How to make a table with your own hands. We make a picnic table with our own hands: step by step instructions

A poorly designed dining table is best remembered. One that is too low or too high, under which there is not enough free legroom, on which there is not enough space. In order to help you design a table that will only be remembered for its attractive appearance, we will list the basic standards here.

TABLE HEIGHT. Distance from the floor to the top surface of the lid. Usually it is 68–76 cm.

SPACE ABOVE THE LEGS. The distance from the floor to the bottom edge of the drawstring is vertical legroom. The minimum distance is 60 cm.

KNEE SPACE. The distance from the edge of the table to the leg is the space for the knees when the chair is pulled up to the table. The minimum distance is from 36 to 40 cm, the optimal one is 36–46 cm.

SPACE ABOVE THE HIPS. The distance from the seat to the lower edge of the drawstring is the vertical space for the hips when a person sits on this chair, pushed up to the table. Minimum - 15 cm.

ELBOW SPACE. Side space on the table for each seated. The minimum is 60 cm, but 75 cm is much better.

HAND DEPTH. Front space on the table for each seated. Less than 30 cm will be small, and more than 45 cm - too much.

CHAIR SPACE. The distance from the edge of the tabletop to the wall is sufficient to push the chair back when getting up from the table. The architects say that a minimum of 90 cm is needed, and 110 cm would be the best option.

Table with king belt

When you hear the word "table", don't you think of a flat panel with four legs? Don't you think of just such a table, as drawn here? Yes, this design is the most original of the original. In the simplest version, a table - a typical design - consists of only three types of parts: legs, drawers and a lid (tabletop). The legs and the tsarg belt form a strong, but nevertheless open support structure. Structurally, many tables are drawbar tables, although we rarely call them that. Much more often they are called according to their functional purpose or their location: dining, kitchen, bedside, desk. Scrolling through the book further, you will come across the original designs of various tables, and many of them will return to this "basic" table. Such a table, as a rule, can be found in the kitchen or dining room. Its massiveness gives the impression of strength. Although the legs are quite massive, the chiseled profile visually reduces their massiveness. In addition, the individual dimensions of the legs make them ideal for strong carpentry joints. Despite the simplicity of the design of the table with the tsarg belt, many of its variations are possible. The table can be round, square, oval, rectangular. Its legs can be square, chiseled, tapered or carved. Even the kings can influence the look of the table.

Design Options

For example, a round table with the same chiselled legs as the base table looks completely different. This excellent look is given to it by a square tsarg belt with a round lid. Despite the elegant cabriole legs of the table in the style of Queen Anne, the massive sides make it a work table. The cut-out drawers at the third table make a significant visual and practical difference, making the table appear lighter and taller and providing more room for the occupant's hips.


Country style table

This table is called in different ways - a country-style table, a retro-style table, a bar table - and they represent it differently. Furniture researchers usually describe it as a simple, low, oblong table on a massive underframe with turned legs and prongs. Prolegs, especially as strong as in the figure, significantly increase the durability and rigidity of the structure. With intensive daily use, prongs can increase the life of the table by years. The terms "country" and "bar" are definitely associated with the XVII-XVIII centuries, when such tables were widely used in hotels, taverns and bars in rural areas and towns. The surviving examples of such tables do have massive legs - although they are badly worn out by many legs. The table shown here is equipped with one middle prong instead of two longitudinal ones, so that it is more convenient to sit at the table. However, many early tables had pro-legs around the perimeter. The design is uncomplicated. The drawers and prolegs are spiked into the legs with reinforcement with wedges, dowels, etc. The table cover is a wide panel “in the tip”.

Design Options

The easiest way to change the design of a table is to change the legs. Our "original" table has round legs - turned - and the form of turning can be changed endlessly. Just remember that you will need a flat, rectangular surface for the side-leg joints. At a country-style table, you can also change the legs - both in appearance,
and their configuration, as shown in the figure below.


Table with drawer belt and drawer

The name "table with a king belt" refers rather than to style, but to construction. This type of table is the base for kitchen, library, desks, etc. Even for a workbench. A drawer or two adds to the functionality of the table, as the tools that are used when using it can be stored in these drawers. In some cases, a small box is enough, in others, the largest possible one is required. There are only a couple of ways to include such a box in the design. The simplest approach is to simply cut a box opening in the drawer. For a relatively small box and a fairly massive drawer side, it is quite suitable. If the opening turns out to be so large that it creates a danger of destruction of the board, then it is better to replace the drawer with box bars. The bars can be rotated 90° so that their width matches the thickness of the leg. Studded joints provide rigidity. A design with two - supra-jaw and under-jaw - bars is preferable, since the top bar will prevent the legs from moving inward.

Design Options

Installing a drawer in a round table is quite possible. But if the tsar's belt has a square or rectangular shape, then one must be prepared that access to the inside of the box will be limited. If the drawer belt is rounded, then the front panel of the drawer should be made in such a way (for example, a layered-bent or block-glued construction) so that its shape matches the shape of the drawer side.


An alternative to a table with a leg at each corner is a table on one central leg. Its tabletop is attached to a central post mounted on low, flared legs. Here, the drawers are not structurally required, but some single-support tables have them. At first glance, a table without legs and a drawer side gives unlimited legroom. However, although it does have a lot of knee and hip room, its "creeping" legs usually get in the way of the feet of the seated person. This is the price of stability: the projection of the tabletop should not exceed the area of ​​​​support by more than 15 cm. A little more - and you risk tipping the table, leaning on the edge. Critical to this design is the strength of the center post and its connection to the base or legs. The table shown here has an oval top and - in accordance with the major and minor axis of the oval - two pairs of legs of different lengths. The legs are connected to the racks tapering downwards, and the racks with the tabletop brackets are connected with double spikes into the eyes. These intermediate assemblies, in turn, are glued onto a square-core lath and form a central support that expands upwards.


The table on a support appeared in the 18th century as a small coffee table with a three-legged base. To make a dining table, carpenters combined two single-legged tables or placed an oblong tabletop on two three-legged supports. Modern models range from the simplest utilitarian to multi-rack. The structural advantage of multi-column supports is increased resistance to warping. Although the area of ​​support may be noticeably smaller than the projection of the table top, a large table with this type of support can be quite stable due to the mass of the support.

Put a wide board on the goats - and you get a table. This is the ancestor of the trestle table, which is perhaps the very first type of table. Since ancient times, its form has improved significantly, but it remains an easy-to-make collapsible table. Its elementary form remains a panel or sheet of plywood on a free-standing trestle. And when the goats are no longer free-standing, that's when the assembly becomes a table, because they have to be connected to each other, to the table top, or both. In the table shown here, each half of the goat consists of a fairly wide stand, cut into the leg at the bottom, and at the top into the table top bracket. The wider the trestles, the better the table resists rocking from side to side. A long massive proleg is cut into the racks. The tabletop is fastened with screws to the goats, and the structure becomes one. Although there is enough legroom under the tabletop, do not forget about the leg so that, while sitting at the table, you do not get bumps on your shins. Also, the ends of the tabletop should protrude 35-45 cm beyond the goats to provide enough space for those sitting there. Many trestle tables are designed to be collapsible. Common ways of attaching folding table parts are shown on the next page.

Design Options

Thinking about the shape of the legs and legs of the goat is the easiest way to change the look of this table. Several examples are shown here. The original goats looked like saw goats, and the X-shape was quite popular in medieval Europe. The Pennsylvania Germans and other Germanic settlers brought this form to America, and it is still commonly found at picnic tables. Today, the most common is the H-shape. Shakers (sectarians-shakers), who made many tables on the goats, usually used graceful legs "with a high rise"


The familiar dining table can be extended with an additional cover board. Then an ordinary family table can be enlarged to receive guests. At first glance, it may not be noticeable that this is a standard table with a drawstring belt, cut into two parts and reconnected using special skids. The skids can be bought ready-made or made together with the table. Each cloth of the table top must be at least 60 cm - the optimal place for one seated person.

Design Options

The design of the extendable table can vary, as usual, by changing the legs and side. The shape of the drawer side and the tabletop has practically no effect on the overall design. If we are talking about a table with drawers, then they work with the sliding version as usual. As the extension limits increase, it may be necessary to add an additional leg to support the middle section. And do not forget about the importance of small details - for example, fastening the drawer side to the tabletop



Extendable table on one leg

A table on one support is the basic form of a table that has some advantages over a table with a drawstring belt. If you need a folding table, don't forget to consider this shape as well. It is quite possible to make such a table both sliding and folding, and a folding cover that will expand it. The most common option is a sliding lid with an insert section. As shown on the next page, the cover is divided in two and its halves are connected by special sliding skids. Thus, these two cover sheets can be moved apart and an additional board can be inserted between them. What to do with the support is the key question for the master. For the table to be stable, the size of the lid and the area of ​​support must be close. In the example shown, the support is vertically divided into two parts, each of which is fastened to a respective lid web. When the lid is pulled apart, the support also separates.

Design Options

The basic form has a support that separates when the table is extended. This is not the only option. If a relatively small, say, 30-40 cm, expansion is acceptable, then an extendable table can also be made on a non-dividing support. Another option is to make a table on two supports. A table with a support for each sliding half can expand by 90–120 cm.


When choosing one of the types of folding tables, one of the most interesting designs is the system with sliding sections. It is simple to manufacture and use. There is nothing out of the ordinary about the basic structure of the table. The only difference from the usual underframe made of drawers and legs is the presence of slots in the end drawers. The difference lies on top of the drawstrings and legs. Instead of attaching the table top to the drawstring belt, its side sections, attached to long tapering runners, are stacked on top of the drawer legs assembly. The runners correspond to the slots in the sides. The existing central board separating the side sections is fixed with screws on the sides. The table top is laid on top of the central board and side sections, but is not fixed tightly. When unfolding the table, the side section simply slides out from under the lid. The skids have stops to prevent the section from being extended too far. When pulled out, the lid will tilt a little at first, but when fully unfolded, it will be flush with the side section. Since the pull-out sections are part of the design, you won't have to search for them in the closets and storerooms when you need to lay out the table before the guests arrive. You simply slide out a section or two - even if the table is already set.

Design Options

The drawer system can be combined with any type of table support provided that the drawer side is available. Thus, a trestle table or a two-leg table (as in the figure on the right), equipped with drawers, can have retractable sections to increase the number of seats. However, the system is not well suited for countertops with non-rectilinear shapes. When folded, the side section retracts under the cover and its edges remain (or should remain) visible. If the shape is different from the shape of the lid, then the table will probably look rather odd when folded. For example, a semi-circular side section under a square or rectangular lid will create a gap between the lid and the sides.

Two-leg table with sliding
sections

A table with a sliding folding lid (table top) is relatively rare. Despite the low prevalence, this is an excellent system. The table has one additional section - a duplicate of the "main" cover, this section is connected to the cover using hinges and, when folded, lies on the main section (cover). To unfold the table, the “double” tabletop is moved to its extreme position (up to half of the underframe), and then the additional section leans back onto the underframe. The upper edges of the tsarg should be covered with felt or felt to facilitate the sliding of the lid. It is not difficult to make a sliding mechanism. Each skid has a ridge that fits into a groove in its guide. The disadvantage is that during periods of high humidity, the ridges can stick in the grooves. The basic version is usually configured as a side table. In the unfolded state, the edges of the tabletop are quite far from the base, which creates enough space under the table for those seated. The U-shape of the legs will provide enough legroom for those sitting at the ends of the table.

Design Options

When folded, this table looks like a somewhat odd dining table. To limit the overhang of the tabletop over the underframe (ensuring stability), the size of the base part should approach the size of the folded tabletop. Therefore, a folding tabletop should be used on a type of table that does not look odd if the tabletop has a small overhang. Good uses for this include a side table (as a base), a side table (shown here) and other special purpose tables and tables. These tables, when folded, can be placed close to the wall. Folding covers are usually used in traditional card tables, but without a sliding mechanism. Nevertheless, the sliding mechanism is suitable here as well.


A table with a folding board (or boards) is practically the “generic” name for all tables in which sections of the table top are connected by hinges. It is a common sight and has been present throughout American history. In any furniture style, from the style of the times of William and Mary to the modern one, you will find a table with a folding board. In this table, folding boards are part of the design. When not in use, they can be lowered to a vertical position, saving room space. There are many ways to keep the flaps in the raised position. The example shown here uses pull-out holders - you lift the board and pull out the support brackets from under it (much like a drawer). For some other support systems, see a table with swivel frame supports, with swivel legs on a book table, and several card tables. The main thing to consider for this type of table is the width of the folding boards, which can be optimally supported by extendable or swivel/articulated arms. Make relatively narrow folding boards - say, no wider than 38 cm. For wider sections - see options with swivel frame supports or swivel legs. A long folding board, like the example shown here, will require more than one bracket. By the way, this example received an interesting name in the 20th century, which is applied to a relatively long utility table with hinged covers. This name, which can be translated as "suffering", creates in consciousness a picture of a large spread out table, filled with food for hungry seasonal agricultural workers during the harvest season. Regardless of what we call it now, people who sat at such a table in the year 1840 or 1880 probably called it a folding table or folding table.

Design Options

While a basic dining table is quite long and relatively narrow, with a rectangular top with sharp corners, a drop-down table can come in almost any size, proportion, and shape. The table top (tabletop) can have folding boards of a rounded or slightly rounded shape. On a shortened or square base, you can install a round, square or oval tabletop. You can round the corners of the folding sections or make their outer edges curved.


Table-book - the Russian name for a table with swivel frame supports, which are hinged to the assembly of the tsarga-leg-leg. The support post is connected to the turntable by the upper and lower crossbars. The whole support can be rotated so that the raised folding section (board) can be placed on it. The swivel bearing became the forerunner of the swivel leg. It has many structural elements reflecting the state of carpentry in the 16th century when it appeared. But like any well-made frame, it is structurally rigid and makes an excellent support for a folding board. Although the first such tables usually had two frame supports (one for each folding board), there were often tables with one folding board and one swivel support, and it happened the other way around - there were several leviathans with 12 swivel supports. When folded, the tables were generally very narrow and save space. If they turn towards each other, then with the folding boards lowered, the support legs of the frames will be located next to the main legs, visually making them more massive. When rotated away from each other, the support legs will sit side by side, giving the impression of a table with six legs. The first tables were usually made in the Baroque style, with a complex chiseled profile of the legs. However, the example shown is completely modern.

Design Options

A significant advantage of the book table is the ability to support very large additional sections. A solid support under the flap makes the table very stable even with one section raised. Thus, it is difficult to make a very narrow table with wide folding boards. When folded, the table takes up very little space. Unfolded - has a huge tabletop


This table can rightly be called a table with folding boards, but the swivel leg makes it stand out from others like it. The swivel leg is a descendant of the frame swivel support (see page 158). If the swivel support is attached to the table frame, consisting of the drawer side, legs and proleg, then the swivel leg is attached only to the drawer side. The result is a lighter appearance. Rather, the size, rather than the knot of the swivel leg, is characteristic of this table. The tabletop diameter of only 107 cm will be quite comfortable for four people. The swivel leg is used in card tables with small folding tops. During the Queen Anne period, a smaller version of the table shown here was called the "breakfast table" and was used both for breakfast and for games and tea parties. Larger tables will likely need additional swivel legs for better support for flip boards. The swivel - actually a wooden hinge - makes the swivel leg workable. A sleeker version than shown here makes the connection look like a metal loop.

Design Options

The design of a swivel leg for a table with folding boards appeared in the first half of the 18th century. Although we chose a Queen Anne style table as our "basic" table, the swivel leg has been used in a variety of table styles. The profile of the stem will typically be the style indicator. Chippendale-style swivel-leg tables often have convertibles, but always with a claw-ball finish. Square shaped legs are also used in chippendale tables. During the federal
Hepplewhite tables were made with legs tapering downwards, as shown here, and Sheraton style tables were made with chiseled, often embossed, legs.

Folded out folding boards transform
rectangular table to square

The advantage of a table with a frame swivel base over a table with a swivel leg is the stability provided by the additional legs. When the folding boards are raised, they are supported by additional legs. A table with extendable legs also has this advantage over a table with swivel legs, but it also has one advantage over a table with frame swivel legs. Like a table with swivel legs, this table has an additional leg for each folding board. But only a narrow crossbar connects the leg to the table. These crossbars are placed in a holder of two guides installed between the longitudinal drawers, and are extended through cutouts in the drawers. The leg is attached to the crossbars. Raise the folding board, extend the leg and lower the board onto it. You have a leg under the flip board and still have four legs under the fixed table top. This structure can hold very wide folding boards.

Design Options

Here are two very different tables with retractable legs, each of which has excellent stability due to the extra leg (or legs) when unfolded. When the card table is folded up against the wall, the extra leg is not conspicuous. By unfolding the game table and extending the extra leg, you will get a support under each corner of the tabletop. Perfect. Extendable legs also make a great addition to a long table with folding boards. If you make two retractable legs for each board, then the table will not lose stability when someone leans too hard on it.



The table-chair owes its birth to medieval practicality. In the Middle Ages, dwellings were small and drafty. Any furniture was expensive, everything was done with hand tools. And if a piece of furniture could perform more than one function - well, so much the better. The table-chair is clearly universal. With the lid down, it's a table. With the lid up - the seat. And as with most universal things, its functionality is far from perfect. With the development of the furniture industry, the table-chair became more perfect in design and elegant in appearance. The item shown here has legs and armrests attached to the sides of the seat with spike-in-socket joints. The pronounced end of the shoe-shaped legs make the chair more stable, and the armrests more comfortable. The chair even has a drawer under the seat - more sophisticated storage than a box with a lid. The tabletop is fastened with a dovetail tie-in.

It is no secret that furniture is used in the country house that has served its time in the apartment. The table is no exception. However, in country conditions, the furniture that served perfectly at home may not always fulfill its purpose. We are talking about modern tables, made mainly of chipboard. Such tables are not suitable for gazebos, verandas, gardens, and even in a house with high humidity in the off-season, their service life is limited. In such conditions, a wooden table is necessary, but a wooden table is not a cheap pleasure. The solution to the problem is to make a table with your own hands. To do this is quite simple. In addition, this will save a lot, including on delivery.

The simplest table design

The simplest table design is shown in the photo below. At the same time, such a design is the least expensive both in terms of materials and manufacturing forces.



Fig.1.

Optimal table dimensions

One of the advantages of making a table for giving with your own hands is that the table can be made in any size. Thus, the table is easy to adjust to the dimensions of the gazebo, porch or kitchen.

To make it easier to navigate in size, I will give a dimensional grid, which is most often used in the production of tables. The size chart is based on the size of the countertop.

  • 60x90 cm. A table with such dimensions is optimal for 3 people. At such a table it is convenient to have lunch, drink tea, etc. Due to its size, it will fit well into any small space.
  • 80x120 cm. 4 - 6 people can comfortably sit at such a table. Usually a table with such dimensions is appropriate to place in a large kitchen or on a veranda.
  • More than 120 cm. Tables with such dimensions are good for feasts. In the conditions of a summer residence and the limited space of a country house, such a table is mainly installed in a gazebo or under a canopy in the open air.

Naturally, when making a table with your own hands, the size can be made arbitrary, however, in order to be comfortable at the table, you should follow the recommendations given above.

Manufacturing procedure and table drawing

The drawing of the table is shown in the figure below.



Fig.2.

Table legs are made of a wooden bar with a section of 40x40 mm and a length of 70 cm. If you want to decorate the table, then balusters can be used as legs. They are carved, and will make the design of the table more interesting.

The support for the countertop can be made from a board with a section of 25x150 mm, sawing it lengthwise into two halves. For support, you need 2 boards 650 mm long and 2 boards 1050 mm long.

With a countertop, everything is much more interesting. The tabletop can be made in various ways. The easiest option is to purchase a furniture board of the required size. It can be purchased at chain hypermarkets of building materials.



Fig.3.

Following this path, it should be remembered that the furniture board is made by gluing small pieces of boards, and with constant exposure to atmospheric precipitation, it will quickly become unusable. Therefore, a table with a table top made of furniture board must be varnished or painted to protect it from moisture.

Another option is a plank top. Boards can be used in any size. For example, a section of 25x100 mm. This is a simple and cheap countertop option. This option is devoid of the disadvantages that are inherent in the furniture board.



Fig.4.

However, without special equipment, it is unlikely that it will be possible to tightly fit the boards. Therefore, the countertop will have gaps between the boards. It looks good for a garden table. But not very practical.

You can get rid of the gap mentioned above by using an unusual, tongue-and-groove board. It will cost a little more, but you get a smooth, even tabletop.



Fig.5.

As a grooved board, boards for the euro floor can be used. They are easier to find in the store. It is only important not to forget to cut them from the wrong side.

Table assembly

Once all the elements of the table are ready, you can start assembling the table. The assembly of the table is carried out in a certain order.

First, assemble the support for the countertop and fix the legs to it. This is the most difficult moment in assembling the table. As described earlier, the countertop support consists of 4 boards. They need to be connected to each other. This can be done in several ways.

The photo below shows how to assemble the support for the tabletop and fix the leg to it with a special tie.



Fig.6.

This method is the ideal solution, except for the fact. That it may not be easy to purchase a special screed.

Another way is to pull the entire structure together with a wooden block.



Fig.7.

When applying this method, you need to pay attention to the fact that the bar must be sawn off at an angle of strictly 45 degrees. Otherwise, the table will not be rectangular.

In my opinion, the simplest and most affordable option for assembling the legs and supports for the tabletop is to use a metal general construction corner 50x50 mm in size. You can buy it in any store, and it has the correct geometric shape.

The last step in assembling the table is installing the table top. Depending on the type of countertop, it can be fixed in various ways. The furniture board can be attached with corners or with glue. Separate boards with self-tapping screws and glue.



Fig.8.

As you could already understand, making a table for a summer house or a house with your own hands is quite simple. It's important to get creative. Such a table can be decorated with any paintwork. A handmade wooden table will delight you every day and will last for many years.

Wooden tables and decoration ideas



Fig.9.



Fig.10.



Fig.11.



Fig.12.

A do-it-yourself kitchen table is one of the most common creations of a home craftsman. Of course, you can buy a ready-made table by choosing from a wide range of such products.

However, a home-made design will not only save you unnecessary costs, but will also help you optimally manage a small area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe kitchen.

With your own hands, you can make a very simple table, and an original, modern design. It all depends on the desire and the availability of certain skills.

In principle, kitchen furniture includes both a kitchen table and a dining table. Kitchen the table is intended for the final preparation and serving of dishes before they are served, as well as for light “snacks” for 1-2 people.

Dining the table is used only for eating, and uniting all family members and guests.

Given the small dimensions of standard apartments, most people do not see the difference in pieces of furniture such as, and use only one option for all cases. This attitude is also facilitated by the absence of fundamental differences in their design. They differ only in size and some specific design related to the placement of users. All this allows you to make a table for the kitchen with your own hands.

Important! The kitchen table must meet the following basic requirements: sufficient capacity, compactness, optimal location in the kitchen, strength, aesthetics, ease of use, ease of manufacture and operation.

Appearance and dimensions

Among the main parameters of the kitchen table, which determine the appearance and functionality, its shape and dimensions stand out.

The choice of dimensions depends on the size of the room and the composition of the family.

The height should ensure the convenience of placing a person and is usually chosen in the order of 75-85 cm.

Important! Tabletop dimensions are selected at the rate of 60 cm per person.

According to the configuration of the table top, tables are divided into the following varieties:

Material

Before you make a wooden dining table with your own hands, you should decide on the materials. Their choice is due to availability, price, strength characteristics, ease of processing, style of decoration of the room.

In the manufacture, either one type of material or a combination of them can be used.

The most popular materials are:


Elements

A simple kitchen table has only a few components:

  1. Tabletop. It is she who performs the main functions and provides the appearance. This most important element must have a flat, smooth, horizontal surface.
  2. Base. The tabletop is attached to the base, which allows the table to be placed on the floor. It must be stable and durable. The most common option is 4 legs. The design of 2 wide sidewalls is quite popular.
  3. Strengthening elements. In order for the legs not to diverge in different directions, and the entire structure to move freely and withstand loads, transverse strips are used between the legs, reinforcing frames, etc.

The kitchen table can also have a more complex, universal design:

  • cabinets, drawers, shelves. The ability to use the space under the countertop is especially important in small kitchens. To do this, there are many typical projects of kitchen tables, providing for a base in the form of a cabinet equipped with a door or drawers. Quite often, such boxes are made directly under the countertop;
  • transformers. In order to increase the number of seats around the table, there are several ways to design it. The most commonly used sliding and folding version. In the first case, the tabletop, consisting of 2 halves, is moved apart if necessary, and an additional panel is installed in the middle part. In the second case, the table in its normal state has a small width, designed for 2-4 people. At the right moment, an additional plane rises on the hinges, which significantly increases the capacity.

Instruments

When making a kitchen table with your own hands, it is important to prepare the right tool in advance, taking into account the material used:

  • universal tool - grinder, milling cutter, grinder, electric drill;
  • for carpentry work - a plane, an electric jigsaw, a screwdriver, a hacksaw, a hammer, a mallet, a chisel, a file;
  • for working with plastic - building hair dryer;
  • for cutting plastic and metal, you need a hacksaw;
  • measuring tool - metal ruler, square, tape measure, caliper, level.

How to make a wooden dining room with your own hands?

The manufacturing technology of any table is based on such stages - the manufacture of individual elements, assembly, final processing of the finished product.

It can be illustrated by the example of a kitchen table of simple, economical design. In this case, chipboard can be used.

How to make a frame and tabletop yourself?

Before you make a dining table with your own hands, you need to make the following elements:

  1. table top. It will require a chipboard sheet measuring (56-60) x (95-100) cm with a thickness of 14-16 mm. It is best to use a plate with a smooth surface, otherwise the surface is carefully polished with emery cloth or with a grinder. The corners of the sheet are rounded with a jigsaw. For marking, you can use a plastic lid from a jar. With a file and emery skin, the tolts are processed along the entire perimeter, giving them a rounded shape.
  2. Frame to reinforce the table top. It is made of wooden bars 25x45 mm in size (2 bars each 70-72 and 30-32 cm long). The corner connection of the frame is provided in a "half beam", i.e. half of the timber is sawn at the ends at a length of 25 mm. The bars are joined by the wider side vertically. The joints are coated with carpentry or PVA glue and reinforced with screws.
  3. Side racks. The base of the table is 2 sheets of chipboard measuring (45-48) x75 cm. An oval cut is made in the lower part, forming the legs. The height of the cutout is 10 cm. A saucepan lid can be used for marking.

Assembly

The assembly of a simple kitchen table is carried out in this order:

  1. Marking the center of the tabletop to simplify subsequent work.
  2. From the bottom of the tabletop, a frame is installed strictly in the center (focusing on the markings). Fastening is provided with self-tapping screws 3.5x50 mm in 4-6 places.
  3. The center of the narrow side of the frame is marked and, focusing on it, the sidewalls are fixed. Fastening is carried out using furniture corners and self-tapping screws 3.5x15 mm.
  4. Installation of a spacer between the sidewalls. It is made from a wooden beam 4x4 cm long, 20 mm longer than the distance between the sidewalls. The spacer is fixed at a height of 25-35 cm with 4x65 mm self-tapping screws.

Finishing

A few tips that will extend the life of the table.

Important! All joints should be coated with glue or a special putty for wood.


Important! The heads of the screws are recessed by 2-3 mm, smeared with glue and covered with putty on top or closed with furniture caps.

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

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

Tool and workshop

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

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

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

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

How to choose a tree?

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

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

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

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

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

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

wooden humpback

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

Varnishes, paints, impregnation, glue

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

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

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

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

The first steps

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

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

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

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

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

One step closer to art...

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

Connections and legs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

table top

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

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

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

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

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

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

Underframe

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

no frame

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

... and get into the kitchen

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

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

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

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

Kruglyashi

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

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

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

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

Moving on to the living room

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For a strong feast

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

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

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

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

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

In addition

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

Video: wood glazing master class

Even if furniture production is far from your area, making a country table with your own hands to gather with family and friends on warm summer evenings is quite a feasible task.

Its main advantage, in contrast to the purchased one, is undeniable savings. It is not necessary to make a table from scratch: simply by mounting the purchased parts, you will save 30-50% of the cost. If it is possible to use materials left over from construction or repair, the costs will be limited to the purchase of fittings.

To choose a design, you need to decide where the product will be used.

Using cheap non-standard boards for a country or kitchen table - substandard - you will get advantages that are not available for mass production. Sounds doubtful? But this is true: knots, due to which the boards are rejected, have interesting decorative properties. If you succeed in emphasizing them successfully, you will become the author of a completely unique design product, which is a pity to leave in the garden in the rain.

Making a country table with your own hands to gather with family and friends on warm summer evenings is quite a feasible task.

To choose a design, you need to decide where the product will be used: on a grassy lawn under a tree, to complement an arbor, to stand in a workshop or in a house.

The simplest country table can be assembled in a few hours with a minimum of materials, but it will not last long either. To get a product that will be really pleasant to use, you need to carefully prepare the boards and perform all technical operations at each stage with high quality.

Its main advantage, in contrast to the purchased one, is undeniable savings.

If you find a large stump in the woods, it can make an easy-to-make garden table. It is only required to remove the bark from the stump, make an even cut along the top, sand it, treat it with an antiseptic and varnish it. It is enough to nail or screw a finished furniture board to the "leg" from the stump - and you're done.

Worktops made of boards fastened at the bottom with transverse slats look good. If you prefer a glued worktop, you can do it yourself, but this will require a lot of effort.

If you succeed in emphasizing them successfully, you will become the author of a completely unique design product, which is a pity to leave in the garden in the rain.

It is difficult for a novice master to fix the legs securely, so try to choose a design by correctly evaluating your skills and taking into account the cost of labor and time. The easiest way to make cruciform and L-shaped legs. To attach straight legs - you need to carefully connect the parts.

One of the coziest options for a garden is a collapsible table with benches that can be installed in a gazebo or on a veranda. It is not difficult to perform it, the main thing is to choose high-quality materials and properly prepare them for work.

The simplest country table can be assembled in a few hours with a minimum of materials, but it will not last long either.

How to choose a tree?

For a garden or kitchen table, wood of many species is suitable, both soft (pine, spruce, cedar, fir) and hard (oak, birch, ash, walnut, maple, apple, pear, acacia, etc.). The exception is too soft woods wood (poplar, alder, aspen, willow).

One of the main parameters of the suitability of wood for making furniture is resistance to decay: the species listed above meet this requirement.

If you do not plan to engage in furniture work all the time or are just starting to practice, give preference to the most common types of wood - pine and birch.

Worktops made of boards fastened at the bottom with transverse slats look good.

It is possible to use wood of different species for the table top, frame and legs. At the assembly stage, you will need dowels: they are usually made from acacia or boxwood. Birch wood has an inexpressive pattern and can be significantly warped due to spilled liquid - it is better not to use it as a countertop material, but due to the hardness of this breed, legs can be made from it.

The countertop is best made of oak or pine. If you know how to brush wood, the surface of the kitchen table can become a real work of art. Brushing lends itself to soft wood: the wood is burned with a gas burner, and the soft fibers are removed with an iron brush. Work is best done in the yard due to the large amount of dust. If you managed to burn the wood evenly, the result will please you. The brush can be tinted with stains, stains, artistic acrylic paint diluted with water. Of course, wood brushing is not required: it is only a finishing option.

If you prefer a glued worktop, you can do it yourself, but this will require a lot of effort.

The choice of paints and varnishes and glue

Before proceeding with the installation, the boards must be protected from decay. The tree must be impregnated with a water-polymer emulsion (WPE): the treatment is carried out twice with an interval of 3-5 days. This is enough for the product to last a long time.

Some models require glue. Along with special carpentry adhesives (BF-2, etc.), building PVA can be used: it is applied to both surfaces to be glued, dried to a “tack”, then the parts are connected and kept under pressure for up to three days.

It is difficult for a novice master to fix the legs securely, so try to choose a design by correctly evaluating your skills and taking into account the cost of labor and time.

The choice of paint and varnish materials is determined by where the product is planned to be used: in the yard or indoors. For a garden table that is inevitably exposed to precipitation, alkyd, alkyd-urethane, nitrocellulose varnishes and oil paints are suitable. For the kitchen table, as well as for any furniture that is constantly in the room, it is better to use acrylic paints and varnishes: they are more environmentally friendly and do not have a strong smell. Lacquers marked with the "blue angel" mark are recommended for children's furniture and toys.

If you decide to cover the wood with stain, paint or just tinted varnish, this must be done before assembly. Material compatibility must be considered. The lacquer is tinted with a paint of a suitable composition: if the lacquer is alkyd, the paint should be oily, if you use acrylic lacquer, it can only be tinted with acrylic paint. First, a small amount of varnish is thoroughly mixed in a separate container with paint, and then the resulting mixture is added to a larger volume of varnish.

One of the coziest options for a garden is a collapsible table with benches that can be installed in a gazebo or on a veranda.

What tools are needed

For work you will need:

  • hacksaw,
  • circular saw or jigsaw;
  • drill;
  • screwdriver;
  • hammer (if you decide to use nails).

For a garden or kitchen table, wood of many species is suitable.

This list includes only the most necessary tools, but in order to make the work more comfortable and the finished product look aesthetically pleasing, it is advisable to buy or rent a rotary miter box, an eccentric grinder and a milling machine.

The rotary miter box makes it possible to make cuts exactly at the right angle. An eccentric sander will allow you to prepare parts simply, quickly and efficiently: you will sand the boards in an hour, instead of doing it all day manually with sandpaper. For high-quality processing of the ends, a belt grinder is useful, and a milling machine allows you to select a tree for the necessary grooves and process the edges.

If you do not plan to engage in furniture work all the time or are just starting to practice.

Homemade pallet table

A spectacular rustic table can be constructed from pallets (wooden pallets). If you are a happy owner of such a container, especially a double-deck pallet, just disassemble it: there is no problem in purchasing boards!

Think it's always better to buy new boards? You probably have not worked with wood before: raw wood cannot be used (the product deforms after a few months), and dry boards are much more expensive. To dry raw wood boards, they are stacked in a well-ventilated area: this necessary process will delay your project by 4-6 months! A good option for the kitchen table can be the already mentioned rejected boards, also dry.

It is possible to use wood of different species for the table top, frame and legs.

Let's go back to the pallets: they are dismantled. Now at your disposal are strong boards with different patterns and colors, it is possible that from trees of different species. These features should not be considered as disadvantages: they will give the product a zest: you just need to create an interesting composition from them, alternating boards of a similar shade.

The sides of the pallet will make an excellent frame, and the remaining planks will be used to assemble the countertop.

Work is best done in the yard due to the large amount of dust.

To make the legs, you will need a bar with a thickness of at least 5 cm. All the details must be prepared: sanding strictly along the fibers with sandpaper, first coarse (No120-150), then finer grit (No400-600), carefully removing dust.

Some boards can be painted with acrylic or oil paint. Loft style fans can use stencils in the form of numbers or simple graphic symbols. Boards with a beautiful natural pattern “morim” or simply varnished. After staining or the first layer of acrylic lacquer, the soft fibers rise; they need to be sanded with medium grit sandpaper and a new coat of varnish applied.

A spectacular rustic table can be constructed from pallets (wooden pallets).

If a non-aqueous varnish is used, it is enough to apply 2-3 layers, and if acrylic, the number of layers can reach up to ten.

A good option for the kitchen table can be rejected boards, also dry.

We fasten the tabletop boards with planks, which we place at the joints of the boards. Using a drill, a screwdriver and self-tapping screws, we fasten the boards to the planks (at the joints we use two self-tapping screws, on solid boards - one). The use of a drill is necessary so that when screwing in the screws, the wood does not crack. We assemble the frame from the prepared sidewalls of the pallets. Using a drill bit suitable for self-tapping screws, we drill holes at the joints. We coat the joints with glue and fix with self-tapping screws. We install the legs: simply fasten the boards to the frame, screwing in the screws diagonally. To strengthen the structure, we make jumpers at the bottom in a similar way.

To make the legs, you need a bar with a thickness of at least 5 cm.

Wooden table with glued top

For a glued worktop, you need to choose boards of the same width. If the table is intended for a workshop and its appearance is not of great importance, you can use old floorboards: there are already grooves there. To make the grooves yourself, you need a milling machine.

To assemble the countertop, a flat surface is required. We simply coat the sidewalls with glue, join the boards without gaps and tighten the resulting structure with clamps. Depending on the glue used, the countertop should dry from 1 to 3 days. If everything is done correctly, you will get a countertop with a completely flat surface without cracks. It remains to work out the ends - first trim with a jigsaw, and then sand. In the absence of a belt grinder, this must be done manually - with sandpaper, first large, then medium grit.

After varnishing the parts, you can proceed to the installation, which consists of several stages.

If you don’t want to mess around with glue and clamps, you can use a ready-made furniture board from a hardware store. Then the countertop remains covered with a transparent or tinted varnish.

For a good result, you need to apply 5-7 (for acrylic varnish up to 10) layers. After each third layer, the working surface of the countertop must be sanded with fine-grained sandpaper, carefully removing dust with a damp cloth. At the varnishing stage, it is important not to rush: each layer of varnish should dry well.

It remains to make the legs of a garden or kitchen table: let's focus on the option with L-shaped legs. You will need boards with a thickness of at least 22-25 mm.

For a glued worktop, you need to choose boards of the same width.

L-shaped legs consist of two parts connected at an angle of 90. On the boards to be joined, it is necessary to make a selection, coat the joint with wood glue, and then install self-tapping screws.

When the glue dries, cover the legs with varnish and after drying, simply fasten them to the countertop with screws.

The connection of the legs with the tabletop has several options.

Table with straight legs

To make straight legs, it is enough to file a thick beam into pieces of the same length. The connection of such legs with the tabletop has several options.

In order for the straight legs to be installed securely, at home, you can use the connection on the dowels. You can make them yourself from acacia wood or buy ready-made ones. To assemble dowel joints, you need quick-drying wood glue (BF-2).

To make straight legs, it is enough to file a thick beam into pieces of the same length.

Table with X-shaped legs

Sequence of work.

  1. On the inside of the tabletop, we fasten two strips on each side with self-tapping screws.
  2. To make the table look good, the edges of the planks must first be cut at an angle of 52.
  3. We fasten the paired planks so that the legs fit, we make laps of 2-3 mm on each side.
  4. We lay the boards on a flat surface, crossing them at the right angle. We measure the distance between the ends of the boards: it should correspond to the width of the table.
  5. We circle the intersection with chalk: here it is necessary to choose half the thickness of the boards so that after assembly they lie in the same plane.
  6. We coat the recesses with glue and place the parts under the press for 1-3 days. For greater reliability, the connection can be strengthened with self-tapping screws.
  7. We varnish the legs.
  8. It remains to attach them to the table top, placing them in the grooves formed by the slats - and the table for giving with your own hands is ready.

X-shaped legs are made of bars or boards with a thickness of at least 50 mm.

Table with benches

The best solution for a gazebo is a dining table with benches attached to it. It is better to make such a design collapsible in order to clean it indoors for the winter.

The table will require thick boards (from 32 mm), which must be cut into pieces according to the drawing. In this version, two benches are attached to the table. When all the parts are cut, they must be sanded, paying special attention to the ends. We varnish each board separately.

The best solution for a gazebo is a dining table with benches attached to it.

To connect the parts of the structure, we will prepare the studs (length 160 mm), nuts and washers - 24 pcs each. For other connections, use self-tapping screws or nails of a suitable length. Using a drill, it is necessary to prepare all the holes for the fasteners.

According to the drawing, we assemble the countertop and the upper parts of the benches. We cut the cross rails along the edges, the angle should be 45. This is convenient to do with the help of a rotary miter box.

We make and fasten all the legs to the screws. We fasten the parts cut at an angle.

We varnish each board separately.

We tighten the product with studs with bolts. The holes for the studs must be pre-drilled with a drill. When installing the stud, you need to put washers on both sides and tighten the nuts using a wrench.

We tighten the product with studs with bolts.

Seat boards are fixed with gaps of 5 mm. When the seats are connected to the sawn supports, we attach them to the assembled base with 160 cm boards: you will need 4 boards.

We install the remaining studs and enjoy the result.

Using a drill, it is necessary to prepare all the holes for the fasteners.

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