Coffee table by own hands

Coffee tables bring a piece of coziness to the living room. They are different: glass, wood, transformers. The main thing is that they fit into the overall interior of the room. You can make a coffee table with your own hands, so it will come out much cheaper than the store and exactly the way you want.

Round coffee table

Coffee table, not accustomed to rectangular, but round is one of the most common. You can easily build it yourself. You will need such materials and tools:

• plywood;
• screws;
• screwdriver:
• hacksaw;
• fret saw;
• level;
• hammer;
• drill with attachments.

Before you make a coffee table yourself, you need to cut out a few details with a jig saw and a hacksaw on the wood. You should get:

• table legs;
• countertop;
• connecting disk;
• straps - 2 pcs.

1. First you need to cut the beam into four parts, so you get the legs. The beam should be taken as a standard 3,05 meters, then the legs will come out at 0, 76 m.
2. The legs are sanded and varnished. Grinding should be done three times, because small splinters will stick out from under the varnish, if you walk a grinding machine only once.
3. From the plywood, the thickness of which is 2 cm, to cut out the disc. It will serve as a link between the legs and the table top. From the same plywood, cut out the slats.
4. Confirmants attach the straps to the legs. They also attach the legs to the disc. On each leg, you need to make four attachment points.
5. Cut out the birch plywood from the birch plywood. Its thickness is 3.5 cm. The thicker the plywood, the higher the price at the coffee table.
6. Attach the table top to the straps.
7. All parts are treated with ethanol stain.
8. The table is opened with a varnish.

What coffee tables of this type are built with their own hands can be seen in the photo.

Coffee table-transformer

In small-sized apartments the table-transformer will look good. To make it yourself you need:

1. Pick up the mechanism by which the table will unfold. It can be of two types: with gaslift and springs. The latter mechanism is equipped with a simple design, and if it breaks, you can repair it at home. The springs are not visible when the table is unfolded.
2. Draw a drawing of the coffee table. The virtual world offers many programs, where you can graphically depict the future table. If you do not know the skills of using a computer, you can resort to a proven method of pencil and paper sheet. If only you had before your eyes a layout, which indicates the size of the table and details.
3. Choose the appropriate material. Experts advise using sheets of chipboard, the thickness of which is 2.2 cm. Such a thickness is precisely capable of withstanding the mechanism. Next, decide on the color of the material, select according to your taste and suitable for the design.
4. Saw a tree on a table detail, you can do it yourself or take it to a nearby workshop. In the same place, you can make and bend.
5. Attach all the details to the folding mechanism, you need to make sure that the entire structure is assembled.
6. Fix the four boards that will serve as the frame of the table, they are attached by confirmers. If the tree is dark, there are no pencil marks on it, you can use a marker that is easily erased. As a result, you will get a box without a bottom and a lid.
7. Make through holes for fixing the folding mechanism so that the bolts are drowned, treat holes with a phosphor drill and attach the mechanism to the frame. If the connection points are noticeable, do not worry, they will then disappear with their legs. The more bolts, the more reliable the design.
8. Feet should be made of two boards, which are fixed corners at right angles to each other.
9. For fixing the legs, you need to make a marking for the holes on the frame. Drill and connect the legs and the frame with metal sleeves.
10. Assemble the countertop, for this select the reliable hinges. Then put both parts face to face, make marks on the sides of the end, where you drill holes for fixing the hinges. Secure all parts.
11. You should have a small board that will serve as a support for the spread out table. It must be attached to the mechanism, and then to the table top.

Glass coffee table

The coffee table from glass fits nicely in almost any interior. To produce it, it is better to use a frosted glass, on which no prints remain. Also on such a glass there is a protective film that, when struck, will not allow the furniture to crumble. Together with the glass, chromed legs of metal look harmonious, they can be purchased in the store, the height of the legs is about 0.5 m. The width of the table top of the glass coffee table should be 0.6 m and the length 1.20 m. The shape is strictly rectangular.

1. Make the markings before cutting out the glass, for this, put it on a flat surface, measure it and mark it with a pencil, double-check all the dimensions and then proceed to cutting out the glass.
2. Dip the glass cutter into the vegetable oil, attach the ruler to the markings and walk along the line with the tool. On the glass should remain a small notch.
3. Place the glass on the table so that the piece that you do not need was on weight. Tap next to the cut line with your fingers and press on the part of the glass, you should break it exactly along the cut.
4. In the same way cut the glass cutter and the other sides of the countertop. And then you can start processing sharp edges.
5. Put on the mittens, take the file and go around the edges of the countertop, eliminating jaggies and unevenness.
6. Take the Bulgarian and polish all sides with diamond tips. They can remove all sharp ends. When working with a Bulgarian, use the smallest power. You should have rounded edges.
7. Finishes the sanding process with sandpaper, it will make the edges safe.
8. Cut the edges with felt, having rewound it from the felt wheel. It is necessary to press it with a thin layer firmly to the edges of the table top. This material will protect the glass. Felt can be replaced with a paste for processing glass, it has a transparent color. Before its use, it is necessary to degrease the edges of the table top, after drying the paste it is almost not noticeable on the table.

Now you need to attach the legs to the table top:

1. Flip the table top face down on the floor.
2. Mark the places where the legs will be located, moving away from the sides 8 cm, and from the point to the corner - 13 cm, the marking done on all 4 sides.
3. Drill a hole at the top of the base in the leg, the suction cup will be fixed there. Do the same with the other legs.
4. Apply the joinery glue on the suction cups and insert them into the hole and press firmly.
5. Connect the legs and glass to the suction cups and press each well. You can additionally apply joiner glue, although the suction cups and without it will hold the glass tightly. If you use glue, then you will need a bit of it, because it will look ugly. Turn the table over as it will stand. Walk with a rubber mallet around the junction of the glass and the legs, put the load on top. Leave in this position for two days. And then just wipe the table with a rag and you can use it. Interesting examples of glass coffee tables can be seen in the photo.

Decoration of a coffee table

The decor is a special uniqueness. It can be different, it all depends on the imagination and preferences of the author.

• decorating shells - these coffee tables look very romantic. Shells stick to the table, make a frame on top and cover with glass. Very popular are the frames of bamboo, but experts do not advise them to do on their own, because such tables are not very practical. It is difficult to pick up bamboo of the same thickness, and in the corners dust will collect, it is difficult to clean, and it looks very much not very aesthetically. In addition, bamboo is rounded, and such materials are difficult to attach to the glass. Therefore, it is best to take a conventional plinth, it can be selected in the store according to the tone, configuration and size. To glue the skirting to the glass you need silicone glue for aquariums, you can buy it in a pet store;

• mirror table - will be the decoration of any interior. Mirrors decorate coffee tables made of wood. The basis of the table needs to be treated with a primer not on a water basis. Then paint it with silver, because it is this paint that is surprisingly in harmony with the mirror. But if you make a table for a certain interior, then choose the tone that you need. After the paint dries, you can glue the mirror, make it a table top or paste it on the legs with plates;

• decoupage - more recently, the decor in the form of decoupage was considered almost a bad taste, but every day this technique is developing, there are more and more pictures, and many are beginning to confuse decoupage with artistic painting. First you need to sand the countertop, then straighten, repair the cracks, as well as during the restoration of the table. Prime chalk, which is kneaded on the furniture varnish, the density of the primer should be like sour cream. Further it is necessary to put drawing and to uncover from above a transparent varnish in some layers. Each layer must dry;

• art painting - for such decor it is necessary to be taken only by those who have drawing skills. First you need to ground the base of a homemade coffee table. Then use any technique of painting on wood;
• craquelure - after painting with a paint, when it is not completely dried up, top coat with a varnish-paint. After drying, it cracks, and the furniture looks old-fashioned. In the end, the picture needs to be opened with a conventional varnish, otherwise dust will enter the cracks.