Making your own wooden table is a great idea both for the experienced carpenter and for those who do not have a history of working with wood. Whether it will be used for dining, coffee or even as a television stand it will be fun and surprisingly simple to make, genuinely useful and a lot cheaper than buying a ready-made one in a shop. In addition, it is always more satisfying to know that the table you are eating from, resting your coffee on or even just looking at was built from scratch yourself. Moreover, in this modern age, when fewer and fewer people can put up a shelf, you will be certain to win admirers among friends and family.
What Will You Need?
To make a simple wooden table you will need a saw for cutting the legs and under-table to size, a set of clamps, wood glue, a screwdriver and some screws. For more sophisticated designs you may need more tools.
As with many DIY projects, YouTube is a great place to learn the ropes and go through the steps as many times as you like. However, the first step will always involve choosing and buying the wood to get started. Generally, pine is a good choice for beginners as it is relatively easy to work with and cheap, so if you make a mistake it will not be too costly. The table will be easiest to make if you find a single sheet of wood to use as your table top, with accompanying planks of wood to be used as the under-table (which helps secure the legs to the top) and for the legs themselves. For a more stylish option, you may want to make the table, or the table top out of reclaimed wood to give it an attractive, rustic look. If you are building a table to be used outside then make sure to use treated wood or a type that is capable of withstanding the elements.
Things to Look Out For
It is important that the table stands up straight, without wobbling. To ensure this, clamp the table legs together when you are cutting them to size and cut them as one so they are exactly the same size. When you attach the legs to the table and under-table ensure that they are all at a right angle to the table.
Make sure that the table is smooth and does not carry any splinters. It is important to sand down the finished product. You should also look carefully at the piece of wood you are buying to make sure it is relatively smooth and attractive. If using reclaimed wood or a heavier table top be sure that the legs can hold the weight of the table and anything that might be put on top of it. You can make the legs stronger by connecting them with another plank of wood that will run along the floor between them, spreading out the weight.
