How to Build a Wooden Coffee Table

A coffee table can be a unique and inviting addition to any living space. You can tailor its design and function to whatever your interests are. Customize it to fit with your decor or make it the focal point of your living room. The designs of a coffee table are limited only by your imagination. Be creative, and you can have a table that will have your friends talking about your latest project. Have fun, and you will enjoy building your own wooden coffee table. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

How to Build a Wooden Coffee Table

1

Place one of the prefabricated table legs on the floor, and secure a piece of the 44-inch wood trim to the side of the top face of the leg with finish nails. Make sure the wood trim comes to the exact top of the leg, and line the side edge of the leg up with the side edge of trim. Place another leg at the opposite end of the trim and repeat the process. Using the other piece of 44-inch trim and the two unused table legs, repeat the same process as before for these pieces. Take a piece of the 16-inch wood trim and secure it to the top corner of one of the table legs with finish nails. Make sure it is at a right angle to the 44-inch wood trim piece and overlaps the end of the wood trim. Secure a 16-inch piece of trim to the opposite leg and trim. Repeat this process for the remaining 16-inch trim on the opposite side of the frame. You should have four table legs standing with a wood-trim rectangular frame at the top of the project.

2

Lay the 1-by-20-inch unfinished pine panel on top of the framework you just built and the center panel so that the frame is even on all sides. The panel should overhang the frame about an inch on each side. Secure the panel to the frame with finish nails. Lay newspaper out on the floor and turn the table over so that the top is lying on the paper.

3

Stain the bottom, the frame and the table legs with a coat of stain. Wipe off excess stain with a clean, dry cloth. Repeat with a second coat of stain and allow it to dry. Turn the table over when it is dry, and repeat the process for the top and edges of the table.

4

When dry, coat the table with layer of satin finish. Allow it to dry, and then turn the table over and repeat the process.