D.I.Y. dining table

[kel19]

A dining tabletop built by hand using plywood sheet and dressed pine.

• The project
• More inspiration for your dining table project

The project

For years I hated our black glass-top dining table but couldn’t justify buying a new one, especially when what I wanted, in the size I wanted, was $2000 plus. With an incredibly understanding husband, I took over his car shed with his father-in-law's tools and decided I’d make my own.

After many drawings and calculations, I purchased a thick plywood sheet and some dressed pine. Then I got to work spending my afternoons getting little bits of the dressed pine measured, cut, glued, and screwed bit by bit. After that I gave them a final sand, fill, stain, and seal. 

After three months and some changes of mind and getting the stain right, I finally had a tabletop I was happy with. Then I decided to get the old table legs powder coated black before reinforcing the ply (to withstand everything the six-year-old could possibly do to it) before putting it all together.  

I’ve had a few D.I.Y. jobs under my belt, but this was by far the most technical and challenging, but also the most worthwhile.  

 

It was a big process, but I really wanted something that we could keep for a while (hopefully a long time but we’ll see how my D.I.Y. craftsmanship holds up). Definitely pretty proud of how it turned out. 

More inspiration for your dining table project

Workshop members have shared how they upcycled a dining table easily and on a budget. Check out 3 ways to upcycle a dining table and feel free to share what you’ve been able to do with an old dining table in your home. Our Top 10 most popular indoor furniture projects is also full of practical ideas.

More more furniture ideas for your home, check out these upcycled buffets and upcycled bedside drawers and tables.

[Dave-1]

@kel19 

Seriously impressed at the level of work you have done. It really came together. I really like how you have put dressed pine down over a cheaper product and definently understand to make it 6 year old proof test. its a good way of looking at building anything is to figure out potentially how things could be broken or damaged. I actually  think its abetter product when you do that. Huge amount of effort that really looks like its paid off!

Dave

[Tyro]

Simply fab!  It looks so great!  That must have taken a huge amount of steady hands and truckloads of patience ... I presume you  hung the 6 y.o up on the washing line for the duration?! 🤣🤣🤣