Table with their own hands from. DIY coffee table: a master class on making, ideas and tips for choosing the best design

The coffee table is an optional piece of furniture. At the same time, its presence makes any living room more comfortable. On the table you can put a newspaper, put a cup of tea or coffee. We will make this piece of furniture ourselves, making it truly original and comfortable.

Low table - a practical interior decoration

The very first coffee table was created in the middle of the 19th century in England. Within a couple of decades, this furniture adorned the living rooms of all European houses. In the 20th century, the fashion for it came to our country. True, in Russia the tables we are interested in are called coffee tables, not coffee tables. But this does not change the essence of the matter. Such a piece of furniture is understood as a small table no more than 40-50 cm high, which can have any ergonomics, look and design. It all depends on the preferences of the consumer.

In furniture stores, low tables are sold in a wide range. You can find both an inexpensive design and a designer thing that can make any interior chic and unusual. But many home craftsmen want to make an original table themselves using a variety of improvised materials. We put a piece of our soul into home-made furniture. So, it will turn out really comfortable and will be able to fill the home with comfort and warmth.

Coffee tables are made from wood and glass. It is also possible to assemble unusual and beautiful designs from:

• an old window and ordinary books;
• unused heating radiator;
• wooden pallets or boxes;
• dismantled interior or entrance door;
• car tire;
• wicker basket;
• coils from the electric cable.

There are a lot of options for making a table for tea parties. You just need to show your imagination and listen to the advice of experienced craftsmen who are engaged in self-decoration of their homes. Next, we describe the most popular ways to build coffee tables. And you stop your choice on the most suitable option.

We make furniture from chipboard - as easy as shelling pears!

Chipboard is the most affordable material to create. Chipboards are processed without problems, easily cut to the required dimensions, and have an affordable price. For the assembly of low tables, it is recommended to use laminated boards, as they are characterized by an attractive appearance, and products from them are durable. There are many sites on the Internet where it is not difficult to find various drawings with dimensions for making furniture from chipboard. We propose to make a table, focusing on the sketches below.

The design we planned consists of the following elements:

• shelf dimensions 500x700 mm;
• countertop 736x736;
• 4 strips 100x464;
• 4 plastic corners and the same number of legs (or wheels);
• 2 bottoms (the dimensions of each of them are 500x700);
• 4 strips 100x464.

We will fasten these elements with cofirmats, they will need 8 pieces, and 16 3.5x16 mm.

We make the table step by step. First (position 1 in the diagram) we make a shelf from a chipboard (preferably, as it was said, laminated) board. Cutting is done with an electric jigsaw, using a file with a small step. Such a tool will eliminate the likelihood of chips. Then (position 2) we attach the planks to the tabletop (we sit them on plastic corners). We mount the shelf (pos. 3) in the center of the strips installed vertically. We make holes in it with a cross section of 4.5 mm (you will need a drill with an appropriate drill). We fix the shelf with confirmations. Without them, our tea table may not be very stable and reliable in operation. With the help of confirmations, we screw the bottom of the structure (pos. 4).

After that, we fasten the legs (pos. 5). They are not fastened from the very edges of the table, but retreated from them by about 15 mm. Instead of legs, it is allowed to mount small wheels (fixed with self-tapping screws). Then we get a mobile coffee table that can be moved throughout the home. It remains only to bring home-made furniture to mind. We glue with a melamine edge all the visible joints of our table. Visually, the design of laminated chipboard will look perfect! By the way, instead of wood chip blanks, you can use MDF (wood fiber products). The result will be about the same.

Glass table - stylish and elegant

The interiors, made in a modern theme, are perfectly complemented by compact glass tables. They are installed on wooden or chrome legs. It is desirable to use frosted glass. It usually has a special film that protects the countertop from mechanical damage. In addition, stains from spilled tea, coffee, other drinks and fingerprints on frosted glass will not be so noticeable.

The recommended tabletop width is up to 120 cm. There is no need to build a table with large parameters. It will be difficult to fit it into the interior of a standard apartment or a small private house. Choose any form of construction. But if you are making a glass coffee table with your own hands for the first time, it is better to stay in a rectangular configuration. We can buy chrome legs in a furniture store. And wood components are easy to make yourself. A drawing of a table with standard dimensions is shown below.

Let's get to work. First, we cut the glass according to the given geometric parameters. This operation must be done slowly. Place the glass on a flat surface. We outline the cut lines with a simple pencil. Wet the glass cutter with sunflower oil (or other lubricant). We apply a metal ruler to the intended line. Gently (without strong pressure) we go through the markup with a glass cutter. Then we shift the glass from the surface, ensuring that the extra pieces of material are on weight. We tap our fingers along the marking line, lightly press. After these actions, unnecessary parts of the glass break strictly along the lines made.

The cut material needs to be processed. First, we clean the edges of the glass with a file, then with a grinder equipped with a diamond tool. Additionally, it is recommended to sand potentially unsafe parts of the glass with sandpaper (fine grit). Then we take a thin felt, mount it on the edges of the countertop and press it against it. This will protect our furniture from scratches. Flip the table face down. We make marks for mounting the legs. From the edges of the tabletop, it is desirable to install them at a distance of at least 50 mm.

We drill holes at the top of the bases of all legs. They will be required to attach the suction cup. Everything is simple here. We process the suction cups with an adhesive, mount them in the prepared holes, press the elements as tightly as possible. After the glue sets, we turn the home-made structure into its normal position and wait about two days. After 48 hours the coffee table will be ready for use.

We will build a structure from wood - a win-win option

Wooden tea tables are suitable for any living space, no matter what kind of decor is implemented in them. Wood products look great both in classic interiors and in the most modern ones. Making wooden furniture with your own hands is really simple. Moreover, we can build a table of any design - the simplest, with many additional drawers, stands, shelves. With the right approach to business, we will get a piece of furniture that is no different from expensive store tables.

We will not offer a drawing of a wooden structure. Any craftsman is able to draw up a simple sketch of such a structure with the desired dimensions. But let's say a few words about the materials and tools that will be needed to complete the work. Stocking up:

• bars or trimmings of wooden boards (of which we will make table legs and crossbars);
• two thick boards;
• varnish and stain;
• grinder, sandpaper;
• wood saw;
• glue;
• electric drill.

We start creating. We cut thick boards to the required dimensions to make a countertop out of them. We connect them with each other with glue. We are waiting for the structure to stick together firmly. At this time, we make crossbars and legs from scraps of boards or bars. We give the tabletop the selected shape. It can be rectangular or square (it's easier), but tables with a variety of roundness and curves look better. Wood is easy to work with. With the help of a hacksaw, we can easily create a countertop of the configuration we need. After that, using a grinding machine, we carefully process the finished elements. Additionally, we rub their surface with sandpaper.

On the countertop, legs, crossbars we apply stain. This composition gives the tree a noble look, providing the effect of antiquity. These elements are completely processed with a stain. We need to apply it not only on the surface, but also on the end parts of the coffee table parts. Nuance. The ends of wood products can be covered with decorative materials, for example, butterflies often used for this purpose.

Next, we attach the crossbars to the tabletop, assembled from two boards. The operation is performed using glue and round spikes inserted into pre-made holes. The latter are drilled in the right places with an electric drill. We fix the legs in the same way: we make holes, grease the spikes with glue, insert them into the grooves. The tea table is ready. Let's cover it with varnish so that the design looks perfect, and enjoy the new piece of furniture in the house.

Books, waste paper and an old window - you can even make a table out of them!

As we have already noted, the original coffee table can really be made from various improvised materials. If you have a lot of old magazines and newspapers, you don't have to throw them away. Let's make an unusual table out of them according to the following scheme:

1. 1. We roll waste paper into tight tubes.
2. 2. We fix the resulting blanks with rubber bands.
3. 3. Immerse the prepared tubes into a bucket filled with a water-polymer emulsion.
4. 4. We are waiting for 5-7 minutes.
5. 5. We take out the soaked paper blanks and hang them on a rope on wire hooks. Drying should be carried out in a room where there is no dust. Don't forget to put plastic wrap under the rope. Streams of water from waste paper will flow onto it.
6. 6. From the dried tubes we form a cabinet for a coffee table - just glue them together (as tightly as possible) with PVA glue.

The created cabinet is usually fixed with strong threads and left to dry. Then we cut our homemade table from the top and bottom. We get a neat bedside table. We glue ordinary or mirror glass on top of it, using silicone, which is used to repair aquariums. Advice. Glass should be 1.2–1.5 cm thick. Thin countertops will be unreliable in operation. One careless move and they will crack.

In cases where the old window structure in the dwelling is changed to a new one (for example, to a plastic one), the dismantled product can also be adapted for a coffee table. We are waiting for a minimum of difficulties. We remove hinges, handles, other accessories from the window, wash the canvas well. If necessary, peel off the old layer of paint, polish the surface and paint with a fresh composition. Before us is a finished tabletop. You can install it on any legs. A great option is to make them from volumes that have been collecting dust on bookshelves in your home for decades.

We fasten the books to each other, forming legs of the required height from them.

The procedure is performed using superglue. Another option is to drill neat holes in the books and thread a steel bar through them. We install the updated window frame on homemade legs and rejoice at our ingenuity. Such coffee tables are good for interiors in retro, vintage, Provence styles. Instead of a window, by the way, it is allowed to use old doors, a mirror or just a large board, which had no place in the household.

Furniture for tea parties from pallets and boxes - simple and original

Wooden pallets are products used for the transportation and storage of various goods and cargo. Pallets perform the same function. But they are considered more modern designs. Both the first and second are ready-made countertops. Low tables from them turn out well. At the same time, the entire process of making home-made furniture from such products requires a minimum of time and labor from the home master.

We just need to thoroughly clean and wash the pallet, process it with a grinder and sandpaper, and paint it in the chosen color. It is not necessary to apply a single color paint. Color the table to your liking. Apply any ornaments and symbols to the pallet. And if you wish, you can not paint the workpiece at all, leaving the wood in its natural form. Small chips, scratches, cracks emphasize the natural texture of the structure.

We install the prepared tabletop on low wooden bars or on wheels. Here you need to understand that the mass of pallets is quite serious - up to 15-25 kg. Therefore, wheels and legs for a table from a pallet should be selected wisely. They must withstand a given load. However, a pallet of sufficient height may not be equipped with legs. The design and without them will turn out convenient and reliable.

If there are no pallets at hand, it is really possible to make a table from any empty wooden boxes. Suitable containers for wine, vegetables, fruits. From two drawers you can build a small coffee table, and from four - a spacious structure for gatherings with friends. We assemble the boxes into square or rectangular furniture. We fasten them together with nails, putty the installation sites of the hardware with a mixture of glue and sawdust. We decorate the structure, cover it with varnish. We get a chic table.

In the free space between the boxes we put a vase or a pot of flowers. You can also cover it with a suitable sheet product. Nuance. Design experts advise making a plastic countertop coating if the interior of the home is made in the style of minimalism and modernity. For high-tech and art deco decors, it is better to use a sheet of polished steel. Country-style interiors are perfectly complemented by wooden flooring. And the glass, placed on a table of drawers, will harmoniously fit into any decor of the room.

Other ideas for assembling structures - a little more creativity

It is really possible to build a massive coffee table from an old cast-iron radiator. It is enough to tint it a little, install it on strong wheels, and cover it with glass on top (if possible, with rounded edges). The functionality of such a design, of course, is in question. She, nevertheless, weighs 60–80 kilograms. But here she does not hold originality. Not a single guest of your home will be able to ignore such an unusual piece of furniture.

And car lovers have the opportunity to make a convenient table from an old tire from their iron horse. Very often, tires are used to decorate the garden and vegetable garden. But even in the house, with proper preparation, they will look out of place. To create a table from a tire in the now popular eco-style, you need to stock up:

Table from an old tire

• two circles cut out of a plywood sheet (we take their cross section a little less than the diameter of the tire used);
• superglue;
• cord, plait or decorative rope;
• varnish;
• self-tapping screws, electric drill;
• wheels.

We attach plywood circles to the tire on both sides. Products can be put on superglue or (more reliable) on self-tapping screws. If you want the homemade plywood cover to open, one of the circles should be installed on small loops. Then in the niche of the tire it will be possible to store a variety of household trifles.

After that, we proceed to decorate the coffee table. We make a small circle from a rope (harness). We coat the middle of the plywood countertop with glue. Carefully fasten the rope element to it. Similarly, going from the center to the edges, we decorate the rest of the surface. Then we turn the tire over and continue to braid it on the sides. The bottom of the structure can not be decorated. Attach the legs to the bottom sheet (as an option - wheels). The table is ready. It remains to cover it with varnish or a special wax composition.

Fantasize more! Original tables for tea parties can also be made from other improvised materials. The more creative the craft will look, the more positive emotions you will experience when looking at it. Decorate your home with unusual homemade furniture, creating unique interiors. Good luck.

We will send the material to you by e-mail

It seems that people lived without coffee tables and can live on. But if you look at the thing from a different angle, it turns out that the interior becomes more perfect, complete, and the thing turns out to be very comfortable. Talked on the phone - put the mobile on the table. I read a book - it is convenient to leave it on the table in order to return to reading soon. Do I need to go and buy a product?

The more complex the design, the more difficulties await in the work.

To create a table, they take into account their physical and financial capabilities, the availability of the necessary materials and tools, skills in handling them and free time.

How to prepare do-it-yourself drawings with dimensions for a coffee table

Even those people who did not draw at school are faced with the need to work according to the drawings. For the manufacture of some models, a drawing may not be required, but for a coffee table made of wood with your own hands you cannot do without it.

To build their own drawing, they are armed with a large sheet of paper, a pencil, a ruler and a tape measure. The dimensions of the future product are measured with a tape measure, it must fit freely into the allotted place in the room.

All dimensions are fixed, and with the help of a ruler they are transferred to paper. All parts are cut according to the drawings. Do not forget to add the thickness of the legs and countertops to the drawing.

What materials can a coffee table be made from?

Let's decide what kind of model should be in the room. There are different options, and each has its own nuances.

In any case, it will not be superfluous to prepare a hacksaw, a hammer, scissors, pliers, fasteners, carpentry or furniture glue, screws and nails.

Related article:

DIY furniture made of wood: for garden, children's room, kitchen, sauna, garden, arbor; how to restore pieces of furniture, useful tips and recommendations from experts - read our publication.

table top

The tabletop determines not only the appearance of the product, but also the decor of the room. It is not at all necessary to make a standard rectangular or square countertop, its shape can be unique. Also, the type of countertop is a determining factor for which style the product is suitable for.

It is more difficult to work with glass without skills, if there are none, it is better to turn to a professional.

Coffee table legs

The legs must be strong and be able to easily support not only the weight of the countertop, but also the items placed on top. The type of legs matches the style of the tabletop.

Advice! You can take the legs from old furniture, cleaning them and processing them.

Related article:

: photo of the best ideas. What can be done from a pallet for an apartment, office and cottage; rules for the selection and processing of pallets; master classes on making a table, sofa, bench, armchair and shelving - read in our publication.

Making your own wood coffee table

How do you want such a wooden coffee table as in the photo! If the desire to have a thing made of wood is strong, then there is no point in stopping yourself: arm yourself with tools, study articles on processing and teak wood, and “full speed ahead”!

Table in country style from a wooden barrel

A do-it-yourself coffee table made of wood and a barrel looks amazing on the photo. Country style is not as rustic as it seems, with such a table it is something exquisite.

Making your own coffee table from chipboard

Relatively inexpensive material, and the finished product looks modern and stylish.

Let's try to make a table step by step:

1. Creating a drawing.
2. Preparation of material and tools.
3. Work with a jigsaw - all the details are transferred to a chipboard sheet and cut out.
4. The legs are attached to the back of the tabletop lying on the floor with the help of furniture corners.
5. All edges of chipboard are pasted over with matching furniture edges.

The more complex the drawing, the more attention is needed in the work.

How to make a coffee table from chipboard

A plywood coffee table is made in a short time. Tip for inexperienced craftsmen: sawing all the details can be ordered at a building materials store. Based on a sheet thickness of 18 mm, we order 800 × 800 mm - a tabletop, 460 × 100 mm - four strips, 700 × 500 mm - a shelf, 700 × 500 mm - two bottoms, four plastic corners, eight confirmations and self-tapping screws 3.5 × 16 mm (16 pieces should be enough). All elements must be covered with melamine edging.

Let's move on to assembly:

1. According to the drawing, we cut out the required shape of the shelf with a jigsaw. Be sure to use a fine pitch woodcarving file.
2. We fasten the vertical strips to the countertop using corners and self-tapping screws.
3. In the middle of the slats, you need to install a shelf on confirmations. To screw them in, we pre-drill holes with a 4.5 mm drill. Also, confirmations need to be screwed to the bottom.
4. All conspicuous confirmations are covered with stubs.

Advice! Optionally, such a table is installed on wheel supports.

We make a glass table with our own hands

For lovers of everything airy and spacious, a glass model is suitable. In the absence of glass handling skills, it is better to stop on a table without unnecessary details.

Assembly:

1. Drawing a drawing and making cardboard patterns according to it.
2. Glass cutting according to the pattern.
3. Sanding the edges with sandpaper or a drill at low speeds.

The tabletop assembly scheme is shown in the photo below.

You can add a glass top to a table made of car discs, barrels, wood, saw cuts, pallets.

Making your own coffee table from improvised materials

A favorite topic for many creative people is how to use improvised materials for practical use. Products from tires are especially popular - they are convenient to install in summer cottages and verandas, and from suitcases that have served their time as travelers.

Tire table

There are different ideas on how to use tires as a table. What pleases, such products are durable, original and take a minimum of time in the manufacture.

Here is a small instruction for creating a furniture garden set with a small table at the head.

Illustration	Action Description
	Prepare 11 tires of the same diameter. We take two tires on the chair and connect them with ourselves using a screwdriver and self-tapping screws. For the table we take three tires.
	We cut out 4 circles from plywood (pressed chips) with a size slightly larger than the inner diameter of the tire, and one large circle for the countertop.
	The result is a cute garden set.

Table-suitcase

Do you have an old suitcase? How wonderful!

So, what is needed for such a rapid transformation? Four stable legs of any type - the main thing is that they are combined with the final decor option and can easily withstand the product. Legs can be bought on Avito or torn off from old unnecessary furniture, made on a lathe. As a painting, you can take white enamel, as it is easy to decorate. But, in general, the color can be any, up to gilding. If the appearance of the suitcase is perfectly preserved, then you can not paint it. If you wish, you also need PVA glue, decoupage napkins, brushes, sandpaper, gold or silver acrylic.

First paint the base and let it dry. All irregularities are sanded, and a second layer of enamel is applied. Now we paint the legs and, as soon as they dry, glue them with furniture glue to the base. That's all the work! We turn the table and admire the result of labor.

How to make a coffee table with additional elements with your own hands

If the hostess loves permutations, or the table needs to move, wheel supports are attached to the legs as an additional element. It is very comfortable. If the table is small, then it can be served for tea in the kitchen and rolled into the living room. Drawers are another additional and functional element. It turns out that the table becomes doubly comfortable.

Table on wheels

To create a coffee table on wheels with your own hands, ready-made wheel supports are required. A small photo gallery of tables on wheels: they may not necessarily be small, large metal or plastic wheels look even more interesting!

The wheels are attached to the legs when the supports themselves are already attached to the tabletop.

Table with drawers

Drawers can be from one to three or four, it depends on the model of the table.

To assemble a simple box, you need 4 small panels of chipboard, wood glue, rails, and self-tapping screws.

After fixing all the guides, check the smoothness and accuracy of the stroke. Then we assemble the box and simply insert it into the guides.

Do-it-yourself restoration of a coffee table: photos of interesting ideas

DIY coffee table decor is limited by the creator's imagination. Any fantasy can be realized with effort. The decor must be chosen according to the style of the room, otherwise the dissonance will make the thing superfluous. But if you do not want to make a new coffee table with your own hands? Then you need to learn how to restore the old one.

Decoupage is an interesting technique using PVA glue, beautiful napkins. If you want to make decoupage antique, then use crackle varnish.

The photo below is the answer to the question of how to update the coffee table with your own hands.

If the furniture needs to be updated due to its condition, then the first thing to do is turn the table over onto the countertop and check the fastening of the support legs. If something needs to be corrected, then there is no point in delaying it - the furniture will continue to deteriorate faster. You can simply repaint the table, sand it and try to paint it.

PVA is applied to the countertop, scraps are laid. At first, the leaves may lie unevenly, but as they dry, they will even out. At the end, the product is varnished.

Article

The coffee table was an essential attribute of Soviet upholstered furniture sets. According to the plan, such a set necessarily included a sofa, a couple of armchairs and, in fact, a table. The times of the Union of the Indestructible have long since sunk into oblivion, and the coffee table is still in demand. Of course, you can use it not only for storing magazines and other periodicals, but also, for example, for serving a romantic dinner, for needlework and other necessary trifles. He will successfully play the role of a bedside table or a stand for flowerpots or a vase of flowers. In general, this piece of furniture will be needed both in the living room and in the bedroom. Modern furniture stores are ready to offer many options for such tables, but real craftsmen can create their own exclusive version. This is also a way to save money, and sometimes an opportunity to extend the life of some things if you make it from improvised materials. In the article, we will consider how to make a coffee table with your own hands and what you need for this.

The simplest and most familiar material for the manufacture of this element of the interior, of course, is wood. In addition, wood is perhaps the most affordable and easy-to-work material. With the tools that every self-respecting man has in his arsenal, any board can become a coffee table.

Wooden coffee table - timeless classic

In order to make such a table-bench with your own hands, you will need the following materials (all dimensions are given in cm) and tools:

• boards 2.5 × 7.5 (3 pcs.);
• boards 2.5 × 10 (1 pc.);
• boards 2.5x5 (8 pcs.);
• legs of the required length (4 pieces), fastenings for them;
• screws - 3.5;
• self-tapping screws - 3;
• finishing nails - 3.75;
• glue for carpentry;
• putty, paint, primer;
• sandpaper;
• saw;
• drill;
• a pair of short and long clips;
• roulette;
• hammer;
• Kreg Jig for Hidden Holes;
• grinder.

Everything is prepared, then let's start manufacturing:

1. The ends of two boards 2.5 × 7.5 sawn along the length of the table must be cut at an angle of 45º. And cut the boards 2.5x5 with a length equal to the length of the previous boards along the internal saw cut.

1. Place the blanks, aligning their edges, and measure the width of the table. Next, you need to cut out two parts equal to the desired width from a 2.5 × 10 board. Fasten with screws to each board.

1. Make hidden holes from the ends of the crossbeams. Later, they will help to fasten the products with the sides.
2. Fasten the side boards with joiner clamps, aligning the ends, and screw into the drilled countersunk holes.

1. The next details - cut the end boards 2.5 × 7.5 carefully, you may need to adjust the blanks, so make them a little longer, and then gradually grind off the excess. Glue the finished ends with wood glue and tighten with a belt until dry.

1. Carefully sand the surface of the finished product. In the joints of the boards, if necessary, apply putty, let it dry and sand again.
2. Apply paint or stain and varnish (whichever you prefer).

1. Screw on the leg mounts and screw on the legs themselves.

A handmade wooden coffee table is ready to delight you with its versatility. It can be used both as a table and as a bench.

Wooden coffee tables can also be round. Let's figure out how to make such a round coffee table with your own hands. For its manufacture, you will definitely need:

• boards;
• screws;
• wood glue;
• protective agent for wooden products;
• paint, stain, varnish;
• drill;
• jigsaw;
• level;
• roulette;
• Miter saw;
• clamps.

You can make a drawing for a coffee table yourself, there is nothing complicated about it. When the diagram with the dimensions that you need is ready, you can get to work.

Action plan:

1. First, make a support. Here you need to act as your imagination and skill level suggest. It should turn out approximately as in the picture. To fasten the parts of the support, it is best to drill hidden holes with a Kreg Jig, secure with screws and close the holes with plugs.

1. The support must be sanded, then treated with a protective agent and painted or stained.
2. To make the tabletop of such a coffee table with your own hands, the boards should be sawn into parts equal to its diameter. Lay out, aligning the edges and surface (here you can not do without a level). Glue with glue and fix the structure with clamps until dry.

1. From the resulting square blank, using a special curvilinear cutting machine, you can cut a perfectly round tabletop. Such equipment is unlikely to be found in a simple carpenter; a company specializing in the manufacture of furniture can help here. If you decide to do this operation yourself, you will have to try. First, draw a circle of the required diameter on the workpiece. Then fix the circular cut guide with a nail in the center of the marked circle and cut.
2. The tabletop, like the base, should be carefully sanded, especially its edge, then treated with an antiseptic and painted (varnished).

If you wish, you can use stencils to apply a drawing, for example, a dial, as in the photo, or maybe something else. Everything depends on fantasy. Such a homemade table will decorate any interior, even the most sophisticated.

Pallet coffee table

Building pallets are a very versatile building material. Of these, if desired, you can make a lot of useful, comfortable, and most importantly, exclusive pieces of furniture.

Do-it-yourself pallet coffee table - just quickly unforgettable

If you have already been thinking about how to make a coffee table from construction pallets with your own hands, we will help them come true. To do this, we need the actual pallets and the usual set of tools and materials for working with wood products, namely:

• hacksaw or jigsaw;
• grinder or sandpaper;
• drill;
• screws;
• antiseptic for wood;
• paint, stain, varnish (at your discretion).

Operating procedure:

1. To make a table out of pallets, first choose the right material. Choose your pallets carefully. There should be no large knots on the boards, as well as mold and signs of destruction. It is best to disassemble the pallet into planks before starting work. Clean each of them, then saw off the necessary part, sand and cover with an antiseptic. You can immediately paint it, it will be much more convenient, because it will be impossible to get into some places when assembled. Then twist the required structure with screws and varnish at the end.

1. It is best to make such a table on wheels. To do this, you can use furniture wheels, and preferably wheels for trolleys. The latter are more reliable, and their appearance is more suitable.
2. Another option is to make small legs for such a table from small bars, and the surface of the table can be covered with durable glass of the right size.

Your do-it-yourself pallet table is ready. As it turned out, you can create an exceptional thing by spending very little time, and most importantly, money. But building pallets are not the only material at hand from which you can make a small coffee table. Not bad with this task will cope, for example, standard wooden boxes.

Such a handmade coffee table will serve you faithfully for a long time, if you take the issue of its creation seriously, despite all its seeming simplicity.
It can be advised to make a table from a log or a picturesque stump, for example. It will decorate the interior in country style. It can be on wheels and have a countertop of an unusual shape made of durable glass.

Folding coffee table how to make

We all want to save more free space in the apartment. An abundance of furniture that clutters up all the free space has long been discouraged. However, little furniture is also not the ultimate dream. There is only one way out - interior items that easily perform several functions. This is the transformer table. When folded, it is small in size and plays the role of a cabinet or coffee table, and when disassembled it is a full-fledged dining table that will help you receive guests or arrange a family dinner. How to make such a transformer with your own hands?

Computer programs will help create drawings of such a table. With their help, you can calculate all the nuances.

The best material for creating a transformer is laminated chipboard.

Responsibly approach the purchase of the necessary accessories. The durability of the mechanism, and, consequently, the table as a whole, depends on it. Folding table mechanisms can be purchased at the store.

Thus, when unfolded, this table is very stable and can easily become a dining table.

100 examples of coffee tables

Now you know that a small coffee table can be easily made by yourself. According to your desire, it will be folding or not collapsible, on legs or on wheels, in the color of wood or painted. Imagine, try, and your interior will be unforgettable for little money.

The table is the second object after the stool, which a novice furniture maker should take up. The design of a simple table is no more complicated than that of a stool; an unpretentious comfortable table for a summer cottage or for a picnic can be built in half a day using a hacksaw, a hammer and a drill. But a table made using the same technology and slightly ennobled can also look great at home, on the left in the figure, instead of an expensively purchased one. However, the table also gives greater freedom of creative self-expression, it can be a significant and even key element of interior design, it is not for nothing that handicraft furniture makers are called carpenters, and not sofa makers, cabinetrs or bedside tables. Having mastered the carpentry craft, it will be possible to take up exclusive tables over time, the rest of the poses. there.

This article discusses how to make tables out of wood. Wood is an environmentally friendly, affordable and easily processed material with remarkable aesthetic qualities. In utilitarian products, she forgives rather gross mistakes for beginners, but fine woodwork requires high skill. Having learned how to make wooden things, then mastering glass, metal and plastic will be much easier.

Tool and workshop

To make a table with your own hands, you need a production room separate from the living rooms: woodwork, as you know, is dusty. In addition, such good means of toning and protecting wood as wood stains emit harmful fumes during staining; nitro-varnishes, too, although to a lesser extent. Therefore, home carpentry should be well ventilated, and preferably with forced ventilation. You can use the garage, but there will be a lot of sawdust, and they will not benefit the car. Better to work in the barn; if it doesn’t exist yet, then you can build it, but on the farm it will come in handy for a lot of things.

The usual carpentry tool, on the left in the figure, is enough for a start. But the work will go much faster, and the result will be better if modern achievements are brought to the rescue, right there:

• Swivel miter box, pos. 1, allows you to make saw cuts exactly in size and in angle in 2 planes. It is advisable to take it with a complete bow saw, so everything together will be cheaper, and the work will be more accurate. The miter box is a universal device, it will always come in handy and it is better to buy it.
• Also universal is a manual electric jigsaw with an inclined shoe, pos. 2, which allows you to cut at an angle to the vertical plane.
• Disc grinder, pos. 3 and 4, it makes it possible for a beginner to get the surface of a wooden plate in 5-15 minutes, on which an experienced carpenter with a skin in his hand will take at least an hour, and tape, pos. 5, also quickly and efficiently process the ends; there are also belt grinders for grooves and recesses with a protruding working body. These are already specialized tools, unsuitable for other work, and quite expensive, so it’s better to rent them first. True, craftsmen still successfully brush with grinders; artificially aging, a tree, but this is a delicate work.
• It is also preferable at first to rent a manual wood router, pos. 6, with a set of cutters. They process shaped edges, choose holes and grooves.

A universal household woodworking machine (UBDS) of various modifications is very useful on the farm. It is compact, fits on a table, powered by 220 V 50/60 Hz 380-500 W. UBDS combines a circular saw, planer, wood lathe and a set of cutters. True, you can’t just grind the table legs on it, the tailstock caliper overhang is too small. But the caliper itself is just a steel round pipe, it is not difficult to lengthen it. The stop of the cutter remains regular, it is mobile, the leg and with a long caliper are sharpened in one setting.

How to choose a tree?

A wooden table can be made from any wood of medium resistance to decay, except for the softest species: poplar, aspen, alder, willow, ailanthus. Of the domestic ones, these include:

The rocks are listed in order of availability. For example, horse chestnut, sycamore and juniper are not harvested at all: the former are too valuable for landscaping in the southern regions, while juniper is endangered and protected. Industrial blanks of elm are almost completely used for shoe lasts, weaving shuttles, etc., and mountain ash - for weapons stocks; There is no full-fledged plastic replacement for them yet. Stone birch grows very slowly, in limited places, does not renew well, so its harvesting is strictly regulated, and the wood is expensive.

Note: walnut is especially valuable for furniture - its wood combines high hardness with excellent viscosity, the most openwork walnut carving does not prick. And walnut wood from burls - large growths on the trunk - is not inferior in texture to Karelian birch.

At the beginning of a carpentry career, it is better to limit yourself to pine, birch, oak, acacia and boxwood. Pine or oak will go to the countertop; birch - on the legs of a pine table; in the countertop, it is strongly warped from the spilled. Acacia and boxwood make excellent dowels, see below.

On a pine countertop made of boards, you can and even need to take low-grade cheap boards - knotty, serpentine. But, of course, without falling knots, cracks, wormholes and traces of rot in the form of spots of unnatural color: black, gray, blue, green, in general, not similar to this tree. For example, rot marks on black (ebony) wood may be whitish or yellowish.

Why is the countertop substandard? Perhaps also unedged, which needs to be finished on a circular and jointer? And after skillful processing of them, plates of remarkable beauty are obtained, on the left in fig. Manufacturers do not like such a tree: the production cycle is delayed, waste increases. But for yourself with your own hands, this is not so scary compared to the result.

wooden humpback

Commercial pine has a clearly defined zoning of wood in the form of annual growth rings; other conifers and many hardwoods also have it. On the saw cut of the board, the rings form the so-called. humpback in the form of thin concentric arcs. If the top of the tree is directed across the face of the board, as in fig. in the center, then when rallying the shield for the tabletop (see below), the boards are oriented with humps alternately up and down, from below in fig. If the ridges are directed towards the end of the board (on the right in the figure), then the boards are placed in the shield with ridges in one direction. These subtleties are necessary so that during operation the countertop does not split or warp.

Varnishes, paints, impregnation, glue

A free means of protecting wood from decay is used motor oil, but for what they eat from, this is not the best option. Optimal will be 2-fold, with a break of 3-5 days, impregnation with a water-polymer emulsion (WPE), it will give protection to the table for the entire time of its life. Even birch plywood impregnated with WPE is suitable for furniture front panels: it is also varnished on top and does not delaminate.

Old furniture nitrocellulose varnishes NTs-218 and NTs-2144 with solvent No. 647 are gradually falling into disuse: they are superior to water-based acrylic varnishes in all respects; in addition, they are safe to use. Also, glues, bone carpentry and BF-2 on alcohol are inferior to PVA; however, to obtain a high-quality seam, the latter requires applying glue to both surfaces, keeping them tack-free before joining, and holding them under pressure for 1-3 days, but this is acceptable for home production.

Wood for furniture can be pre-tinted and protected with a stain, which allows you to make beautiful typesetting parts; an example will be given below. To tint the assembled units, you can use paints based on the same lacquer and artistic (not paint!) dyes: oil in tubes for NC lacquers and acrylic water-based for the same lacquer.

First, they prepare a “painting”: they take 30-50 ml of varnish and squeeze 1-1.5 cm of paint into it with continuous thorough stirring with a paintbrush. The coloring is stored in a tightly closed vial and added to the varnish to the desired tone; a test for it is done on a piece of wood, the tone is determined by the complete drying of the varnish. Colored varnishes on NC and oil paints can be mixed according to the rules for mixing oil paints for painting; acrylic - no restrictions.

First steps

The country table is the first of the homemade ones. If 1-2 brick pallets remain from the construction site, then the pallet table will be the first of the first. Not only because it is extremely simple, but also because it is very useful on the farm.

From one pallet, sanded, impregnated and varnished, you get a garden table like a coffee table, on the left in fig. If there is a pair available, in just half an hour you can make a wall-mounted desktop-rack, in the center and on the right. Chains for it can also be woven yourself from soft wire, covered with a PVC tube or, better, heat-shrinkable. To fully raise the tabletop, a small tool is placed on a shelf of a wall pallet.

With a little more work, a collapsible cutting table for a summer residence is made from one pallet, which allows you to transfer the summer-autumn harvesting campaign to the street without littering with husks and without trampling on the stumps. For the winter this table is collected in a compact package. The construction is clear from Fig; a bucket is placed under the hatch in the tabletop.

The next in order of complexity is the well-known country table-goats, colloquially a goat. Its construction of 40 mm boards is shown on the left in the figure, and in addition to it is a bench of the same device. And on the right - a country folding table on the same principle. It has swivel joints (M8-M12 bolts, washers and nuts with locknuts); in the place marked in green, a stop boss is placed on the nails between the crossbars of the table top. When folded, this table fits in the trunk of a car, so it will also go to a picnic. If this is not expected, or the trunk is larger, the countertop can be made longer.

Finally, it also does not require special tools and skills for a gazebo table, see fig. below. Material - the same magpie board and some inexpensive fasteners.

One step closer to art...

To advance in table building, now you need to learn some of the basics of carpentry. The table, in general, consists of a tabletop, its support frame, possibly with niches and / or mechanisms, or simply a plate - underframe - legs, and knots holding everything together. Let's go through them starting with the connections along with the legs, because. their fastening is the weakest point of the table.

Connections and legs

At first, we need to master the connection on dowels - round wooden bosses, see fig. Dowel joints are assembled on a quick-drying glue that does not require exposure: carpentry, BF-2, acrylic. Sometimes, instead of dowels, nails with bitten off hats are used to connect thin boards, pos. 4, but this is bad: the wood dries out, but the metal does not, and over time the connection becomes loose.

For dowels, a thin-layered tree is taken stronger than both connected parts, i.e. the hardest rocks. A pine table with birch legs can be joined on oak or beech dowels. On sale there are ready-made round sticks for cutting dowels; before use, chamfers are removed from the edges of the dowels. Plastic dowels are also sold, but they are intended exclusively for detachable connections, for example. inserts in sliding tables.

Legs for industrial tables are attached with detachable drawers, see fig. on right. Pos., marked in yellow - the simplest, cheapest and worst. With its shortcomings in the complete absence of advantages, buyers of Shiroptrebov's Soviet furniture are well aware, even if it remains there. Reliable, well-kept, except for the legs, and underframe boards, drawers with mortise jibs, “green” pos. They also require the least cost, but are quite laborious, so they are rarely used in industry, but just right for an amateur. Drawer side with shaped steel jib, top right in the figure, even stronger; in this way it is possible to fasten legs with a round head and in general any, however, purchased shaped parts made of high-quality steel are required.

Note: legs are attached to the round table, as shown below in fig.

Detachable legs are needed not only for ease of storage and transportation. In a small apartment with a narrow corridor, a table with legs is often simply impossible to push to the living room, no matter how you turn it. Modern apartments are more spacious, and in 1-story private houses the table can be served / given out the window, so in such cases, the strength and durability of the table with tightly fixed legs comes to the fore.

For tables on a rectangular base, the caps of the legs for blind fastening must also be rectangular, pos. 1 in fig. By the way, the tsargs are also one-piece: then the legs with dowels that pass through a mortise wooden jib. From the inside, the dowels are cut flush and wedged with dogwood or boxwood wedges inserted across the fibers of the jib wood. Assembled with glue, such a connection is so strong and durable that these 200-year-old tables can be fought by grabbing the leg.

Sufficiently high-quality tables on turned legs are assembled simply on dowels, pos. 2. For simpler tables, the legs are made of timber and fixed with self-tapping screws after attaching the tabletop to the tabletop, pos. 3. Even simpler and lighter are the legs of a pair of boards each, pos. 4 and 5. So that they do not cling to the floor, you need to stuff the thrust bearings on them below or put the table on wheels.

table top

The easiest, but not the cheapest way, is to order a countertop made of laminated chipboard (chipboard, laminate). Chipboard for countertops is available in the form of the so-called. postforming - slabs 3.6x1.2 m 20-60 mm thick with a decorative coating. The upper edge of the postforming plate is rounded, the bottom face with a drip collector, see fig. Modern furniture laminate is quite environmentally friendly, no matter what gossip does not want to forget the co-furniture, which stank of phenol for months.

Postforming is well bought by small furniture enterprises. They always have his scraps; of them, they will gladly and for a very affordable price cut the tabletop to size, if the company has a jig saw. Perhaps such an order will be accepted by a single individual entrepreneur if he is sitting idle. The finished slab will be closed, i.e. cover the PVC end with a piping (edge). If you will be edging yourself (sometimes they ask for an awkward surcharge for edging), then keep in mind:

• The upper and lower flanges of the edging have a different profile, see on the left in fig. Confuse - there will always be a piping of dirt on the table.
• Kant must be taken exactly according to the thickness of the plate. It is possible to put on a 24 mm edging on a 25 mm plate, but it will soon slide off.
• The groove for the crest of the edge must be selected with a manual disk cutter; saw, it seems that no one has yet succeeded as it should.
• Before installing the edge, a thin layer of silicone sealant is applied to the end surface and the "sausage" is squeezed into the groove; in this case, the silicone will also be a lubricant, without which the ridge of the edge can simply be crushed.
• The comb is inserted into the groove with light blows of the mallet, gradually moving along the contour. The tabletop must lie face up on the support; squeezed out excess silicone is immediately washed with a clean rag slightly moistened with table vinegar.

Plank tabletops are rallied in plank clips with wedges and spacers - wimahs. Wimes are quite possible to make yourself; You need 3-4 for a table top. Wym boards (cheeks) are wrapped in polyethylene so that the shield does not stick to them. On fig. for example - the process of manufacturing a round tabletop; rectangular rally in the same way, only cropping to size is easier. The shield is rallied onto the countertop with glue and dowels (see below); if the boards are grooved, dowels are not needed. When rallying to PVA, the next plot is kept until the applied glue is tacky before installation in the wyma.

Often, countertops are assembled without a wym on a plaza - a flat surface covered with plastic wrap. It will not work to assemble a good plank shield on the plaza: either it will come out slitted, or the boards will stand on end when assembled. But inlaid countertops from fragments are simply wonderful in skillful hands. For example, at pos. 1-3 fig. - a tabletop made of sawing waste, tinted with wood stain. And on pos. 4-5, the base of the tabletop was the plaz itself made of thick plywood. The tile and its break are glued with tile adhesive, then the cavities are filled with grout for drinking, the surface is lacquered and the contour is edged with a wooden lath.

Note: these examples do not illustrate all the possibilities of making do-it-yourself inlaid art tabletops.

Underframe

The underframe of the table with non-removable legs is a simple wooden frame, on the left in fig. Niches and details of mechanisms are not involved in the power circuit. If the table is longer than 1.2 m, or the tabletop is removable/sliding, or heavy operational loads are expected (for example, a work table), the underframe is reinforced with stiffeners in the center. If the legs are fastened with drawers, then the underframe is made integral with the table top, so that a single power circuit is obtained, on the right in fig.

no frame

Tables without underframes are also known, in which the tabletop with legs work in a single carrier system. Very durable, eg. plywood table on the left in pic; its connections are shkantovye. Unfortunately, this is not an economical design for an amateur: the sidewalls cannot be assembled from pieces, they must be solid. In mass production, the waste is not very large, but a sheet of plywood with a thickness of 24 mm or more will go one piece for large sidewalls, and 1 more for smaller ones. The table on the right is already quite possible to make with your own hands: the supporting frame is prefabricated; connections - in a spike with a tightening bolt and half a tree. However, the countertop in this case should be round or square, with rounded or right angles.

... and get into the kitchen

Exactly. The table for the kitchen is the next in order of complexity after the simplest country ones. It must already meet the requirements of apartment ergonomics, dimensions - 75 cm in height for people of average completeness; the width of the seat for 1 eater / rider is 60-80 cm, depending on its corpulence, the width of the tabletop is at least 70 cm. The countertop should be easy to clean, durable, resistant to spilled heat from hot dishes.

All these requirements will be satisfied by a table made of chipboard on metal legs; they are also sold separately in sets of 4 pieces, with fasteners, on the left in fig. Factory legs for tables, as a rule, are supplied with height-adjustable heels. The table, the manufacture of which will be reduced to screwing the nests of the legs with confirmatory screws, will cost 30-50% cheaper than the whole purchased one, and in appearance it will not yield, on the right in Fig.

If you are not too lazy to put your hands on it, steel legs can be made with your own hands. This is not only a cheaper, but also a more durable option: the sockets of branded legs are cast from a rather fragile silumin, the fasteners weaken over time, they need to be tightened. You yourself can cut out nests from good steel, and weld your own legs into them.

The kitchen is more spacious, perhaps there is room for a larger table. In such a case - on the trail. rice. drawings of a kitchen table in a rustic style. "Rustic" this table is not only in appearance: it does not have a single nail and metal fasteners in general. Just wood and glue. A connoisseur, seeing such, nods his head in understanding and approval, and the design is simple and accessible to a beginner. True, in addition to the tabletop, you will have to rally the shields on the sidewalls, but in this case, the extra work is worth it.

Kruglyashi

A table with a round top is appropriate in any room, if it fits there. But a tabletop made of boards in this case is not the best option: due to the presence of sharp corners, it is prone to splitting without a frame, which is very complex and time-consuming. Type-setting countertops from small fragments, like the one described above from waste, are free from this drawback; unlike laminate rounds, they are decorative, stylish, unique, and practically free.

There are even more sharp corners in a small-type table top, but here the “broom law” works. Not the American senator Venik, who loves democracy in Russia to the point of complete oblivion of it at home, but the broom with which they sweep the rubbish. As you know, it is impossible to break him (a broom, not a senator) tied up, and a child will break twig after twig. So here, due to the ease of distributing loads between small fragments, the countertop made of them works like a solid plate, and you can cut it off after assembly even with the letter zyu.

Note: the idea of ​​the broom senator, sorry, Venik, was suggested by the statement of his compatriot Samuel Clemens, world-famous as Mark Twain: “I affirm, and undertake to prove it, that Mr. Cooper has no more fantasies than a bull. But not the bull that lows in the pasture, but the one that is the support of the bridge.

How to make a semi-folding round table is shown in fig; on the right there are the dimensions of the countertop and the assembly order. And in fig. on the right above - a small round table for the hallway, according to the old classification - a business card. Its feature is the minimum number of connections; glue assembly. Any kruglyash will go to the countertop, from sawing off a stump to a cardboard one, made according to the method of manufacturing cardboard shelves, but the underframe must be durable, made of wood (dvuhsotka board) or chipboard.

Moving on to the living room

The table in the main room of the house should be in line with the whole house. At the same time, with the modern desire for laconic design (which also saves living space costs), the table should not be conspicuous for the time being, and take up less space. Therefore, one of the most sought-after pieces of furniture of our days has become a transforming table.

The simplest transformable table, which, with all its transformations, remains a table, and does not turn into a closet or bed - a bedside table; it is quite possible to make it with your own hands "from scratch". There are 2 most common options here. On the left in fig. - the table is deployable, it has a record ratio of occupied areas in expanded and collapsed form. These are most often placed in studio apartments perpendicular to the wall on the border of the kitchen and living areas. With the tabletop wings lowered, it will serve as a bar. By raising the wings one by one, you can get a kitchen or everyday dining table, and fully extended (in the center), it will provide a place for a rather crowded banquet.

A bachelor living in a small apartment is more suitable for a folding bedside table, on the right in fig. These are, in essence, 2 small round folding tables, described above, connected by a rectangular insert. You can have lunch alone from it folded, because, unlike the previous version, there is where to put your legs. And having unrolled, spend a romantic evening with a beautiful stranger or sincere gatherings with friends.

All of the above qualities combine coffee-dining tables-transformers with a mechanism. The variety of transformation mechanisms is great, but for tables that are always tables, they basically come down to 2 types: an elevator (pantograph) and a book. How one and the other work, see the video:

Theoretically, a book is more stable than an elevator, although much depends on the quality of execution. It is more popular among book lovers, because the mechanism-book can still be made independently, and the elevator outside the production environment is unlikely.

How the table-book is laid out is shown in stages in fig. on right. For its independent production, you need to know that the key unit is the damping-balancing elastic link. In fairly expensive branded designs, very soft gas dampers (gas lifts) are used, but it is better for an amateur to stop at a spring damper, and not because a gas lift is much more expensive.

The fact is that the gas lift must be coordinated within fairly narrow limits with the kinematics of the lever system, the weight of the table top, underframe and the own weight of the levers. If the balance of the entire system does not fit into its characteristics, the mechanism simply will not work. And the spring can always be tightened / loosened; replace as a last resort. In general, an unsuccessful home-made transforming table with gas lifts rarely manages to be “brought to mind”, and spring almost always. If you still decide to suffer with a homemade acrobat table, in fig. - drawings of the spring transformation mechanism.

Without the availability of or access to drilling, turning and milling machines for metal, most parts of the transformation mechanism will have to be ordered. Then its production will cost a little about $40, and you can buy a good ready-made one for $50-$60. A factory-made transforming coffee table rarely costs less than $200, so even in this situation, the savings are significant.

The transformer table is made under the mechanism. One of the most popular are the Mazetti transformation mechanisms, due to their good quality at a moderate price for this class of products. In addition, Mazetti movements are available in a supporting frame (inset in the center in the figure), which greatly simplifies installation. The rest of the pos. in fig. show the device and the dimensions of the table for this mechanism.

For a strong feast

Whatever you say, but in a normal family with children, friends and relatives, crowded gatherings at the table cannot do without, and here the transforming table will not always help out. However, we will leave more or less full banquet tables for the living room, as they say, for later: these are products of a higher order of complexity; primarily because of the extension mechanism.

By the way, the good old “sliders” with wooden guides and wooden sliders of the halves of the table top (item 1 in the figure) are quite convenient and reliable if properly executed, in addition to this, they can be made by yourself, but such a process requires a special detailed description. Modern sliding mechanisms with telescopic full extension guides, pos. 2, allow you to use not 1, but up to 3-5 inserts, which increases the capacity of the table by 6-10 people, respectively, but they are quite expensive, and their installation requires a description of no less voluminous.

There are banquet tables with clamshell inserts, pos. 3. In elite models, when sliding / sliding the halves of the table top, the insert lifts, unfolds and puts in place or puts back in the underframe a very complex mechanism, but its manual versions are available for home production.

As for banquet tables with retractable individual tables, arranged like a keyboard stand in a computer desk, they cannot be called popular by any means: leaning forward (and how to avoid this if the house is without servants?), We get the board back into the underframe, and our portion of treats - for festive clothes.

But let's not talk about sad things. Recall that the table is not always pushed apart, and you can use the side table, but the whole table is in any case more reliable. Therefore, in the series of drawings below - a way to make a very durable and inexpensive dining table, and how it looks "live" - ​​see the left in fig. at the beginning.

In addition

A table, and indeed any furniture, often wants to be painted not just with stripes or artistically painted. To protect the drawing from external influences and to ensure the possibility of updating the varnish if necessary, the paints should not be applied, but rubbed into the wood before varnishing. The technique of painting by layer-by-layer rubbing of paints is called glazing. So in conclusion, we offer a master class on wood glazing.

Video: wood glazing master class

A coffee table cannot be called essential furniture, but it is not the last place in the arrangement of a living room or bedroom. Modern tables are endowed with a lot of functions, representing a storage system not only for the press, but also for other useful gizmos. Many models are equipped with spacious drawers and compartments, a transforming system, turning into a large dining table. Among other things, the coffee table is a significant element of decor, which successfully complements the stylish design. It is quite possible to make such a little thing with your own hands, if you put some imagination and patience, and our article will provide interesting ideas for home coffee table design.

Materials for manufacturing

In the manufacture of modern coffee tables, many different materials are used. Unlike in the past, when standard rectangular MDF structures were stamped, today's models surprise with their diversity. One of the expensive options are wooden tables made from natural solid wood. Such a little thing will decorate any interior, it will always look chic and respectable. The designs are very diverse - from strict rough Scandinavian-style tables to classic ones, decorated with forging or carved ornaments.

Since wood is quite expensive, chipboard and MDF boards help to replace it. If we talk about durability, they, of course, are inferior to wooden ones, but they look just as good. To compensate for the simplicity of the material, design tricks, for example, transforming countertops, built-in sockets, etc., allow.

Metal also takes part in the design of coffee tables. Frames are formed from metal pipes, then supplementing them with countertops made of other materials. Graceful curls of forged elements with glass tops look very nice. Sometimes you can find design developments in which the table consists entirely of metal.

In modern furniture production, you can increasingly find glass interior items that bring some lightness and airiness to the atmosphere. Products are made of heavy-duty tempered glass, resistant to various kinds of influences, so you can not be afraid that such an interior item will break or deform under the influence of high temperatures. In some models, only the surface of the countertop is made out of glass.

Plastic is used much less often, as it does not differ in high strength, but it has a large color palette and low cost. Most often it is found as components of a wooden or metal structure.

In the home manufacture of original coffee tables, the choice of material increases significantly, since, in addition to traditional materials, various improvised means are used.

How to make a coffee table: beautiful ideas

For the manufacture of coffee tables with their own hands, plywood is most often used, which is relatively inexpensive and easy to process. You can also use various improvised materials and build the most bizarre designs. More complex details, such as curly handles, legs, wheels, fittings and other decorative elements, can be purchased at a furniture store.

Contemporary style plywood coffee table

Making such an original coffee table will not take much time, but the product will take its rightful place in any interior with a touch of minimalism. To work, you need to purchase a sheet of plywood, three legs with fasteners, a thick thread, a pencil, a centimeter, a jigsaw and paint (preferably white or black).

So, the first step is to cut the countertop. On the reverse side of the sheet, select a point that will be the center, drive in a small carnation. Cut off a piece of thread with a length of the radius of the future table. We attach one end of it to a clogged carnation, and tie a pencil to the other and, pulling the structure, draw a round shape of the table top. Then you can dream up and give the canvas a more original shape. It is noteworthy that for the manufacture of such a table, drawings and measurements will not be needed at all. We cut out the drawn figure of the countertop with a jigsaw, grind and paint. When the structure is completely dry - we fix the legs. The table is ready.

Coffee table from pallets (pallets)

This original design perfectly "fits" into many styles. Most successfully, it will complement a daring loft or natural eco-style. It is not difficult to design such an exclusive table: for work, you need to get a pallet, metal legs or wheels (at your discretion). Also, you can not do without self-tapping screws and a screwdriver, saws, paint or varnish with a brush.

Step by step, all work on the design of the table will take place in the following order:

1. We mark the dimensions of the table on the pallet and saw off the excess part.
2. We take the boards from the remnants and cover the gaps in the main structure with them to get a solid surface, fix it with self-tapping screws.
3. We turn over and arrange five transverse slats: two from the sides (legs will be attached to them) and one in the center for stability.
4. We mount the supports and open the structure with varnish or paint.

Tire coffee table

An old worn tire can be a great base for creating a beautiful home coffee table. Additionally, you need to prepare plywood. Before proceeding with the construction, it is necessary to thoroughly wash and dry the tire. Next, you need to measure the diameter of the tire and cut out two circles from plywood: one - the table top - should match the diameter of the tire, and the other - the base - should be a few centimeters smaller. You can immediately attach legs, wheels to the base, or leave it without supports at your discretion. We fasten round sheets of plywood to the tire using self-tapping screws or sit on construction glue - the base is ready.

Next, we choose one of two methods: we wrap the rope around either the entire structure completely, or only the sides. In the first option, you need to think about how to process the countertop - perhaps paint it or cover it with a shiny varnish.

Wrapping should start from the center: we fix the end of the rope with a self-tapping screw or a glue gun and start moving with winding circles, gradually moving to the sides. There is no point in wrapping the base, unless you decide to make the table half two-tone. At the end of the winding, the entire structure should be coated with a transparent varnish to extend the service life.

Coffee table from drawers

If your household has wooden boxes of vegetables lying around - do not rush to throw them away. Only four such containers can turn into a beautiful and useful detail of the living room interior. If you do not have boxes, the most difficult thing in making a table will be to get them. Then everything is simple: the boxes need to be sanded, painted and folded, as shown in the photo. We use a sheet of plywood, which must be screwed to the underside of the structure so that it does not fall apart. Here is our coffee table. The advantage of this design will be the organization of spacious storage places for various magazines, books and other gizmos.

Coffee table for travel lovers

Nowadays, traveling to different countries has become available to many. But there is a special category of people who simply cannot live without constant trips to remote corners. It is they who will surely like a coffee table, reminiscent of certain pleasant voyages. For manufacturing, any old suitcase with hard walls that is not suitable for its intended purpose is suitable. You will also need a sheet of thick plywood, a screwdriver with screws, paint and, if desired, legs or wheels.

We cut out two sheets of plywood with an area equal to the base of the suitcase, fasten them from the inside to the base and lid. We fasten the legs or wheels. Next, you need to decorate the table - for this, different methods are used. One simple option is to paint it white, and when the design is dry, use sandpaper to make scuffs indicating the antiquity of the item. Such a product will adequately decorate the living room in the style of shabby chic. The black color of such a table will harmoniously fit into the loft living room, and the decoupage decoration will become a real masterpiece of Provence design.

Driftwood coffee table

The uniqueness of furniture made from stumps and snags lies in its uniqueness - what is created by nature itself does not have similar patterns and textures. Such products always attract the eye with their curves and weaves. In addition, getting the source material is not so difficult - it can be found in the forest, on the shore of a reservoir. The driftwood must be washed, cleaned of bark, and rotten branches removed. Next, you need to correct, align the shape under the countertop and base and let the workpiece dry thoroughly (if there are large holes in the wood, it can be puttied).

The dried snag is carefully polished, covered with stain (you can choose the shade you like best) and varnish. The base is ready. The tabletop can be attached with construction adhesive or self-tapping screws (depending on what it is made of). Glass tops are now very popular, through which winding wooden branches are clearly visible.

DIY coffee tables - photo ideas

We considered only some of the options for making coffee tables with our own hands. Much more information and photos of finished products will be provided by our gallery, where you can get a lot of interesting ideas. Happy viewing!