# 9 Foot Long Dining Table - 6 legs needed?



## MichaelR (Dec 26, 2011)

Hello all, thanks for reading. I'm building something of a farmhouse style table for my family. We currently have 7 children (3 bio and 4 foster/adopt) so with 9 currently at the table my wife would like seating for 12. My plan is to seat 4 down each side and 2 on the ends and I think a 9'x4' table will do the job. I am making it from construction grade lumber, using 2x10 or 2x12 for the top. I will cut the rounded edges off and plan to use a biscuit joiner and biscuits, glue, and clamp it together. Looking into getting cauls to keep it flat and will hand plane the joints and sand the whole top prior to staining and waxing. We've had a pine table for 10 years so marks/nicks/dings aren't a concern (I would rather the babies ding cheaper pine than expensive hardwood).

My concerns/questions are in regards to the strength of a 2x4 for the apron when holding up a top of this length and weight. Fearing it may eventually bow I'm wondering if I need to make this table with 6 legs, or have even considered just adding a 5th leg in the very center. Thoughts?


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## DannyT (Apr 26, 2011)

i would go for the fifth leg. if you do 6 legs then someone would get stuck with a leg between theirs.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

You may find the Sagulator useful as you think through the design.

http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm

This is designed for calculating the sag in a shelf, but you can put in the dimensions for the distance between the legs.

I think of farmhouse style to mean a leg at each outside corner. If so, I would personally put a 5th leg in the middle.

If you changed to have two pedestal style legs or "H" type construction, you could avoid a middle leg.

A top made from 2x stock is a decent thickness. A 2x4 apron will help to stiffen. If you are concerned about bowing, just add some 2x2 strips full length for reinforcement at e.g., 12in intervals along the width.

I personally prefer dowels to help with alignment. With 2x stock you have a lot of surface area for the glue, so you just need to align.

If you plan on using cauls, you may even get away with a single dowel for the horizontal alignment.

I do not have much luck if I try and glue too many boards together at one time. If I were doing this project, I would glue the boards two at a time, then glue two sub-assemblies together etc, until I had the full width.

You may also want to consider getting a couple of these clamps.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2000321/1858/WoodRiver-Clamping-System.aspx

The 4 ft width is a challenge for clamps, the Woodcraft clamps can be used with 2x2 stock to get a long clamp for not much money.

My experience with pipe clamps, is that they want to bend the board, so if you go with these clamps I would place one on top the next underneath etc. so the bending forces are somewhat equalized.

Good luck with the project.


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## MichaelR (Dec 26, 2011)

Thanks so much for your responses.

In all the different plans I’ve looked at online I’ve never seen one with that 5th leg, just something that seemed like it would work but I was afraid it would be laughed at. Glad to know I’m not too far off base.

I'm definitely sticking with the 4 legs at each corner.

For dowel joinery, would a simple jig be sufficient? Would something like this do the job? 

As for expansion, my plan was to use plenty of z-clips in grooves cut with my biscuit joiner. I’ve read that some don’t like them but I don’t intend to move this table around once it’s in place, so I think they will be fine and much easier for me than other methods I’ve read about.

Initially I was very interested in making breadboards but I’m not sure how wifey will take to the long planks not being flush with the breadboard ends for several months out of the year. The easier plan was to just use the z-clips for expansion and leave the ends exposed, but will I have issues on a table this wide? Am I missing something with that approach?


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

MichaelR said:


> Thanks so much for your responses.
> 
> In all the different plans I’ve looked at online I’ve never seen one with that 5th leg, just something that seemed like it would work but I was afraid it would be laughed at. Glad to know I’m not too far off base.
> 
> ...


The 5th leg may look unusual to visitors, but it will add a lot of strength to the design. The intent is functionality over appearance.

Yes, I purchased mine from Lee Valley, slightly cheaper.

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32250&cat=1,180,42311,42319

Harbor Freight has one even cheaper, but I do not know about the quality.

http://www.harborfreight.com/self-centering-doweling-jig-41345.html

Some folks like the Z clips, some folks like the figure 8 clips. Both can work.

The expansion/contraction will be very little in the length, mostly in the width.

If you went with the breadboard end, there would be some difference in width of the table and length of the breadboard, depending on the season.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*one never knows what will be placed on the table*

It could be a small party of 2 or a larger gathering who thinks standing/dancing on the table is a good idea. You Tube has a few from weddings where the dancing crashed to the floor because the table gave way or other unknown reasons.

Given that a few people may choose to sit on it and it's only supported at the very ends, 9 feet is a fairly long span, so a 5th leg or a ridgeback down the center tapering out to the ends would also be good. It would not be visible if done correctly and would enhance the design and make cleaning more simplified. A 2 x 6 or 2 x 8 would be my suggestion.
If that does not seem sufficient a leg(s) could be easily attached
later on.  bill


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## MichaelR (Dec 26, 2011)

At some point between the ages of our young children now or the teenagers they will eventually grow to be (with friends), it is inevitable that someone will be on top of the table at some point. This thing has to hold up for the long haul. With all the chairs around it I doubt many people will notice a 5th leg, and if they do I really don't mind.


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## Roger Newby (May 26, 2009)

You could do a trestle style with an intermediate support in the middle or even two equally spaced.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Rather than using center legs to support the top you might consider steel behind the skirt. A 3" C-Beam will keep the top for sagging forever and not add any more weight than a whitewood 2x4. The C-Beam can be found at any place that sells metal building components. Its kind of like a steel stud but heaver gauge metal.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I wouldn't use dowels or biscuits. Just edge joint the boards and use glue and clamps. Cauls will keep the boards flat. You could use cross supports underneath that are slotted for fastening to the center of the long boards. It could be secured tightly to the center board, or one close to the center.

I would inboard the 4 legs, and not install at the corners. That would shorten the span.









 







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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

I recently did this... 8' 6" :smile:


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## MichaelR (Dec 26, 2011)

mdntrdr I looked at other pictures of that table on your Facebook page and it's very nice. With the banded sides how do you deal with wood expansion?


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

MichaelR said:


> mdntrdr I looked at other pictures of that table on your Facebook page and it's very nice. With the banded sides how do you deal with wood expansion?


The top is made from a 9' sheet of plain sliced veneer plywood. :smile:


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