A wooden leg for a table can be not only a functionally necessary furniture element, but also become its real decoration. The most interesting and creative ideas for decorating wooden legs will be discussed in our article.
Material Advantages
Wood is a material that has been preferred since ancient times. And this is no coincidence. It is easy to process, which allows you to give the finished product a wide variety of shapes. Another advantage of wood is safety for human health.
For the manufacture of furniture supports, different types of wood are used:
- Oak is considered the most durable. He is not afraid of high humidity, temperature changes, does not rot. For processing such wood, special equipment is required, which leads to a high cost of the finished product. Over time, the oak acquires a deeper color.
- Walnut is also resistant to moisture. Its advantages are easy polishing and high strength. However, in order for the tree to retain its impeccable appearance for a long time, treatment with a special agent that prevents the occurrence of rot is required.
- A beautiful shade belongs to beech. The tree is very durable, but not moisture resistant.
- Tropical wenge wood is another popular option. The finished product is resistant to mechanical stress, so it retains its impeccable appearance for a long time.
- Mahogany has high characteristics. The only drawback is that the cost is too high.
Production process
Wooden legs for tables are made in several ways:
- Using lathe the workpiece is mounted on a support. The machine cuts out the desired shape while the workpiece rotates around the axis at high speed. The advantages of such legs are ease of production and, accordingly, the low cost of the finished product.
- Milling method allows you to make original and very beautiful products. The milling machine outputs the pattern and shape according to the parameters entered into the program. This method is relevant when processing expensive wood species, where chips and marriage are unacceptable. With the help of multi-axis milling machines, carved legs are made that look very impressive and luxurious.
- Despite the widespread use of modern technology, manual labor did not sink into oblivion. Until now, craftsmen carve amazing interior items from wood. Manual labor is labor intensive and time consuming. Therefore, such products are quite expensive.
Design features
All family members gather at the dinner table. He is a symbol of the family hearth. The number of wooden legs at the table can be very different:
- One support. A characteristic feature of the design of such models is massiveness. Indeed, in order for the tabletop to remain stable, the leg must be powerful and large. This option looks good on round and oval models.
- two supports. Ideal for an oval shaped table. The design is stable, as the legs end with an extension that increases the footprint. As a rule, two legs are connected by a jumper. It can be located both at the top and at the bottom. Models that are equipped with a carved jumper look especially impressive.
- Four pillars. This is the most common option. The legs of such tables can be original, with carved inserts. A special niche is occupied by laconic tables, in which the legs are rectangular bars, devoid of any decorative elements. This technique is relevant for high-tech, country styles.
Stylistic decisions
The shape and style of the legs can be very diverse. The most popular are:
- Cabriole. In shape, such a leg resembles a wave with two bends. The leg is as if formed by two arcs located opposite to each other (one smoothly flows into the other). Roundness, grace are the characteristic features of the cabriole. Style was an indicator of luxury and wealth in the 18th century.
- Empire. Style came to us from antiquity. Its feature is the presence of a relief ornament. Often the legs of the tables are made in the form of paws of fabulous creatures - griffins or female figures. For manufacturing, you need dense wood that does not give chips.
- Victorian era. These products are very beautiful. They often contain plant elements. Elongated forms, symmetrical ornament, gilded decor are the main features of the style.
- Geometric style. Its basis is the correctness of forms and simplicity. The conical leg can be supplemented with a ball or a triangle. Sophisticated decor, carved elements in these models are missing. Such a table is perfectly combined with the interior of a modern apartment. Geometric elements perfectly emphasize the styles of minimalism and hi-tech.
- Combined style. Designers often use several styles when creating their masterpieces, which gives the product a special flavor. Geometric shapes go well with carved decorative elements and curved lines.
Design options
Using various decor methods, you can turn the table leg into an exclusive, which none of your friends and acquaintances will have:
- With the help of a chisel or other sharp object, patterns and ornaments are cut out on the surface. This technique is called carving.
- Chisels, mother-of-pearl and ivory are essential for inlay work.
- Individual elements of the legs can be covered with gold leaf, copper or bronze.
- Lacquer is used as a wood coating. Often several layers are used. For antiques, their number can reach up to 200.
Stylish design tricks
Especially popular are design developments that are distinguished by non-standard and originality:
- To give the living room an unusual, but at the same time modern look, a round table made of glass and wood will help. The transparent tabletop rests on three double wide legs of irregular shape. Glass gives lightness, airiness and at the same time allows you to see the pattern of wood.
- An interesting technique is the use of bright colors. If the legs of the glass table are made to match the kitchen interior, then they will become a color accent that is in harmony with the facade of the furniture. Randomly arranged, they will give originality.
- Coffee tables are an essential attribute of any living room. Besides the fact that they have a beautiful appearance, their advantage is functionality. Niches, all kinds of shelves allow the owner to place various useful little things inside the table.
- Tables in which the tabletop smoothly flows into the legs look especially interesting.
Wooden legs are able to turn the table into a real work of art. At the same time, designers use the most incredible forms.
How to do it yourself?
Handmade furniture is exclusive. Plus, the flight of fancy is not limited. Therefore, you can experiment make a stylish original little thing with minimal effort:
- The sketch must first be transferred to paper. You can use your own version or apply what you see and like. Do not forget that the length of the legs of the dining and coffee tables is different. The simplest form of legs is bars.
- After measuring, proceed to the purchase of material. Buy a little more wood than you calculated.
- Finished legs must be polished so that the surface is absolutely smooth and does not injure the skin. Use varnishes and impregnations that protect against moisture.
- It is not necessary that the legs at the table should be traditional. Use small long bars. Fold them in a chaotic manner, fastening them with self-tapping screws or wood glue. Place a glass top on top of the structure. The combination of glass and wood will give an amazing effect.
The variety of shapes given to curved furniture legs can be applied to a variety of contemporary types of furniture, not just antique style pieces. At the same time, for the home master, the most attractive is the simple model of the curly leg of home-made furniture, offered by the French magazine System D.
The methods of manufacturing curved supports described in this article are not a repetition of those that are usually used in furniture factories - they are more affordable and are great for small teams of furniture workshops and individual craftsmen.
Figure 2 shows, for example, three types of legs that are the easiest to manufacture and profile: for a bureau, a stand for knick-knacks, and a multi-purpose upholstered stool. Next to them are the shadow contours of the bars from which they were obtained. Thanks to a well-thought-out cutting method, such figured furniture supports require less effort and material, while the waste is no more than in the manufacture of more complex models.
The use of a bandsaw or an ordinary bow saw, and even more so a jigsaw, makes it relatively easy to obtain this kind of curves: curved legs of the simplest shape can be cut in rough and finished by hand, and even faster than on a machine.
Rice. 1. Template for a bent table leg (plywood, s10) and its use on the workpiece.
1-high leg for bureau; 2-medium leg for stand, nightstand, 3-small leg for bench.
blank
Since some parts of the legs are very thin, you need to use a dense and durable wood, such as maple or birch. These two species are also particularly suitable because, when subsequently finished, they make it possible to successfully imitate walnut or mahogany.
The first step is to prepare a bar of sufficient size so that the entire leg of the corresponding profile can be cut out of it. Therefore, it can be "composite" - glued from boards 35 mm thick.
The planes of the boards rallied at the same time must be processed with a jointer and more precisely adjusted. If possible, use hot curing glue (for example, PVA). Make sure that the clamps clamp the boards evenly along the entire length. Allow the adhesive to fully cure before starting the next operation.
In the case of riveting the workpiece for the leg, which must withstand significant loads, it is very important to use high quality glue.
To make the workpiece, a template is used that makes it easier to draw the contour of the leg on its edge. It must be taken into account that the contour must be drawn on two adjacent faces of the workpiece, with bulges to each other.
While the glue on the workpiece dries, make a template (for example, the one shown in Figure 1) from a piece of plywood 10 mm thick. First, cut a strip of plywood to the desired length and width. The conceived look of the leg can also be drawn on it (the main contours of the three leg models are shown in the figure with a grid). However, in order to achieve maximum accuracy of the bending line, the template must first be drawn on a piece of rigid cardboard, then the outline is cut out and applied to plywood, from which and a template will be cut along the contour (each, of course, is intended for only one piece of furniture).
The curved line on the left of the template is the back face line of the leg; the line on the right in the same figure is the front face.
Mark the profile of the workpiece using the template. Carefully check the coincidence of the contours on the edges of the bar (without such a check before cutting, the workpiece may be damaged). The two front sides of the leg are most visible in the finished product, but all four sides of the legs are visible from certain points, especially when viewed along the length of the table.
a - for the legs of heavy furniture, b - for a light table, c - for a stand, d - for a bench.
Sawing
In order to cut a curved profile on a workpiece of similar thickness, it is better to use a jigsaw.
Scrape off any adhesive that may have come out of the joints under pressure when gluing the boards into the workpiece, and carefully sand the edges. When sawing, strictly adhere to the intended contour and do not press the workpiece on the saw, because this can cause overheating and jamming of the saw blade.
After one part is sawn out, put the cut piece in the old place and fasten both parts with one or two pins, placing them in such a way that the saw blade cannot touch them during the second filing of the edge. Installing the sawn piece in the old place gives a large plane of support for subsequent cuts. Nevertheless, this support cannot be fully relied upon - if the end of one part of the workpiece rises slightly during saw operation, this can cause the blade to jam and disable it.
After small curves have been sawn, proceed slowly enough as haste will result in poor cutting accuracy.
Finishing the workpiece
The protruding corners on the legs of the obtained sample are usually preserved, the corners at the top of the bulge are sometimes rounded. All irregularities after sawing should be destroyed by grinding with a sandpaper or a well-honed scraper (scraper). The latter tool is particularly recommended for long curved surfaces; in order to avoid jamming of the cutter, it must be adjusted in such a way as to remove the thinnest possible chips with each movement.
In conclusion, process all curved profiles on all faces - uncorrected defects will complicate the final finish.
If the leg is intended for a table, the end plane at its top must be aligned at right angles to the vertical edges, and cutouts must be made on it for connections with the supporting elements of the cover.
Options - any
The models of the legs shown in the figures are marked, cut and finished in the same way, in approximately the same way as described above. On the legs, the outer protrusion can be rounded. A support part is attached on top of the curved legs, in which grooves are cut for assembly with the rest of the furniture. This model is very suitable for a radio equipment stand or for a banquette by the fireplace. But the use of such a leg is not limited to these types of furniture, it can be longer or shorter, have a different shape of the upper part; this model can be applied in a variety of cases.
Rice. 4. Making a small leg (simplified version):
a - sawing a bar; b - the resulting leg blank, c - manual refinement of the leg blank - with sandpaper on a bar, d - finished bench with bent legs.
The short leg shown in Figure 4 is very suitable for a low stool or bench. The sample of a simple leg, which we see in the figure, does not, strictly speaking, belong to the old style, but its silhouette consists of the same curves, which allows us to attribute this sample to the same category of curved legs. the contour is so simple and the size is so small that it can be drawn by laying a piece of cardboard with an approximate profile on the workpiece. However, this short leg is sometimes difficult to cut due to the uneven texture of the wood.
Before sawing the workpiece, you need to make sure that all its edges are at right angles to each other - this is necessary to ensure reliable support when sawing.
A short leg is usually fastened with a long screw or mounted on plug-in round spikes (dowels), with glue on the contacting planes.
We all know that a table is a piece of furniture with a flat top, one or more legs. Some common types of this furniture are: a dining table that is used to eat; a coffee table, it is used in living quarters to place objects or light snacks on it; bedside table, which is needed to place an alarm clock and a lamp on it. Separately, it is worth mentioning the folding structures that are popular in our modern world of minimization and mobility. The legs of these tables can be of various shapes and heights, sometimes they are made in the form of unseen animals or birds. These legs form the style of the tables, their appearance. They can be either metal or wood. And, of course, you can make them yourself, with your own hands.
A little about design
If you decide to make carved table legs with your own hands from wood, you need to start by choosing a design. Study furniture in stores, look at interior magazines, and maybe visit some museum. One must learn to notice interesting and sometimes unique carvings that can be copied.
The next step is to draw your idea. At first, you should not even think about the size, it is important to catch the right proportions. Then you can try to make a paper template that will match the idea of \u200b\u200bthe leg. The size of the legs can be different, depending on the table that is planned to be made. In other words, the dining table is necessarily different in height from the coffee table. Using rough measurements, you need to figure out how much wood you might need. Attention! It's always better to purchase material in slightly larger quantities, just in case.
Here are the masterpieces you can make:
- Birch supports intertwined in a special way are non-standard, and therefore simply incredible! This small table is very easy to assemble with your own hands without any tools. Such a table will find a place in any modern interior.
- An equally beautiful table was designed by designer George Chalabi, who was inspired by the columns of ancient architecture after visiting a museum in London. The craftsman shaped and carved each leg by hand. Improvising, he drew on wood with crayon and pencil. Each support is unique! An unusual fluid form was found for all elements. Interestingly, the designer managed to give the table excellent stability.
- Life is like a fairy tale, only there are not enough tables on "chicken legs"? Yes please! The legs of this unique creation are handcrafted from well dried walnut wood. Each of them has 4 screw holes.
- If someone decides to make antique carved elements, it will require a lot of work, but such a table will last for centuries. Furniture on bent carved supports will inspire generations of people, which cannot be said about some modern forms of furniture.
Ways to design legs
The leg of the table can be made with your own hands so that it will be a work of art. Simply because our predecessors were no smarter than us, which means that we too can make beautiful carved or chicly decorated elements using existing methods:
- Decorative carving - shaping the surface with a chisel or other sharp tools. The exquisite carvings that can be made, the intricate designs of the Victorian era, show the unrivaled talent of the craftsman.
- Inlay. It is also created by incisors. Ivory and mother-of-pearl have always been popular choices in inlay work. The more expensive the decor, the more valuable piece of furniture is obtained as a whole.
- Gilding. This is the coating of a product with a precious metal, such as gold leaf. Unlike inlay, there is no carving in this process. Bronze and copper are also metals used for surface decoration.
- Oriental varnishing is a painstaking process. A table with this finish played a prominent role in the Victorian era. Authentic oriental lacquered antiques can contain up to two hundred layers of lacquer.
Carved wooden details, gilding, handmade inlays are just a few ways of decorating that give the furniture its corporate identity.
We make on a lathe
On a lathe, you can make almost any piece of furniture with your own hands. If you plan to make a carved leg, you will need to prepare the wood - you should make sure that there is a thick enough block for carving, and that the workpiece does not have any flaws that could damage the structure. Of course, all safety measures must be observed, the machine must be connected correctly.
From the projected drawing on the wood, by marking, the distances are applied for each cut. This is necessary to create the form that we planned to make. After the bar is marked, you can form the resulting table leg. A caliper is used to measure slice thickness. When the first cuts are ready, according to the required depth, a gouge is applied and the structure is formed.
After one leg is cut out, follow the same pattern to make 3 other legs of a given size and shape. Working with a chisel, it is evenly moved throughout the workpiece. When the curves are already formed by hand, the required design is almost ready. To refine the legs, to smooth the workpieces and give them a round shape, sandpaper is used. You need to turn on the lathe and just apply sandpaper to move it back and forth.
After each detail is ready, you need to apply a stain, varnish or other specified coating to complete the work. Usually varnished in several layers. Now you can create a table by attaching the legs with screws to the tabletop.
Carved cabriole style
You can make the design of the legs, which was used by the ancient Chinese and Greeks. In Europe, it became fashionable at the very beginning of the 18th century, when it was incorporated into curvilinear styles of furniture made in France, England, and Holland.
Today, such a form is much easier to create with your own hands than before, because there are electric tools that speed up the work. In any case, carved bent legs should be made from a single piece of wood without knots and core, and not from laminate.
- The first step in production is the preparation of a template drawn on hardboard or cardboard. After that, you can proceed directly to work.
- From the template, the drawing is transferred with a pencil to two adjacent sides of the wood block. The accuracy and correctness of markup is very important.
- Then the shape is carefully cut out.
- Carved wooden legs are placed in clamps and, with the help of rasps, they begin to round.
- Then the leg is polished. The goal is to achieve smooth, flowing lines. Perfectly round shapes are the result of the work of a true master.
- Further, when all 4 furniture elements are made by hand, they are carved.
- The carving is made according to the drawing with a special knife. This is perhaps the oldest way to work with wood.
The table is a necessary attribute of kitchen furniture. To date, manufacturers for the production of tables use a lot of materials. There is a great variety of forms of table legs, there are more than twenty of them. The traditional version has four legs. In most cases, standard models have a square or rectangular countertop shape.
Rectangular wooden dining table with four legs
A table with three legs is usually round. It can be used as a small coffee table or as a dining area.
Round wooden kitchen table with three legs
They also produce tables with two legs, they can be of various types, but models with two X-shaped legs or solid ones made of solid wood are mostly common.
Wooden table with X-shaped legs complete with chairs for a summer cottage
The legs of the table are attached to the sides of the support frame, and on them, in turn, the tabletop is fixed.
Many masters know that improperly fixed legs are the root cause of the fact that the table will swing and stand at an angle. There are adjustable feet that can correct a large percentage of the slope, but still, quality assembly is of paramount importance.
There are several options for attaching legs to countertops:
Attaching the leg with surface plates
Attaching Legs with T-Nuts
The option of fastening the table top to the side of the table without the use of additional fittings using screws
Using small metal Z-brackets is another popular way to mount a countertop.
| Fixing with surface plates | Let's say you bought legs without matching fittings. To install them, you will need eye and eye bolts for larger tables and threaded dowels for smaller ones. |
| T-nut fixing | This mounting option is suitable if you intend to restore the front plane of the table and thus give the interior an updated look. You should have T-nuts, eyebolts and eyebolts available. |
| Screw fixing | This is a common and time-tested way of attaching a table surface to drawers without the use of auxiliary fittings. Suitable for classic furniture. |
| Application of Z-shaped holders | The use of small iron Z-fasteners is another popular fixation method. The main advantages of this method are low cost, simple and reliable installation. |
| The use of wooden clamps | Lightweight and durable method of attaching a countertop without the use of purchased fittings. They are similar to Z-shaped holders. They are made from any scraps, it is enough to observe the orientation of the fibers. |
| Using holders-eights | These metal fasteners are widely used in fixing countertops. They come in two types - with washers of the same and different sizes. |
| Application of spacers with grooves | In this case, 2 or 3 auxiliary spacers with rectangular grooves, the length of which is 10-15 mm, are attached to the sides of the set. |
Using homemade wooden clamps is a simple and reliable way to attach the tabletop to the underframe without purchased fittings.
Steel fasteners-eight - an option using inexpensive fittings
In this case, two or three additional spacers with rectangular grooves 10-15 mm long are attached to the sides of the headset.
Necessary materials
The materials that are used to make tables are very different, we will talk about some of them.
- Arrays of different types of wood are suitable for this, for example, coniferous, oak, etc. If you are a novice craftsman, it is better to use pine, as it is easy to process. It should be remembered that such furniture burns out, absorbs odors, liquid, and does not tolerate temperature changes. Of the benefits - the material is environmentally friendly, strong, looks elegant.
Solid pine for making a table with your own hands
- Chipboard is a fairly popular material for furniture production. In the manufacture of dry chips and resins are used. Among the shortcomings, environmental risks can be noted. The advantage is a relatively cheap price.
Chipboard - an inexpensive material option for making a dining table
- MDF - compared to chipboard is more environmentally friendly, but also more expensive. In the manufacture of wood chips, carbide resins, modified melamine are used. The disadvantage is that it ignites freely, there is a risk of fire even from rapidly heating objects.
MDF is suitable for making a table, it is better and more environmentally friendly
- The furniture board is the complete opposite of MDF and chipboard. Acceptable price equivalent, the material is durable and environmentally friendly. Made from glued bars, pulled together by a press.
Furniture board - square or rectangular sheets of wood, which are made by gluing together wooden blocks along the width or length
- Metal - In most cases, stainless steel is used. Such a thing will cost a lot, but such a table will attract attention.
Stainless steel products are unpretentious in care, durable, practical, versatile in use.
These materials are suitable for both table top and legs. They also make plastic, chrome-plated, forged legs. When choosing, rely on your preferences.
Furniture support chrome-plated for tables with side mounting
Coffee table with wrought iron legs
White round plastic outdoor table
Required Tools
The necessary set of tools for the manufacture and assembly of the table
For manufacturing, the following tools are needed: a planer, a grinding machine, an electric jigsaw, a saw, a drill, drills, sandpaper, a screwdriver, self-tapping screws, glue, dowels, clamps, a tape measure, a pencil, protective equipment - glasses, gloves.
Manufacturing process: step by step instructions
Drawing of a wooden table with four legs
First, you need to make a drawing. Decide which legs you will mount - purchased or make your own. The form can be any.
Figured balusters or legs for a homemade table
If the table top is 0.8 m wide, then the legs should be 1.2 m long. To make the table top smooth, grind it with a grinder. There should be no gaps between joints. To prevent the countertop from deforming from high humidity, the boards must be laid with an oncoming texture.
Boards for countertops with a thickness of at least 30cm
At the ends of the boards to be joined, you need to drill holes 8 cm deep, keep the gap between them in the range of 10-15 cm. We pass the prepared places with sandpaper and grease the edges, dowels and holes with glue. We insert the dowels into the holes, so we connect the countertop. We remove excess glue.
Option for attaching legs to a wooden table
Using glue and screws, we connect the transverse and fractional boards with the legs. On top of the latter, we make two recesses to attach the countertop. We wait twelve hours and mount it. We cover the structure with varnish, stain or paint.
Table with fixed top, frame and legs
Important! When applying a stain, consider the following: choose the thinner wisely, the plane must be carefully treated with sandpaper before coating, the main thing is to properly adjust the gun (the shape of the torch should be oval, and the layer that you apply should overlap the existing half).
Cover with varnish or wax to protect the top layer
Having familiarized yourself with the options for attaching the legs to the tabletop, it will not be difficult for you to make a table with your own hands, thereby updating the interior with such an original thing.
Video: Solid wood worktop. My mounting option
A do-it-yourself table may well be made even by a home craftsman who does not have any experience in carpentry. Of course, this will become possible if the design of the table is fairly straightforward and understandable.
For example, it is not always possible to find a suitable ready-made table model for an overly small kitchen. Buying custom-made solid wood furniture is quite expensive. Therefore, sometimes you have to take up tools and design your own “work” on your own, starting from the specific dimensions of the place where you plan to install the table.
In addition, there is often a desire to show their creative abilities in the conditions of a summer residence, especially since there is always a desire to beautifully equip a veranda or gazebo of a suburban area. If you have the right materials and tools at hand, you can either sit down to draw up a drawing of the future table, or use a ready-made project, and then get to work.
To figure out which type of table you can build with your own hands, it is advisable to consider several options for this piece of furniture.
Tools for the job
Before starting work, it is necessary to prepare the appropriate tools that will be required for the manufacture of any wooden table. The amount of material for each model will be different.
You can use the usual, traditional hand tools that carpenters have always worked with. This list usually includes:
- Planer, which level the wood and drive the parts to the desired size.
- Chisels for sampling various holes and grooves, removing small protrusions.
- Saws of various sizes and modifications, which are used to cut thick boards or make small cuts.
- Pencil, tape measure, corner and ruler.
- Screwdriwer set.
- Clamps for temporary fixation of glued parts.
- Sandpaper for grinding.
Many of the tools can be replaced by more modern and convenient devices:
- An electric jigsaw will do all the work for which the various saws mentioned above were previously used.
Jigsaw rating - The grinder will help to make the surfaces even and polish them to a shine, eliminating the very tedious manual sanding procedure.
- Milling machine with a set of cutters. This device will help round sharp corners, drill curly grooves for furniture hinges, and if you need and have some experience, you can use it to decorate the table with a relief pattern.
- will significantly speed up the work, since you will not have to spend several minutes twisting each screw. In addition, during certain operations, it is possible to install one of the cutters or conventional drills into it, for example, in order to process an edge or make a perfectly even large or small hole (groove).
- The building level will help to make the product even and neat, as it will show all possible irregularities and distortions.
So that the finished furniture does not turn out "skewed", the assembly is controlled by the level An easy-to-make table for a summer cottage
To make a similar country table - everyone can do it Necessary materials
For such a country house, having a tabletop size of 1680 × 850 mm, not too many wooden blanks will be required. You need to prepare the following:
- Timber, section - 750 × 100 × 50 mm - 4 pcs. (table legs).
- Self-tapping screws, bolts and possibly metal corners.
- Joiner's glue.
- Board size:
- 1680×100×25 mm — 4 pcs. (longitudinal frame elements);
- 850×100×25 mm — 2 pcs. (transverse frame details);
- 1580×100×25 mm — 2 pcs. (facing boards for the side elements of the frame);
- 950×100×25 mm - 17 pcs. (boards for countertops).
All wooden elements must be treated with compounds and have a prepared smooth surface. If it is planned to “darken” the wood, then it is covered with a stain, and for the appearance of a textured pattern, it is carefully passed from above with a grinder. Fine-grained sandpaper will remove the faded raised parts of the wood pattern, and they will become lighter than the depressions.
Installation of a garden table
When all the details for the frame are prepared, you can proceed to the assembly.
Frame or "box" of the table - The first step is the details of the tabletop frame - four longitudinal boards 1680 × 100 × 25 mm in size and two end boards 850 × 100 × 25 mm, laid out on a large table or on the floor. On the end boards, the location of the inner and outer boards is marked. Using a ruler, based on the drawing, the required distances are measured and marked with a pencil. Be sure to accurately note the width of the longitudinal board at the junction with the end, especially if the connection will be made by tie-in.
The connection of elements can be carried out in different ways:
Connection with the choice of "quarter" and using metal corners - using a steel corner - this is the easiest and most reliable way;
- the tie-in method is a more complicated method, since it requires exact dimensions not only in the width and length of the connecting elements, but also in the depth of the board;
Several types of tongue and groove connection - “groove-thorn”, shown in the second figure a), b), c), d) and e) such a connection is also quite difficult for beginners with no experience;
- dowel connection is shown in fragment e) - this method also requires perfect accuracy when marking and drilling holes in the parts to be joined.
- All connections, as a rule, are carried out using glue. The only exception is the fastening of parts end-to-end with a metal corner.
- The frame must have perfectly aligned right angles, therefore, after connecting all the elements, it is necessary to carry out control using a building corner and measure and compare the length of the diagonals.
- If the parts are fixed with glue, they must be fixed in clamps and left until it dries completely, otherwise they will not be connected securely.
- When the glue dries and the frame acquires a certain rigidity, cladding boards measuring 1580 × 100 × 25 mm are fixed to the outer longitudinal sides. The place of their fastening also needs to be marked, since along their edges there should be a distance for mounting the legs. Facing boards are also planted on glue and fixed with self-tapping screws, the heads of which should be sunk into the wood by 1.5 ÷ 2.0 mm.
- The next step is the transverse sheathing of the tabletop with boards 950 × 100 × 25 mm. The place of their fastening must also first be marked, starting from the middle of the frame, since they must be installed at a distance of 5 mm from each other. The worktop protrusion above the frame should be 25 mm on all four sides.
- Further, each of the boards is fixed in four places to the longitudinal elements of the "box" of the table, and the extreme boards are also fixed to the end sides. In order for the self-tapping screws to be recessed, recesses with a diameter of 8 mm are drilled in the boards to a depth of 2 ÷ 3 mm, then, in the center of these recesses, through holes are drilled with a drill of a smaller diameter (usually 3 mm), into which the screws will be screwed. In order to avoid cracking of the boards during installation work, it is necessary to drill through holes.
- After that, legs from a bar with a section of 750 × 100 × 50 mm are fixed to the edges of the longitudinal boards, they must exactly match the width of the tabletop.
The next step is to install the legs. - The legs can be fixed to the frame with self-tapping screws, but it is better to fix each of them with two bolts, placing them diagonally at the junction. Through holes are drilled for the bolts, and nuts are tightened on them from the inside of the frame using a wrench.
- The final stage of manufacturing is the sealing of the self-tapping screws with a mixture made from carpentry or epoxy glue and sawdust. With this home-made putty, fill the recesses above the caps and level them well. After the glue dries, the entire countertop, and especially the places covered with “plugs” of glue, must be sanded well.
- After that, the table can be varnished or water-based paint. After waiting for the decorating or protective layer to dry, the product can be installed in a country gazebo, on a veranda or terrace in a recreation area.
If desired, it will be easy to make a bench or a set for the table.
Small folding table for the kitchen
Such a small folding table is perfect for a small kitchen or a very small room.
- Its design is designed in such a way that the tabletop cannot fold on its own if the table leg is accidentally hit, so the table is quite safe for installation in the children's room.
- The presence of a double-sided capacious bedside table will allow you to store various little things and small toys in it.
- The table is equipped with a worktop of sufficient size so that the child, sitting at it, can do homework.
- In addition, on the tabletop there is a place for a laptop or books necessary for studying.
- If necessary, this small table can easily replace an ironing board if a soft cloth is laid on its surface.
Given all of the above, the table can be called multifunctional, despite its very compact size.
Find out how, and also check out several models with detailed instructions in a special article on our portal.
Necessary materials and parts for a folding table
To assemble such a comfortable piece of furniture, you need to prepare all the details that make it up. The list of necessary blanks is given in the table below, and how to make them will be described and shown below:
Scheme of the table with the assembly part numbers affixed (the illustration is clickable - click to enlarge) | part number on the drawing | the name of detail | Quantity, pcs. | Part size, mm | Production material, thickness, mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Folding table top. | 1 | 600×600 | |
| 2 | Fixed table top. | 1 | 600×475 | Plywood 25 mm thick |
| 3 | 2 | 530×30 | ||
| 4 | 2 | 120×30 | Plywood 18 mm thick | |
| 5 | The upper end part of the groove, which limits the movement of the leg. | 1 | 122×30 | Plywood 18 mm thick |
| 6 | Groove element for leg movement on a folding tabletop. | 2 | 530×20 | Plywood 18 mm thick |
| 7 | Groove element for the movement of the legs on the table top. | 2 | 120×20 | Plywood 18 mm thick |
| 8 | The lower end part of the groove, which limits the movement of the leg. | 1 | 122×20 | Plywood 18 mm thick |
| 9 | Side walls of the table. | 2 | 720x520 | MDF 19 mm |
| 10 | The horizontal details of the pedestal, forming shelves. | 3 | 520×312 | MDF 19 mm |
| 11 | The lower vertical part of the internal partition of the pedestal. | 1 | 418×312 | MDF 19 mm |
| 12 | The upper vertical part of the inner partition of the pedestal. | 1 | 312×184 | MDF 19 mm |
| 13 | The middle horizontal part of the pedestal. | 1 | 310×250 | MDF 19 mm |
| 14 | Cabinet door. | 1 | 477×346 | MDF 19 mm |
| 15 | Cabinet shelf. | 1 | 310×250 | MDF 19 mm |
| 16 | The front panel of a drawer of a curbstone. | 1 | 346×209 | MDF 19 mm |
| 17 | The front panel of the drawer (located behind the front). | 1 | 418×312 | MDF 19 mm |
| 18 | Drawer side panels. | 2 | 341×250 | MDF 19 mm |
| 19 | Back panel of the drawer. | 1 | 272×120 | MDF 19 mm |
| 20 | Bottom panel of the drawer. | 1 | 341×272 | MDF 19 mm |
| Drawer handles and drawer doors. | 2 | Ø 30 mm | Wood | |
| Upper leg piece. | 1 | 80×80×18 | Plywood 18 mm thick | |
| Mobile table leg. | 1 | Ø top 55, bottom 30, height 702 | Wood | |
| Furniture hinges for connecting two parts of the tabletop. | 2 | Ø 50 mm | Metal | |
| Furniture hinges for doors. | 2 | The size depends on the shape. | Metal | |
| Bottom end panels covering the gap under the pedestal. | 2 | 20×300×5 | Plywood 5 mm |
The drawings show a drawing of the table, which can be relied upon in the process of manufacturing and assembling elements into a single structure.
The main dimensions of the table (the illustration is clickable - click to enlarge) 
Separate nodes of the table - a drawer and a guide channel for moving the legs (the illustration is clickable - click to enlarge) For the manufacture of all the parts listed in the table, modern electric tools will be required that are able to bring the workpieces to professional perfection.
Find out how to do it with a photo and description in a special article on our portal.
Installation of a folding table-cabinet
It is worth starting the manufacture of the table with the most important and largest part of it - the table top. Since the table is folding, this element will consist of two parts - stationary and "mobile", that is, one that can be folded down if necessary. When folded, this table may well serve as an ordinary compact pedestal.
| Illustration | Brief description of the operation to be performed |
|---|---|
 | The first step from plywood 25 mm thick, using a jigsaw or a circular saw, is to cut blanks for the countertop, 600 × 600 and 600 × 475 mm in size. |
 | Further, marking is carried out on a larger panel - a semicircle is drawn, since the front of the table should be rounded. In order to achieve the correct shape of a semicircle, you can use a large construction compass, or you can make it yourself - from a nail, pencil and rope. |
 | Then, along the marked line, the tabletop is rounded. This can be done using a jigsaw or a circular saw with the appropriate compass attachment on it. |
 | Further, a milling cutter of the desired configuration is installed on the milling machine, which will make the edges of the tabletop smooth, if desired, even or rounded. |
 | The semicircular part of the panel is processed with a milling cutter, leaving the side that will dock with the second part of the countertop even. Then its edges are processed in the same way. |
 | In the next step, the two processed parts of the tabletop are laid on a flat table at a distance of 5 mm from each other. Marking is made for the installation of furniture hinges. They must be placed at a distance of 100-120 mm from the edge of the countertop. Furniture hinges can have different shapes, so they should be laid in the marked place and circled with a simple pencil. Then, using a router, special curly grooves are arranged in plywood, the depth of which should be equal to the thickness of the furniture hinges. In the finished holes, the loops are fixed with self-tapping screws. |
 | After connecting the two parts of the table top with hinges, in the middle of the panels, on their lower side, markings are made to secure the parts that will form a closed channel for the movement of the moving table leg. The guides must be fixed at a distance of 30 mm from the junction of the two parts of the tabletop. For the manufacture of parts, plywood with a thickness of 18 mm is taken. Then, 10 elements are cut out of it and processed by a milling cutter: 530 × 30 mm in size - 2 pcs., 530 × 20 mm - 2 pcs., 120 × 30 mm - 2 pcs., 122 × 30 mm - 1 pc., 120 × 20 mm - 2 pcs., 122 × 20 mm - 1 pc. It is important to remember here that long slats should have 45˚ cuts on one edge, and short elements on both sides, so that when joined, they form a right angle. In addition, the upper long and short parts, fixed over the lower rails of the rails, are cut off at the ends, also at an angle of 45˚. These sections are necessary so that their corners do not interfere with the movement of the legs along the formed channel. Then, to the lined section of the rounded, and then to the rectangular part of the countertop, the parts are glued with carpentry glue. First, they are fixed with glue, and then the longest rails, having a size of 530 × 20 mm, are screwed with self-tapping screws, then the part 122 × 20 mm blocks the channel. On top of the long and short fixed rails, the second ones are glued, having the same length, but a greater width - they are also additionally screwed with self-tapping screws. Thus, an even channel is formed between the table top and the top rail, along which the leg will move. It is very important to calculate the location of the places for screwing in the screws so that the upper ones do not stumble upon those that fix the lower rails. In the same way, four parts are fixed on the rectangular part of the tabletop. All elements must be processed to smoothness and perfectly evenly fixed to each other, otherwise the leg will bump into obstacles and jam when moving. |
 | The leg is usually made on a lathe. If it is not there, then you can order it from the master or purchase it ready-made. In extreme cases, you can make it square by processing the timber of the desired height to smoothness. Then, on the upper end part of the leg, with the help of a dowel and glue, a guide square plate made of plywood, measuring 80 × 80 × 18 mm, is fixed exactly in the center. |
 | Further, after the glue has dried, the leg can be installed in the channel intended for it and tested for its free movement, without jamming. If necessary, minor adjustments and modifications can be made. |
 | The finished tabletop is painted or coated with a water-based varnish - if the goal is to preserve the textured plywood pattern. After that, the finished tabletop is put aside and proceed to the manufacture of cabinets. |
 | The elements of the cabinet do not have complex configurations, therefore, in order to make them, it is enough to accurately transfer the dimensions of the parts indicated in the table on an MDF panel or thick plywood and carefully cut them out with a jigsaw or saw. After the parts are made, their end parts must be machined to smoothness with a milling cutter, otherwise they will look sloppy. |
 | If you plan to paste over the visible end parts of the cabinet parts with a special laminated edge tape, then this process is carried out using a conventional iron. The tape on its inner side has a layer of glue, which heats up under the influence of heat and provides reliable fixation of the edge on the surface of the end parts of the MDF panels. |
 | The next step in the cabinet door panel is to make curly grooves into which furniture hinges will be installed and fixed. Holes are made in the same way as in the countertop using a router, but in this case, the cutter can also be installed in a screwdriver, since MDF has a lower density than plywood and is easier to process without chipping the material. The hinges should be located at a distance of 100 mm from the edges of the door - before drilling, it is necessary to carefully mark out. A similar procedure is carried out with the wall of the cabinet, on which the door will be fixed. Then the door walls are joined together to check the correct installation and to mark holes for self-tapping screws. |
 | In addition to the hinges, you can immediately screw the prepared handle to the door. To do this, stepping back from the edge of the panel 50 mm and finding a comfortable position in height, a point is marked through which a through hole is drilled to secure the handle. |
 | All manufactured parts of the cabinet are painted with paint of the selected color using a roller and brush. The paint will not only make the product aesthetically attractive, but also protect the material from the negative influence of the specific kitchen humid environment. |
 | Next, you can proceed to the assembly of the nightstand. Professionals carry out this process using special tools, but they can be completely replaced with improvised devices. For example, you can assemble on a flat table, and for ease of installation of the cabinet, it is additionally installed on even bars. Mutual fastening of parts can be carried out using wooden dowels, metal furniture corners or self-tapping screws - the latter option is the simplest, but also the most unreliable. In addition, the caps of the self-tapping screws after assembly will have to be masked with various compositions. The build process goes like this: - The bottom panel is placed on the stands. - One of the side panels and its location are marked with a pencil using a building corner. -The location of fasteners is immediately marked on the horizontal and vertical panels. - Exactly the same procedure is carried out with the second side and dividing middle wall. - Then, holes are drilled at the marked points of the bottom and the end sides of the side panels for installing dowels. - After that, before gluing the parts, places for installing shelves are determined on the side walls. Then, in the marked places, shelf-holder brackets are mounted, for which holes are also drilled. - Further, dowels lubricated with glue are installed in the holes drilled in the bottom, side walls are put on their upper, protruding part. - In the same way, non-removable jumper shelves are mounted, simultaneously with the side walls. |
 | Before continuing work, you need to make sure that the glue in the assembled structure has dried out well. To make the cabinet more rigid, it is laid on its side and compressed with clamps for drying. |
 | While the glue dries, you can start assembling the drawer. Since it will be completely assembled from MDF, the installation of the drawer can also be done using dowels. The sides are attached to the bottom of the box, and a line is drawn along them with a pencil, and then marks are made of the places where the dowels will be installed. Then, the sidewalls are removed, and at the marked places, holes are drilled in their end for mounting fasteners. The same is done on the bottom panel. Further, the dowels are smeared with glue and carefully inserted into the holes, connecting the sides to the bottom. |
 | Between themselves, the sidewalls are twisted with the help of self-tapping screws, the caps of which are recommended to be drowned in wood, and the holes are sealed with a mixture of epoxy glue and sawdust. Another option for fastening can be furniture corners, which are screwed to the sidewalls from the inside with self-tapping screws. Each side will require two corners. |
 | When assembling a box, it is necessary to control the evenness of its corners with a building corner and a change in diagonals, otherwise a skew may form. |
 | If you plan to install metal roller guides for easy movement of the box, then first, on the sides of the boxes and on the inner walls of the cabinet, the place of their attachment is determined. To do this, using a pencil and a ruler, a line is drawn along which the guides will be fixed. |
 | Next, a front panel is installed to the front of the box. It is screwed from the inside of the box, through pre-marked and drilled holes. It is recommended, in addition to self-tapping screws, to fasten the panel to use glue: it is applied to the front panel, and then the front panel is pressed against it, and they are pulled together by four or five self-tapping screws. After the glue dries, a hole is drilled in the center of the front panel, through which the handle is screwed. |
 | Finally, the long-awaited moment comes - the connection of the cabinet and countertop. It is recommended to first glue the stationary part of the tabletop to the surface of the cabinet, and then fix it with self-tapping screws, which are screwed in from the inside of the lower cabinets. But, first, the countertop must be properly positioned. Part of the channel located on the permanently installed tabletop panel should rest against the side of the cabinet - it will serve as a stopper for the movement of the legs towards the table. The tabletop should extend beyond the edges of the cabinet on the side of the drawer by 50 mm, open shelves by 30 mm, and from the side of the leg by 120 mm. |
 | Having fixed the countertop, they proceed to the final installation and screwing the bedside table doors onto the self-tapping screws. Then a drawer is inserted, and shelves are installed on the shelf holders. |
 | When closed, the table is compact, so it does not take up much space and looks quite aesthetically pleasing. If desired, for its decoration, you can choose other colors that will better harmonize with the interior of a particular room. |
 | In the open state, the table also does not take up much space and fits perfectly into one of the corners of the room. Thanks to its "light" design, it does not weigh down the interior, and the shape of the table top makes it safe for children. Therefore, this version of the table can be considered ideal for small apartments with small kitchens and rooms. |
If there is a need to save money, or simply there is a great desire to prove oneself in carpentry, then do not put off self-production. Moreover, the assembly will become not only an interesting and useful activity, but also very enjoyable, especially at the moment when the work is successfully completed.
For those who are confident in their abilities, another interesting version of the round table is offered, which may well serve both at home and on the site.
Video: round table assembly example
And one more idea of a kitchen table, which, if incorrect, will also be within the power of a skilled owner to implement independently:
Video: lightweight collapsible kitchen table