop your boards up on so you can work on them off the floor. We used a nearby IKEA unit.

Wood glue is a great for this project as it will help the mitered corners stay together, and if you have large enough clamps you can clamp the two boards in place to easily screw them together.

However, wood glue and I have been in a fight as of late (darn gunked up caps and impossible squeezing), and I don’t have big enough clamps. So I skipped it altogether to save my sanity.

(Don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a whole bunch of tools for your projects. Anything is possible with a little hard work and determination!)

Attach your support 1×4 to the 1×12.

Lay down the bottom 1×12 and place your long 1×4 support on the inside edge of the 1×12 that will be against the wall.

With help from your buddy, stand the 1×12 on it’s edge so you can access the bottom of the table.

Making sure the edges of the boards are aligned, grab your driver to make a pilot hole into the 1×12 and through the 1×4, then screw your 1.5″ screws into the hole to attach the two boards.

Do the same thing on the other edge of the board, and then work your way into the middle of the table, securing multiple screws through the 1×12 and into the 1×4.

Attach the middle dividers.

Now determine where you want your 1x4x11″ dividers. I split the 8 ft board into three sections by putting my two dividers at about 2ft 8inches and 5ft 4inches down the 1×12 board.

Flipping your 1×12 on it’s side, one person should hold the divider where you want it, and from the bottom of the table, use your drill and driver and put two screws into the 1×4 to secure it in place.

Do this for both of the 11 inch sections of 1×4’s.

Secure the top of the table.

Now lay the table back down and place the top 1×12 board on top of the now-secured 1×4 support and divider pieces.

Ensure that the top board is even with the bottom board. You can use your mitered ends to help you determine placement. A level or a square is also helpful.

When you have the top of the table in the right place, nail it in to to secure the table in multiple places.

If you have a nail gun, this is a great application. If not, you can go the old fashioned way with finishing nails and a hammer. It will take a little longer but you can totally get it done this way.

Tip: You can make pilot holes for finishing nails. This helps prevent the wood from splitting and it makes it easier on you when banging them in. Just make sure you check your bit to make sure that it’s not bigger than the nail.

Be sure to attach your top board to both the 1×4 support AND the dividers, ensuring you’re in the right place before putting in the nails by eyeballing it or measuring.

Attach the mitered ends.

Now you can take your 1×6’s and secure them to either end by nailing it into the top, bottom, and back support of the table.

Again, a brad nailer is great here, or you can use a hammer and finishing nails.

To make sure it’s really secure, I also used one screw by the back and into the 1×4 support on either side, but if you want a cleaner look you can just use your wood glue and finishing nails.

Now your box is fully assembled we’ll add the legs.

6. Attach the Hairpin Legs

Now flip the entire table over so you can attach the legs.

Determine the placement you like. I put the brackets at about 3/4 of an inch from the sides of the table on the ends, and put the center of the middle leg facing forward, about 1/2 an inch from the front of the table.

Make sure you attach the legs on the same side as the open end of the box.

Once you get the placement you like, drill pilot holes and screw the legs in.

I switched out the screws that came with the legs for ones that were a bit shorter and wouldn’t go through the table. Check to make sure your screws are the right size before attaching them.

Since our floors are far from level, we also had to add some scrap wood under one side of the table. Grab your level and check to make sure your table is level before attaching it to the wall.

7. Secure table to wall studs

Now it’s time to attach your table to the wall!

Flip your table right-side-up and have your buddy secure the wall side so it won’t fall.

Adjust the table so that it’s on the right place on the wall. We were placing it under our long mirror, so we centered it to the mirror. Make sure you like the placement.

Find the studs.

There’s a few ways to find your wall studs:

Use the old “knock” trick. When you hear the deeper “thud” instead of the hollow sound, you’ve found a stud.
You can also look for nail holes vertically along your wall, which is a good indication that a stud is underneath. (This is where your walls were secured to the studs).
Get fancy and use a stud-finder.

You can mark the studs with painters tape so you remember where they are.

Screw the table into the studs.

Now that you know where your studs are located and your table is placed properly on the wall, use your drill and driver to make a pilot hole from inside the table box, through the 1×4 support and into the studs.

I secured each section of the table (separated by dividers) with two screws into the studs, so 6 screws in total. It makes for an incredibly sturdy surface.

8. Decorate!

The fun part!

Grab any and all of the decor pieces you love and add those finishing touches.

I kept it simple for now with a lamp, plant, picture (really, my great-uncle’s law degree, the same uncle who used to own the house) and some books inside the sections.

There is plenty of room for a storage bin below, and the three storage sections are also a great place to store your mail or keys.

But use what you have a do what you love!

Recap

In total, we spent under $100 to make this table, which is amazing considering what you have to spend to get an 8-ft long entry table.

AND I also found it difficult to get the right measurements. This is another reason I LOVE DIY projects. You can totally customize them to your style and to fit your own space.

So get creative with these easy steps:

Cut your wood
Sand, stain or paint
Assemble the “box”
Attach your legs
Secure it to the wall
Deck it out with your favorite decor!

We hope you love this table as much as we do. It’s perfect for that MCM or farmhouse style, and creates huge impact without breaking the bank.

And little guy loves it too 😻

Questions? We’re here!

Comment below and let us know what decorating dilemmas you’ve run into…
And if you’re on good terms with wood glue 😂

How To Build a Long (8ft!) MCM Entryway Table with Hairpin Legs