Children's Farmhouse Craft Table

By Nate Crilly at Nate Crilly Woodworks in Sturgeon Bay, WI.

Winning Category

I designed and built this children's sized craft table for my daughter. Now she has her own space to draw, color, look at books, and work on puzzles. It is sized perfectly for small children but has an elegant design that will fit well with most home decor, so there is no need to hide it away! The table is made from construction grade lumber that I milled and glued up for a clean and seamless look while remaining affordable. I used 1/2" dowel joinery for the majority of the construction, making this project both approachable and incredibly strong. This table is constructed in the exact same way a full size table would be, down to the table top fasteners that allow for wood movement, ensuring it will last a lifetime. The finish is what takes this table to the next level. I used a whole stable of General Finishes products on this table. From the milk painted base, to the dye stained top, all protected by High Performance Topcoat, these finishes went on without a hitch through a small consumer HVLP. It was so easy to achieve a beautiful and flawless finish that will no doubt stand up to the rigors and stresses brought on by my destructive toddler. The learning curve was practically nonexistent and the quality of the finish rivals that of anything I've seen on furniture available in the retail market. It is exactly the look we were going for and proves that children's furniture can be elegant and classic without turning your living room into a primary-colored day care center.

Products Used

  • Ebony Dye Stain
  • High Performance Topcoat - Satin
  • Snow White Milk Paint
  • GF Extender

View Profile