Getting Closer: My Do-It-Yourself Kitchen Table Project So Far
Posted on: 18 February 2008 /
Categories: Self Promotion
I love writing blog post headlines for the sake of search engine findability. Seems honest. We’ll see where I end up ranking.
So I’m building my own kitchen table, a *small* one.
Here’s what I’ve learned so far:
- Wood glue alone isn’t strong enough to hold a table together.
- And good luck trying to get dowels to work.
- You can’t find 2-inch #8 wood lath screws at Lowes.
- And screws are pretty difficult to get through hard wood anyway (the table is all oak aside from what will eventually be the tabletop support beams).
- Pilot holes: necessary.
- They don’t call it “hard wood” because it’s so easy to work with.
- Screws showing on the outside of the table seem a reasonable compromise.
- A compound miter saw is a very good thing.
- Radial sanders are also good, but not as good as compound miter saws.
- Just because you found instructions for building something on a website, that doesn’t mean you should follow them (dowels!).
- Similarly, just because a different approach *seems* like it might be easier, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it that way.
- A truck tailgate is a pretty serviceable work bench.
- A new can of stain is too full to stir. Shake before opening.
- 24 inches is probably too narrow for a kitchen table. (Oh well.)
- Considering they’re not even electric, pipe clamps are pretty a-okay as well.
All I have left to do is:
- Buy a 1×4 for the support plates.
- Sand the legs and base.
- Paint the legs and base (gloss black).
- Cut the 1×4 and attach it to the legs and base.
- Ensure that the tabletop will sit flush on its supports.
- Screw the tabletop onto the support plates.
- Buy a couple of *really narrow* chairs…
bkd
(PS: #1 on Google for “do it yourself kitchen table project”, #1 for “‘do it yourself kitchen table'” (exact match), and #9 for “kitchen table project”. )
I see NO empty beer bottles lying around. That’s a huge problem right there. To me, it was a glaring mistake. Jumped right out at me.
-Kenny R.
(Don’t forget the bottom of the legs – they make some fairly decent padded caps; decorative copper, brass, etc for the bottoms. It can really finish it off nicely. Most of the ‘slider’ things aren’t worth a hoot. What kind of kitchen tile do you have?
Salut, Nostrovia
LOL. Good point — another reason why following directions you found on the Internet too closely is not always a good idea. They don’t account for the stuff that would be obvious to someone who knows what he’s doing.
Hadn’t thought about the bottoms of the legs — one more thing to worry about, I guess. In my current place, it’ll be on carpet. I’ll be gratified and amazed if it only wobbles on one axis…
bkd
Hey love the table where are the plans?
Congs on this one. Been shopping around for Tables and am not impressed with Price actually. Been teetering on building my own table. Your site has inspired me.Just a quick question did the total cost come close to the ones in shops. It doesnt matter am just curious and oh yes will have beer cans next to me and a good old radio
It’s been a couple years, but yeah, it was maybe 25-50 percent cheaper than something similar. Those red oak boards are surprisingly expensive.