Glossy tile, Beautiful fake diamond, impact-resistant glass, silver stainless steel - what kind of material are modern kitchen countertops made from? However, despite high humidity and temperature fluctuations, many traditionally prefer wood. Let's try to figure out why a wooden countertop is good for the kitchen and whether it is possible to make it yourself.
Wood and its substitutes, particle boards and fiber boards, are ideal for the production of modern kitchen furniture. Soft, pliable, sensitive to high humidity material after special processing becomes quite strong, wear-resistant and stable. At the same time, he retains his attractive appearance: a beautiful natural pattern cannot be confused with anything.
Admirers of environmental cleanliness in the interior can afford a tabletop made of whole piece wood, but we must not forget that solid oak, ash, cherry or walnut is much more expensive than practical particle boards. If you are not short on money, pay attention to species such as iroko or wenge - the treated surface will have excellent functional and aesthetic characteristics.
Timeless magnificent oak
When ordering a kitchen, “wooden” usually means any products related to wood in one way or another. In fact, manufacturers offer furniture from the following materials:
- Chipboard, laminated chipboard, MDF, fiberboard - boards containing shavings or wood fibers, bonded with natural or synthetic glue;
- veneer – decorative sheets made of wood no thicker than 10 mm (usually from 3 mm to 5 mm), which are glued to external surfaces;
- solid wood - pieces of solid wood that are most suitable for processing, but are highly expensive.
Sometimes professionals use interesting technology: several sheets of different rocks are glued together and a workpiece is obtained, which surpasses even solid wood in terms of ductility and strength.
MDF finishing, skillfully imitating reed
For self-made furniture, it is better to use carpentry or furniture board, since inexpensive wood is also suitable for its assembly, and the processing process is somewhat simplified.
DIY wooden tabletop
We offer a simple option for making your own kitchen countertops from wood, or rather, from a special blank, which is called a carpentry panel. It can be replaced with solid wood (in this case, you should focus on durable but easy-to-process species, such as walnut).
Preparation of materials and tools
There is no need to rush into choosing wood, since the behavior and “life” of the product depend on its characteristics. Soft breeds are generally not suitable for creating work surface, on which they will constantly cut, stab, beat. It is better to choose hardwood blanks, which include cherry, oak, sweet cherry, and teak.
Wood is a living, elastic material that easily changes shape along with changes in air parameters. In a room with a high level of humidity, such as the kitchen, the fibers quickly absorb moisture and swell, causing the product to deform. To prevent this from happening, you will need treatment with special natural or chemical compounds. They will impregnate upper layer boards and increase moisture resistance.
Exists easy option manufacturing furniture parts– order by custom sizes. You need to make the calculations yourself (or better yet, call a specialist) and take them to the furniture manufacturing company. There, the necessary elements will be cut out on milling and jointing machines within 1-2 days, which will remain to be connected and processed at home. Or do everything yourself, but it will take more time.
So, if you decide to make a tabletop from boards or furniture panels, you will need the following tool:
- jointer;
- hacksaw;
- drill;
- cutter;
- thicknesser;
- sandpaper;
- marking tool - pencil, tape measure, square;
- antiseptic impregnation;
- wood glue;
- LKM – paint or varnish.
The main parts will be well dried wooden boards, and nails and screws will act as fasteners. It is better to select elements that are the same size.
Assembling the base - joinery panel
Processing of boards must be done in 2 stages - before assembly and after it.
The work plan looks like this:
- level the surface of unplaned boards with a plane or jointer;
- sand the surface of each part with sandpaper;
- treat all sides, including grooves, with an antiseptic;
- assemble the parts into one canvas;
- cut holes for the stove, sink, pipes, etc.;
- install the shield in place;
- treat again with impregnation or stain;
- cover with varnish or paint.
Now in more detail.
If you have taken up the task of processing furniture yourself, then most likely you have experience working with a plane. The grinding technique also does not raise any questions, so we will focus on antiseptics. There are many types sold in construction stores, but we need a solution for interior works.
Range of antiseptics Senezh Aquadecor
Great option– interior wood protective oil NEOMID. Natural oils, which are included in its composition, protect against moisture and ultraviolet radiation, prevent the appearance of mold, and make the wood pattern more expressive. Aquatex primer has similar properties.
Connecting parts can be done in two ways:
- edge gluing;
- tongue-and-groove technology;
- edge-groove method.
The first method is simple to implement, but not reliable.
Design for gluing wood panels
If gluing of several small elements is required, it is better to replace it with the second solution. But the most effective is the third method, well known to everyone who has ever assembled lining.
The lining initially has cutouts along the edges for joining using the edge-groove technique
Another name for this method is tongue-and-groove. If it is difficult to make straight edges at home, you need to contact a service center where the boards will be processed on a milling machine. Most cheap way– treat thick plywood or MDF sheets. If they are thin (12-14mm), the grooves and edges will also be thin.
Great build result
You can use a rougher tongue-and-groove joint, but it is more appropriate for furnishing a country house or terrace. After joining with simultaneous gluing, it is necessary to cover the entire canvas with impregnation or universal decorative varnish.
Covering and nuances of its manufacture
To hide unsightly edges with visible joint areas, it is necessary to make a lining - a thin protective edge made of wooden blocks. This is a variant of veneering, but made using a rougher technique. The bars are not glued or welded using a technical hair dryer, but are seated using the “edge-groove” technology, as when connecting parts of a product.
Framing bars before installation
The lining must be harder than the base, so you can use blanks from a different breed. It is better to edge soft pine with stronger birch or beech. A ridge is cut along the edges of the finished tabletop from a furniture panel using a hand cutter, and on the bars, on the contrary, a groove of suitable dimensions is prepared - approximately 10 mm x 12 mm. The width of the bars should match the width of the product or slightly exceed it. After assembly, milling and sanding are required.
High-quality bonding is facilitated by tighter compression. To ensure this, metal clamps are used - large adjustable brackets. They pull the product together from opposite sides and leave until the glue dries completely.
Visible narrow gaps between the elements are rubbed with wood dust. The reliability of the casing can be increased by additionally strengthening the corners with self-tapping screws - one on each side. The screws are twisted at an angle, recessed a little into the wood, and the resulting holes are sealed with putty. Decorative layer applied last.
Combined option with plastic
Finishing with plastic sheets is possible in two cases:
- when making a new table;
- for repairing old furniture.
The base remains wooden, only the upper surface and sometimes the edges are covered. Plastic cannot be deformed and retains its shape despite temperature changes and humidity. Exist special types kitchen polymer coating about 1 mm thick, which when combined with particle boards becomes hard and wear-resistant.
Glossy plastic looks amazing
Sheets of plastic using liquid nails or universal glue are attached to the wooden surface if it is already installed. When making a new product, it is better to use a more practical inexpensive material– chipboard panel. If a sink and hob, it is better to strengthen it with the help of supporting bars. They are fixed on the underside across the length, on the sides of the cutouts for equipment.
Small shields are cut from one sheet of DPS, but for strength they are placed in a solid wood frame - a frame. Both for fastening the crossbars and for the lining, double fixation is used - wood glue and self-tapping screws. Holes for self-tapping screws are pre-drilled with a drill with a thin drill bit.
The plastic is glued last. Liquid nails are applied around the perimeter and in the center on a flat, cleaned surface of the base, treated from mold and mildew. Carefully lay a sheet of plastic, adjusted to size and shape. To make the fastening more reliable, you can put a load on top and secure the edges with clamps. If there is no trim, then a strip of plastic should also be placed along the edge.
A popular option is wood-look plastic.
Before covering a wooden tabletop with plastic, you can get acquainted with other options - made of artificial stone or ceramic tiles.
How to make a tabletop from ready-made furniture board
Let's consider another option, a simpler one, for which we will use an already cut blank made at a furniture factory (some furniture companies provide such services) to order. This is convenient when you urgently need to make repairs or need a workpiece that is difficult to process on your own - with curved edges, rounded corners, and many holes.
Features of drafting a project
When placing an order, you must provide the following information:
- exact dimensions shield and all holes (if you plan to insert equipment);
- surface color;
- type of material.
It is better to first draw a diagram or call a company representative for accurate calculations.
The sizes will be individual, and the type will have to be chosen from the proposed samples. Assortment for furniture factories usually wide, offering panels of various thicknesses and with a variety of coatings. The cost depends on the category, the cheapest are laminated chipboard, the most expensive is solid wood made from valuable wood species.
Included with the tabletop is a dining group made from furniture panels
The color and cladding must be chosen based on the style of the interior and the color of the furniture. For example, a panel of any color can be combined with white cabinets, but only neutral shades can be combined with green cabinets.
What is needed for work
Additional processing No cut-out workpiece is required, so only tools for installation are needed. These include a drill with attachments, a screwdriver with a set of screws. You should also purchase wood glue and sealant.
Independent cutting of blanks with a hacksaw
If you are considering various options hand-made countertops, among them there may be projects consisting of several parts. This happens when the table is long or complex shape. To connect fragments with outside Usually they use aluminum strips that completely cover the gap. More often they are mounted on self-tapping screws.
Similar overlays, flat and in the form of corners, cover the edges, if necessary. additional protection from mechanical damage.
Brief installation instructions
Before installing the panel, you should prepare all the floor cabinets, that is, simply install them in their places. The sink should be located near the sewer drain, the hob should be close to gas pipe or sockets.
Operating procedure:
- coat the top ends or surfaces of the cabinets with wood glue;
- put ready product to the place designated for it;
- check the accuracy of the location of the cut holes;
- secure the shield with screws or self-tapping screws using corners.
Thus, top panel will be firmly fixed with glue and screws.
Window sill and table of the same design
There is usually a narrow gap between the wall and the table, which spoils the appearance of the structure and subsequently creates inconvenience when cleaning the room. It is covered with furniture plinth. Modern models wall plinths consist of two parts, one of which is fixed on the table surface with self-tapping screws, the second (narrow strip) is decorative element. The visible edges of the installed strip are covered with end caps.
The nuances of working with chipboard
Laminated chipboards are quite popular, especially when assembling economical kitchens, so please pay attention to the following information.
Chipboard blanks are covered with film on all sides
Suppose you have ready-made laminated chipboard panels that need to be adjusted to specific dimensions or given a certain form. When cutting into pieces, there may be a problem with preserving the decorative layer. Laminated chipboards differ from ordinary chipboards in that they are already covered with a melamine film - strong and wear-resistant, but tearable when sawed with a hacksaw.
Professional processing circular saw
For delicate sawing it is necessary to use thin instrument- jigsaw or jigsaw. The most aggressive method is considered to be working with an angle grinder; in this case should not be used. If you need to cut a large sheet, it is better to use a professional circular saw.
Working with a jigsaw at home
The working technology is as follows: first, at the cutting site, we make a fairly deep cut (3 mm) construction knife, then carefully cut along it with a jigsaw. We choose a file that tears the material on one side. A straight edge can be maintained if the blade is preheated. To ensure an even cut, use a guide tape.
From educational videos you can learn interesting information about the processing and design of wood furniture elements.
The principle of making a trim for any table:
Processing a wooden tabletop with your own hands:
Homemade furniture in the kitchen interior:
Manufacturing furniture panels with plastic:
Using theoretical material, you can make beautiful and reliable tabletop made of wood or chipboard panels, optionally covering it with plastic. The main advantage of handmade furniture is exclusivity and unusual design. And remember that if you have questions, consultation experienced furniture maker will never be redundant.
What is a kitchen without a spacious and high-quality countertop? Wooden table top for the kitchen - the choice of millions of our compatriots for a variety of reasons: affordable price category, strength, environmental safety and durability of use. Add here the excellent appearance of wooden furniture and you get a win-win kitchen interior of any design style.
Description of the tabletop as an interior item
In ancient centuries, residents butchered animal carcasses into stone tables, simply washing them with water afterwards. A modern wooden countertop is a decoration for any kitchen, setting the tone for the entire style and decoration. Sometimes the color of the façade and the furniture are matched to the tone of the countertop. kitchen apron. If we talk about the structure itself, it can be represented by a monolithic block or slab, which is firmly attached to the lower module or a special frame.
The thickness of the tabletop can vary in the range of 2-7 cm, it all depends on the raw materials used in production and the personal preferences of the owners of the house. The width of the product is usually equal to the depth kitchen cabinet on which it is attached. Recently, in many private orders, you can often find countertops protruding beyond the level kitchen set. Such furniture is considered exclusive and is far from store templates.
Any kitchen worktop made of wood includes a base and cladding. Previously, the basis was stone conglomerates. In our grandmothers' kitchens you could find countertops made from solid wood and covered with oilcloth to protect against water. Such a rarity today is sold for a lot of money, because many of the products have not yet collapsed and have retained excellent performance characteristics.
The cladding of the wooden base can be anything: plastic, laminate, metal, artificial stone, acrylic, etc. There are a lot of options for protecting vulnerable wood; each owner chooses the best one for himself.
The unique color of wooden countertops
Many people compare wooden kitchen countertops to the deck of a yacht, only in miniature. The reason is quite simple - the uniqueness of the natural surface pattern of such an interior item is inimitable. The warmth of wood and the comfort it creates in any interior are known to everyone. The designers claim - wooden furniture adds harmony and tranquility to the interior.
To make such original wooden tabletops, hardwood planks are glued together at the factory to form stacked panels. The parts are thoroughly polished and coated with special oil compositions. Purposes of applying protective agents:
- maintaining the strength of the countertop;
- protection of the material from the aggressive microclimate of the kitchen;
- prevention of mechanical deformations of the finished structure.
The choice of oil for processing depends on the characteristics of the wood - its roughness and degree of hairiness. Coating the tabletop with transparent oil allows you to preserve the pattern of the wooden structure and get an imitation of the surface of a deck on a yacht. It is worth noting that such original tabletop models are in demand among owners log houses and inhabitants of buildings made of profiled timber.
Important: even well-treated wood needs special care and demands careful attitude. Therefore, it is necessary to use stands for hot frying pans and pots - material soaked in oil is easily flammable and burns well.
You cannot cut food without cutting board, otherwise microbes will penetrate into the cracks and cuts left on the wooden countertop and begin to destroy the surface. From time to time, the surface of beautiful and capricious furniture must be treated with special compounds that will extend its service life and allow it to maintain a fresh appearance.
Durable and vibrant laminated countertops
Not all wooden countertops are made from solid wood; many models are made from chipboard (chipboard). The material is inexpensive, but very fragile and hygroscopic. To protect the base from negative impact environmental factors (changes in air temperature, high humidity, steam, water and frequent contamination), the surface of the tabletop is covered with plastic with a layered structure. The technology is called postforming and is widespread in the furniture industry today.
The laminating coating has the following structure:
- 3-4 sheets of kraft paper;
- synthetic resin impregnation;
- decorative paper with any design or pattern;
- protective coating on acrylic or melamine resin.
The presence of a top transparent layer in the structure of the laminating coating allows such countertops to achieve significant operational advantages:
- resistance to thermal, light and mechanical influences;
- the strength of the base, which is not afraid of falling dishes;
- immunity to knife cuts or scratches from household appliances;
- excellent tolerance of cleaning agents with abrasive particles and disinfectant components.
Important: if the kitchen countertop is laminated, it is important to cover protective film all its end and front parts, without leaving even the slightest gap.
When any kind of Appliances or washing, the joints of the product and the table surface must be carefully treated with glue-sealant. The seams in laminated furniture are the weakest points; even a few drops of water can destroy the product.
The advantages of wooden countertops made of chipboard with laminated cladding are low cost, high decorative value and ease of installation. In addition, you can make such a piece of furniture yourself by placing any drawing or even your favorite photographs under the transparent top layer of the laminate.
Material selection
In factories today, 2 are used to produce wooden kitchen countertops different approaches: production of joinery panels and assembly of structures from individual elements. Premium class furniture involves the use of only solid wooden plates. You won’t be able to make a wooden tabletop from this material with your own hands, the reason is high price raw materials and processing complexity.
Any craftsman must choose the type of wood before starting to make furniture. This parameter affects the strength of the structure, so preference should be given to hardwood raw materials.
But too hard wood species are highly susceptible to negative environmental factors, quickly swell from water and dry out from temperature changes. Therefore, in addition to strength, the tree must be stable and retain its shape.
When talking about wood types for countertops, we can mention cherry, walnut, oak, teak and cherry. Modern kitchen furniture is also made from exotic and unusual species, but such products are more expensive than traditional designs made from familiar raw materials.
Wooden countertops for the kitchen can be made not only from solid wood, but also from individual elements that are cut from a panel or glued together from lamellas. Most often, such furniture is decorative in nature and decorates the kitchen. Designers recommend using plates of different textures and color shades. But, as mentioned above, such furniture does not carry a functional load and cannot be used for its intended purpose. Water getting between the joints of prefabricated parts causes their deformation and changes in external data.
Preparation of materials and tools
In order to make a wooden tabletop with your own hands, you need to prepare all the tools. If you intend to use a joiner's panel, you need a jointer to process it. The need for a long plane is due to the nuances of the technology - the panel tabletop needs to be smoothed at the final stages of creation. If a craftsman has the opportunity to rent a jointing machine, this will greatly facilitate the work of making furniture.
In addition to the jointer, you will need a manual milling cutter or a machine of the same name. If you ignore the milling stage, the surface of the wooden tabletop will be exposed to all the negative factors of the surrounding microclimate.
Complete list of tools for self-production table top looks like this:
- drill with a set of drills;
- pliers;
- hammer with nails;
- hacksaw;
- milling cutter and jointer (or machines of the same name).
Materials required for work: impregnation with antiseptics, wooden boards, any type of wood glue, clamps, paints, sandpaper and thicknesser.
Important: the smoother the boards, the stronger and more reliable the finished tabletop will be. It is imperative to dry the wood before assembling the furniture. To connect individual pieces of furniture you will need slats and a set of carpentry tools.
Production of joinery panels
The easiest way is to glue the panel parts edge to edge, but such furniture does not last long. Humidity and temperature changes lead to cracks and loss of level. These defects inevitably lead to breakdown. To prevent premature destruction, the structure needs additional reinforcement.
If there is no cutter and there is no possibility of renting one, then tongue-and-groove heads are glued to the ends of the joinery panels. In this case, the tenon is placed along the ends of the future product, and the groove is located along the edge of the head.
Another way to strengthen the panel structure: transverse slats are glued to the bottom, which fit into pre-prepared grooves. Carpentry can be considered more reliable panel structure, to strengthen which the grooves and slats of the “ dovetail" Regardless of the reinforcement method, it is important to understand the main thing - wooden tabletops made from glued panels are highly susceptible to moisture and UV rays.
The kitchen is one of the most visited places in a house or apartment, where dear guests are often received. Housewives spend many hours every day in this room. All this convincingly proves that the kitchen should be attractive, comfortable and functional. That is why owners pay great attention to kitchen furniture. How to make a wooden tabletop with your own hands so that the room looks original and aesthetically attractive?
The countertop in the kitchen occupies a fairly large area, so it immediately catches the eye of those who enter the room.
DIY wooden tabletop And
The countertop in the kitchen occupies a fairly large area, so it immediately catches the eye of those who enter the room. Usually this part of the furniture is deliberately made massive and from the most the best materials. This is the only way to expect that the surface will last a long time without losing its attractive appearance.
Wooden countertops are installed mainly on luxury furniture. The reason is that this natural material durable, beautiful, durable, always looks rich. Not everyone, but rather a few, can buy premium furniture in a store or have it made to order. Yet perfect solution– make a wooden tabletop with your own hands. Such a product is guaranteed to surprise guests in the house and will have original look and will last more than one year.
When starting to make a countertop, the first thing you need to do is choose the right type of wood that will be used in the work. It should be taken into account that this surface is more susceptible to mechanical damage, chips, impact high temperatures. Only hard wood can withstand such damage without consequences. The most affordable hardwood in our country is:
- oak;
- teak;
- nut;
- cherry;
- cherries.
There are tree species whose wood is more hard, but because of this, processing it is quite difficult, expensive, and a master cannot do without special machines. The listed rocks are much easier to process, are relatively inexpensive, are resistant to drying out and swelling, and can easily withstand temperature fluctuations.
The photo shows a tabletop made of wood and epoxy resin
How to make a wooden tabletop with your own hands?
Many craftsmen, even without extensive experience working with wood, were able to make a good countertop from hardwood. Main secret their success lies in the fact that they thought through each subsequent step, sought advice from experienced masters, studied step by step guide. When starting work, the first step is to prepare the entire list of tools, namely:
After hardening, the resin does not change its volume, the surface is not at all susceptible to damage, and chips and cracks will never spoil the appearance of the table
- jointer;
- hacksaw;
- cutter;
- drill and set of drills;
- hammer;
- nails, screws;
- sandpaper;
- pliers;
- wood glue;
- wood antiseptic;
- brush for painting the product.
It is also important to approach the choice of wood seriously and it is better to give preference to well-roasted samples. If drying is not completed, then after some time the tabletop is guaranteed to become deformed and lose its attractiveness.
Before starting work, the purchased wood must be properly prepared. To do this, use a jointer, then grind the surface and impregnate it with an antiseptic. Most often, when making a tabletop, beginners glue together smaller parts, resulting in a so-called furniture panel. The tabletop will not last long with glue alone. To achieve greater strength, the attachment points are strengthened by splicing wooden elements between themselves. They use finger joint. To do this, a tenon is made in one part, and an eye in the other using an automatic cutter.
Video on how to make a furniture panel with your own hands:
How to make a wooden tabletop with your own hands, video:
Tabletop made of wood and epoxy resin: manufacturing features
The use of epoxy resin allows you to create a work of art, because the product is guaranteed to look original. Epoxy – pretty durable material, does not shrink. After hardening, the resin does not change its volume, the surface is not at all susceptible to damage, and chips and cracks will never spoil the appearance of the table.
To work with epoxy resin, the master must have a special suit, protect skin and eyes. The epoxy resin itself is purchased along with the hardener at a hardware store. Before use, the 2 components are mixed together. When combining substances, you should follow the proportions indicated in the instructions. In order for normal life to begin chemical reaction, resin and hardener are thoroughly mixed.
The tabletop must be completely ready by the time the epoxy resin is applied and positioned strictly horizontally. It is thoroughly cleaned and degreased. Be sure to spread it under the table plastic film, since after accidental entry of particles of a substance, it will be very problematic to remove them. If there are errors and even a slight slope, the resin will form sagging when it hardens and the appearance of the product will suffer. It is recommended to carry out work in a warm and dry room. Optimal temperature air should be about +20-22 degrees.
The mixture begins to be poured onto the countertop immediately after mixing with the hardener. You need to choose this moment correctly. To do this, the consistency of the epoxy resin is periodically checked and while it is too liquid and fluid, it is left in the container. After reaching the consistency of fresh honey, you can begin priming the surface, and then pouring the resin.
To prevent the epoxy resin from flowing off the surface of the tabletop, it is recommended to make the formwork from glass. The glass is washed, degreased, and then the mold is lubricated with wax. This must be done so that after hardening the resin can be easily separated from the mold.
Tabletop made of wood and epoxy resin, video:
How to make a wooden tabletop with your own hands from scrap materials? You will learn the answer to this question from the article. It contains photos, manufacturing features and tips that will be useful even for a beginner. If you follow these recommendations, the tabletop will certainly turn out to be of high quality, stylish and exclusive.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the table, both in terms of everyday comfort - and any interior design of an apartment or cottage. Moreover, a kitchen without a table loses its functionality, so a table is deservedly considered a necessary piece of furniture for this room. Huge selection various models tables that can be purchased at furniture showrooms, does not detract from the desire of some of us to make a table from boards with our own hands - according to our own design, with the individuality and charm of a valuable thing self made.
The prospect of making a table from boards with your own hands gives a special charm to the fact that you can choose any model, tabletop shape and size - as long as they are comfortable and suitable for the room in which the table will be installed.
A few examples below will help you make your choice and help you make the model that suits you. In addition, drawings on how to make a simple table from boards will help you visualize more clearly future design and assembly processes.
Table 1. Sturdy and stable dining table for home
To make this table we will need tools such as a jigsaw, electric drill, screwdriver, and sander. You can, of course, do without some of the above “helpers” by using a screwdriver and a block with sandpaper attached to it - such a replacement will simply increase the time and effort spent on making the table.
The material for the manufacture of the tabletop is a tongue-and-groove board with a thickness of at least 30 mm. The tongue ensures a tight connection of the boards, increasing the service life of the table, since with this joining method the possibility of food debris getting into the gaps between the boards is practically eliminated.
To make the remaining elements of the table, take a regular 50 mm board.
- Boards, if they are not treated, must be thoroughly sanded - in addition to aesthetic considerations, this is required by basic safety and practicality: a sanded board is easier to paint, and much less paint is required for such a surface;
- Cut out the table parts:
- Grooved boards for tabletops, length 230 cm – 6 pcs.;
- Spacer board about 170 cm long;
- Bars for fastening the tabletop (their length should match the width of the tabletop, or be slightly shorter) - 4 pcs.;
- Bars for legs - 4 pcs., 2 pieces of board for their base.
To improve the appearance of the product, file the ends of the fastening bars at an angle of 45 degrees, carefully cut off the tongues of the outer boards, and slightly round the corners of the tabletop using a jigsaw.
Table 2. The simplest table for a summer house or gazebo
Perhaps there is nothing easier than making this version of a table from boards with your own hands, shown in photo 5. Table dimensions: 1200x740 mm, height - 750 mm.
To make it you will need:
- Edged board, smoothly planed 40x140 mm;
- 2 bars 40x60x740 mm;
- 8 confirmations 70-75 mm long; self-tapping screws of various lengths;
- Chisel and plane;
- A jigsaw, a drill with a special drill for sealing mats, a furniture key, a sander.
The first step is to assemble the tabletop, fastening the boards with two transverse bars, placing them at a distance of 120 mm from both ends of the future tabletop and using self-tapping screws up to 80-85 mm long (so as not to reach the outer surface of the tabletop). If used regular boards, when making a countertop, it is better to leave small, only 10 mm, gaps of the same width between them: through gaps will prevent contamination of the countertop with food debris, without interfering with cleaning and without reducing its aesthetic appeal.
To achieve equal width gaps in the tabletop, during its assembly you need to place a centimeter standard made of slats or other solid material between the boards.
Second step: assembling the table legs. On chipboard sheet or plywood, draw a template - a rectangle with sides 600 mm (width) and 690 mm (length). First we make one pair of legs, then do the second in the same way: we lay 2 boards on the template in an X-shape, mark the lines of the upper and lower cuts of the legs, as well as the lines of their intersection - this is where the boards will be fastened together. We saw off the ends of the boards along the marked lines, and at the intersection points, use a chisel to select recesses 20 mm deep for a “half-tree” connection. We fasten the legs using 35 mm self-tapping screws;
Third step – final assembly table. The drawing shows in detail how to make this simple table from boards: thanks to it, the assembly process will not cause difficulties (Figure 6).
Most often when creating modern furniture There are two types of wood countertops: prefabricated structures or wood panels. For premium furniture, solid wooden plates can also be used. But such material is not suitable for making a table yourself, since it is too expensive and often difficult to process.
Before making a wooden countertop, regardless of its type, you need to choose the right wood.
The surface of the table must be durable. Accordingly, in order to make furniture that will last long years, you need to give preference to those types of wood that are particularly hard.
But this factor is not decisive when choosing correct wood. Too hard tree species influenced external factors. Under the influence of moisture and temperature changes, such tables either dry out or, conversely, swell. Therefore, not only the hardness of the wood is important, but also its stability, that is, the ability to effectively withstand possible changes in shape.
In order for the furniture to serve you for as long as possible, you need to choose those types of wood in which the combination of hardness and stability is optimal. These include:
- cherry;
- cherries;
- nut;
Nowadays, countertops are made from even more unusual and exotic wood. But it will cost much more, and its characteristics will not necessarily be higher than those of materials more familiar to us.
The kitchen countertop is made from trees such as oak, cherry, walnut, etc.
In addition to furniture assembled from solid wood, glued-type tabletops are popular. They are cut from ready-made furniture panels or glued together from several plates (lamellas). Such options may be suitable for those craftsmen who want to make decorative tables that serve as decoration, because glued tabletops can be assembled from plates of lamellas of different colors and textures. In this case, you can achieve interesting things.
For self-assembly kitchen table such options will not work. Indeed, when gluing the layers, the internal tension between the wood fibers is practically reduced to zero, so the tabletops are not subject to deformation. But it is very difficult to process furniture panels on your own. Weak point The edges of such furniture become susceptible to chipping, through which moisture and dirt get inside.
Materials and tools
Before you decide how to make a tabletop, decide on the tools that are available to you. Tables made from wood panels are reliable, durable and allow you to make furniture big size. But to make them you will need a jointer - a long plane for finishing(smoothing) wood. And working with it requires certain skills. The best option is the one where you can take advantage jointer. In addition to this you will need milling machine or hand cutter. You can do without this tool, but then the tabletop will be exposed to precipitation. On summer cottage I can't build a table like this anymore. In any case, you will need:
Tools for making a table: hacksaw, drill, hammer, pliers, drills, nails.
- wooden boards;
- antiseptic impregnation;
- varnish or paint;
- wood glue;
- thicknesser;
- clamps;
- jointer;
- cutter;
- sandpaper.
In order to make the tabletop strong and reliable, it is necessary to take boards of the same thickness. Be sure to dry the wood before assembling the furniture.
Decide in advance on the type of connection of the countertop parts, because you may additionally need wooden slats and carpentry tools.
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Manufacturing of carpentry panels
The easiest way to attach shield parts is to glue them edge to edge. But such a wooden tabletop will not last long. Under the influence of moisture and temperature changes, cracks and level differences between the parts from which the board is glued may appear on the furniture. In the worst case, the table will simply fall apart. To prevent this from happening, the structure must be strengthened.
If you cannot use a cutter, then glue the mortise and tenon heads on the ends of the joinery board. Please note that the tenon is located at the end of the future tabletop, and the groove is made on the edge of the head bar.
There is another method of strengthening the shield. You can glue transverse slats into the grooves from below. The carpentry panel will turn out to be especially reliable if you take the slats and grooves of the dovetail system. But no matter what type of reinforcement you choose, remember that a do-it-yourself tabletop made from glued board is resistant to moisture and exposure to direct sunlight.
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Edge-groove connection
A much more reliable method of fastening is the so-called lining, when the shield is assembled from boards with a tongue-and-groove connection, which is located on the edges. The difference between a ridge and a tenon is that in the first case the load is distributed evenly, which means the entire structure becomes stronger. Grooves and ridges on parts are made using hand router or milling machine.
You can also use a glued strip. This will not affect the reliability of the tabletop in any way. In order to use this method, the boards must first be trimmed along the edges, and then the grooves must be formed with a router. For thick boards, the depth and width of the groove is usually 10-15 mm, for thinner ones - 6-8 mm. These parameters depend on the cutter you have.
To plan the slats accurately, it is best to use a surface planer or buy ready-made ones of the size you need. The width of the slats depends on the dimensions of the specific joinery board, and the thickness depends on the size of the groove (they must completely coincide).
For the slats, you can take plywood or MDF with a thickness of 6-12 mm. Blanks of the required width are cut from the sheet. In this case, the groove on the edge of the future table top is made after the slats are ready, because the width of the groove will directly depend on the thickness of the plywood.
For a table used in a summer cottage, you can make a wooden tabletop using a tongue and groove board. It is assembled according to the principle of a carpentry panel, but a tongue and groove acts as an edge for the groove. In this case, the boards are fastened cross beam from below using self-tapping screws. These tables are not suitable for an apartment or house, as they look too massive and rough, but they will perfectly decorate a garden or summer veranda.
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Manufacturing with plastic coating
When covering the table with varnish on water based It is best to use a brush with polyester or nylon bristles.
How to make a table top for small table or as a cover for kitchen drawer? Indeed, in this case, solid wood is not the best option. Due to changes in temperature and humidity, it will quickly become unusable and lose its neat appearance. In this case, it makes more sense to use chipboard and cover it with protective plastic. A special edge will protect the tabletop from getting water and dirt inside. To make it you will need:
- 1 sheet of chipboard;
- wooden beam (40x40 mm);
- thin plastic;
- self-tapping screws (25 mm);
- drill and wood bits;
- hacksaw or jigsaw;
- clamps.
It is advisable to take special plastic intended for kitchen furniture. It is very thin - no more than 1 mm. But, pasted on wooden surface, this coating becomes hard and is highly wear-resistant. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase special plastic, then you can use hardboard or other fairly durable coating.
In order to make a tabletop measuring 134x80 cm with a protective wooden edge thickness of 4 cm and a thickness of the plate itself of 32 mm, you will need a blank from Chipboard size 128x74 cm.
If the finished product is planned to be small in size, then there is no need to strengthen the structure; the density of the sheet itself will be sufficient. In this case, the quarter for the trim is made 7-8 mm high. If the table is of significant size, it is necessary to cut out parts reinforcing the structure from chipboard: 2 long ones (they will be attached flush with the edges) and 2 short ones (which will serve as inserts at the ends). The dimensions of the parts are determined by the dimensions of the tabletop itself.
In order for the fastenings to be reliable, holes for self-tapping screws are pre-drilled in the reinforcing elements. Wood glue is applied along the edges. The parts are applied and tightened with clamps, screws are screwed in. After all elements are securely fastened, the clamps are removed. The screw caps are recessed deep into the plate.
If the parts are not placed very neatly, then the edges after gluing must be sharpened and sanded.
