The table is the centerpiece of the home and has been used for centuries to enjoy time with family and friends. Over time, it has adopted various shapes and styles. However, the models offered on the market can always have a detail that displeases.
For a do-it-yourselfer, whether a beginner or a professional, making your own wooden table is very satisfying. How do you make a simple wood table? Here are the basics to remember.
Make a plan and cut the materials
Any construction and manufacturing project should start with a plan. This allows you to establish the dimensions and shape of the wooden table you want to achieve from the start.
You can use the tables that are already available on the market, including those offered by Ikea, as inspiration for this plan. However, you also have the choice to use your creativity.
In the context of the realization of this plan, you will have to define in advance the use that you will make of this table. Is it a kitchen table, coffee table, side table or a dining table? How big will the space be that will host it? What shape do you want the final result to be?
When the plan is established, it is necessary to note the dimensions that you plan to have for each component so that you do not get lost when cutting the materials.
The materials needed to make the wooden table vary depending on the model you want to make. However, basically for a 4-sided model of square or rectangular shape, you will need:
– A large wooden board or a few boards to assemble to make the top,
– 4 sticks for the edges of the tray,
– 4 wooden boards for the bottom of the table,
– 4 wooden legs.
Once the materials are gathered, proceed to cut them according to the desired shapes and dimensions previously defined in the plan. A jigsaw will help you to make this cut more easily.
Assembling the top part of the wooden table
The market is full of wooden table with different styles nowadays. The shape can be round or rectangular or square or other, in the realization of this cool DIY, let your creativity speak. In any case, after choosing the materials that suit you, you will have to move on to the assembly.
Start by assembling the different elements that make up the table top. If you have chosen several boards to assemble to form the table top, then position these elements next to each other.
Then, you will have to bind them together using a wood or metal reinforcement. This should be the same length as the width of the table top or a little less for a better look. To fix the reinforcement, use a lag bolt. The size of the reinforcement should be smaller than the thickness of the tray in order to have an aesthetic pleasing to the eye.
If you have opted for a large board to have this tray, then you will not have to go through this assembly.
In both cases, once the tray is ready, apply wood glue on the sticks. You can then glue them on the 4 edges of the tray, taking the case of a model with 4 sides, square or rectangular. Assemble the rods end to end for an excellent result. Then use a corner clamp to keep the rods in place.
Assemble the bottom of the table and the legs
To assemble the bottom part of the table, place the previously assembled table top upside down. Next, trace the entire length of the table away from the edge by 5 cm. Apply glue to the edges of the boards that will form the bottom of the table and position them on the traced lines.
You will also need to join them end to end and create a 90° angle by gluing them to the bottom of the table. Then screw the ends of the boards together to secure them.
As for the legs of the table, after checking that they have the same dimensions, proceed immediately to their sanding before assembling them to the table. To assemble them, the legs must be fixed at the 90° angles formed by the boards on the underside of the table.
Apply glue to the top of each leg and then position them under the tabletop at the 4 corners of the underside of the table. Use screws on both sides of the corner to secure each leg to the underside of the table.
Moving on to finishing the DIY wood table
If the materials used were not yet smooth before assembling the table, move on to sanding them all down using a sander. Sand with coarse sandpaper to treat the large roughness of the wood. Then move on to medium grit to treat irregularities in the boards. Finally, sand with small grit to perfectly smooth the wood.
After sanding, have fun giving your DIY wood table the style and aesthetic you want by applying paint and varnish. When white combines with the natural color of the wood, the result is a very chic table with a Scandinavian design. For example, you can paint the top white and leave the legs well sanded to the natural color of the wood.
A table stained in dark colors, including black, is also very elegant. It gives a modern touch to the space that hosts it.
Other colors also give warmth to your interior when they come to dress your wooden table. Include red or orange for small tables for a contemporary style or yellow for kitchen tables for a fresh touch.
Related Questions
What is the cheapest wood to build a table?
Poplar is an easy wood to work with and is very inexpensive. However, the fact that its not a very attractive wood means that hardwoods are usually used instead or pine is used for another low-cost option [1].
What wood should I use for a table top?
As a general rule of thumb when selecting the best wood, hardwoods will be more durable than softwoods and will last longer. Most hardwoods used in the United States for wooden table tops are white oak, red oak, hard maple, cherry, and walnut [2].
References
[1] https://renovatedfaith.com/best-wood-for-dining-table/
[2] https://www.tylerbrownwoodworking.com/articles/the-best-wood-for-a-table-top-how-to-choose
