How can I go about making a simple dining table?

Question

I don't know anything about woodworking, nor do I have any woodworking tools. So, whatever I build will have to be VERY simple! I thought about maybe using columns for legs. Would that even work?

Answer 1

I was in a home improvement store (Lowe's) w/ my husband the other day, and found in the lumber section that they have large, round, wooden table tops already sanded and varnished, various sizes. I was looking at them for a niece who needed a small table for her 1st apt. They were very reasonable, and they also have a variety of legs/posts that look like legs that you can buy and paint. If you need them cut down, they will do it for something like .50 cents per cut, so make sure you have your measurements for what height you need for your chairs, etc. with you. I think maybe the tops had predrilled holes, so you could put the legs in with wood glue and finishing nails, and - PRESTO - instant table! Be sure to buy the stick-on pieces of felt or cork for the bottom of the table legs to keep them from scratching your floor.
You can probably find one very cheap that you can just sand and repaint at a yard or estate sale, if you have a Sat. morning to scavenge around. Have fun - it always seems to make it more "yours" when you build it / redo it yourself.

Answer 2

That depends on how simple you want the table to be. For my mom's kitchen she had a laminate countertop made and just used the legs from the old kitchen table to screw into it. The legs could be square or cylindrical, make sure you put pads on the bottom of the legs so they don't scuff your flooring.

If you want a wood table top. Then I recommend going with a hardwood. You'll need a wood like oak, walnut, or cherry. You want to go with a hardwood because it won't dent as easily. Then you will need to possibly stain it then seal it.

If you are going for a wood top table. You are probably trying to do something beyond the level you want to try. You'll have to have at the very least wood clamps and a good vibrating sander. Depending on the boards you get you may also need a jointer and a planer. To get the boards the same thickness and the edges 90 degrees so they fit together. With already finished boards you shouldn't have to do that though. You'll need a router if you want to make a decorative edge to the table. If you want fancy legs to the table you'll need a lathe and the appropriate lathe cutting tools.

The words simple and dining table is almost like an oxymoron. Making dining tables isn't the simplest, especially if you don't have the tools.

Answer 3

I wonder why even bother unless you feel you really want to make this. If it's a matter of need for furnishing, then there are several options. Garage sales, charitable donation stores (St. Vincent De Paul, Salvation Army), antique stores, and also try craigslist for your area. By the time you buy the materials and your labor, it's cheaper to find other outlets. Perhaps family and friends have a table they no longer need. Also, storage facilities have auctions on units that are in arrears. Look into your local classified section. Good luck

Answer 4

The white rings are damage to the varnish. You could try stripping the varnish, and either waxing the table and leaving it unvarnished, or re-varnishing. Polish is a suface treatment. Modern polishes often contain silicone to give that slick, "clean" feeling and a very brilliant shine. Wax has to be applied to the untreated surface and worked in to give a deep glow to the wood itself. Stain is what it says: a permanent colour. You can take a cheap pine or deal table and apply a dark "walnut" stain to make the wood look like something it's not. But stain by itself won't shine. Varnish seals the surface, giving a glassy finish and protecting the wood somewhat. But it won't defend the wood from scratches, abuse (now called "distress") or heat. Putting a hot container on a varnished surface "shocks" the varnish and causes the white marks--like when you get a blister from a burn and the skin turns white.

Answer 5

The simplest table you can make: go to the hardware store and purchase 2 workhorses and a sheet of 3/4" plywood. Set up the workhorse about 7 feet apart and then set the plywood over them, leaving a overhang of aproximately 6" on each. Cover with a tablecloth and go to town!

Answer 6

If you are planning to start on your woodworking project, this isn't something you should use, it's something that you would be insane not to. Go here https://tr.im/qRVAi
Truth is, I've been a carpenter for almost 36 years, and I haven't found anything like this for less than 10's of thousands of dollars.

Answer 7

boards from home depot and bannisters for railings as legs use gorilla glue