Sawdust Smart
Menu

Build idea

Narrow white oak console table

I made this Share a photo of your version.

a white oak console table with a lower shelf against a wall concept — not a real build.

A narrow white oak console table for entryways and behind sofas: square legs, doweled aprons and stretchers, a lower shelf, and a solid top on wood buttons. Gaps are sized so the top and shelf can both shrink and swell.

Rough size
About 42 in long x 10 in deep x 30 in tall
Wood
White oak

Anchor tall or narrow furniture to the wall so it can't tip.

Tools you might use

  • Table saw with blade guard, riving knife, and push sticks for ripping
  • Jointer and planer, unless you buy surfaced lumber
  • Miter saw or crosscut sled
  • Router
  • Doweling jig
  • Drill or driver, countersink, 3/16" bit
  • Bar or pipe clamps
  • Combination square, tape measure, marking gauge
  • Random-orbit sander
  • Safety glasses, hearing protection, and a dust mask

Our tool picks for this idea: Wood glue

Need bar, pipe or parallel clamps? See our clamp picks.

Choosing a sander? Read our sander for cutting boards guide.

Not sure which push stick or push block to use? Read our push stick and push block guide.

Need a miter saw? See our miter saw picks.

Key techniques

Line diagram of the finished white oak console table: front view 42 inches long and 30 inches tall, with square legs, a 3 1/2-inch apron under the top, and a lower shelf whose stretchers sit 8 1/2 inches off the floor; an end view shows the 10-inch-deep top overhanging the 8-inch leg frame by 1 inch at the front and back, with an anti-tip cable to the wall.
Diagram of the finished piece. Sizes are approximate, not a tested plan. Reader build photos welcome.

All build ideas