Things to Use for a Table Base

When it comes to do-it-yourself furniture projects, making a table is much easier than it looks if you choose a simple design. When you use a rectangular or pedestal base for your table, you will be finished making your table much sooner than with any other style. You can also use found items as a table base. You do not need woodworking skills to make a functional and fashionable table base. Does this Spark an idea?

Budget Table

Tables made from utility cable or wire spools were once the rage for college students with newly minted degrees and little money. The spools come in several sizes, depending on the original user. They are heavy because they are solid wood. You can look for them in industrial areas where electrical manufacturers and service companies have offices. Sometimes, home improvement stores have them as well. Ask the store or business manager before carting the spools away, even if you spot them besides a trash bin. Once you get your spool home, you may need to remove or cover some of the metal fittings on one end. This is optional but it gives you an even, smooth surface for fitting your tabletop. Some people also add wheels, so they can move their spool tables with less effort.

Coffee Table

Steamer trunks work well as the base for coffee tables. Look for antique trunks online and in thrift stores. If you are lucky enough to find a steamer trunk in good condition, clean it thoroughly, then refinish the hardware. Apply fabric or contact paper to match your dcor. Get a sheet of tempered glass or Plexiglas cut to size at a hardware store. You can also leave the top bare.

Magazines and milk crates also make good bases for coffee tables and accent tables. Buy milk crates from a big box retailer like Target. The Scope.ca's milk crate coffee table uses 16 empty milk crates (see link in References). It has two tiers of upside down crates arranged in two rows of four crates each. Fasten the crates in each row together with twist ties to make the table's base. Add the top of your choice to finish your coffee table.

A magazine base for tables is a creative use for paper that would wind up in a landfill. Choose magazines that are the same height. Then fold every 10 pages towards the spine, lengthwise. Use clips to hold the pages in place, if necessary. Use as many magazines as necessary to make the base large enough to support your top. Attach the magazines to each other by folding the front and back covers toward the spine, then clipping them together. Your magazine table base will be ready for your tabletop.

Traditional Style

If you have basic woodworking skills and tools, try Popular Mechanic's simple DIY trestle table plan (see link in Resources). You can remove the top after eating to reclaim space in the room. The trestle is a style that has endured through the centuries. It provides a sturdy base for any table. View this updated design in 3D or download the construction plans.