How to Build a Round End Table

Beautiful furniture can add both style and elegance to any home. It can also be costly, however. In order to quickly spruce up your living room, consider adding accent furniture such as a coffee table, sofa table or pair of end tables. If purchasing the pieces isnt an option or you simply need a weekend project, consider building them yourself. Constructing simple and stylish end tables is a breeze and requires little skill and basic household tools. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

Buiding a Simple Pedestal End Table

1

Choose the correct material. Medium-density fiberboard, also known as MDF, is an engineered wood product that is similar to particle board and is great for this project. The strong board is sometimes sold by color, with green indicating moisture resistance and red or blue indicating fire resistance. It also comes in varying thicknesses. Although other types of wood, such as pine, can be used, MDF is easier to work with, lighter, cheaper and requires little preparation or sanding. Choose the appropriate type of material for your desired look and preference.

2

Make cuts and sand if necessary. Using a saw, cut two circular shapes out of the MDF; one will become the table top and one will become the base. The circumference of the table can be as large or small as you wish. The base piece should be approximately one half of the diameter of the top piece, however, in order to provide stability and avoid tipping.

After cutting the table top and base pieces, cut the broom handle in order to make the leg. The leg should be approximately 22 inches high for a standard end table. Cut a section from the middle portion of the broom handle in order to avoid using its rounded or threaded ends for your table. If you'd rather not make the leg from a broom handle, another cut of wood will work. Most pedestal tables have a relatively thin leg, however, so be sure to make it an appropriate width for the look you want.

Normally MDF produces clean cuts. If your edges come out rough, however, lightly sand them with the sandpaper until they are smooth.

3

Drill holes and install screws. Drill a hole into each end of the table leg and attach the screws. Drill additional holes into the center of the underside of the table top and the center of the top side of the base.

4

Construct the table. Using your hands, screw the table leg into the hole you drilled in the base just until hand-tight. Screw the table top onto the other end of the leg. The table should look like the capital letter I when constructed correctly. If yours doesn't, re-check your work. The larger circle should form the table top and the smaller one should be the base. The leg should attach to both pieces via the dual thread screws.

5

Prime and paint. Prime the table using a standard white primer, available at most home improvement stores, and following the product directions. After drying, paint the table any color that matches your dcor; gloss or semi-gloss water based paints work best. For visual interest, add decorations to the top of the table or use a contrasting paint color.