Idea for making end and coffee tables?

Question

I need to make end and coffee tables that are really inexpensive. Any ideas?

Also any ideas for making a headboard. They are so expensive that I would like to find a way to make one that looks good but doesn't cost alot.

Answer 1

Tons of ideas. Take two ceramic planters in a size of your choice, color of your choice, glue the rims together (which means the top one is upside down on the bottom one) with Locktite. Use duct tape to secure until dry. At the home improvement store they sell round pieces of plywood already cut. Choose one in scale with the pots you have choosen. Fill any aberations with wood putty, allow to dry, sand and paint a coodinating color with the pots. Seal with a non-yellowing polyurethane. You can make several of these as end tables and the cost is about $30 a piece. For a matching coffee table, take two ceramic pots turned upside down and place an inexpensive piece of glass on top secured with Locktite.

Coffee tables can be easily made as well. You can find old large luggage (the leather kind works the best). Place it on its side and screw 4 x 4 posts through the leather into a piece of plywood glued to the inside with Locktite at whatever height you choose. In the home improvement store, look for fence post tops in a design you like and screw them into the bottom of the 4 x 4 posts. Paint the posts and "feet" or stain them to coordinate with your look.

You can follow the same idea above by using large thrift store books glued together in a stack with or without feet.

The cheapest end tables are cardboard or round plywood with straight legs attached that you can find already made at Bed Bath & Beyond, Linen N' Things, Big Lots and even the discounters. Buy twin sheets as a base cover, the non fitted kind. Buy a table square to cover the top.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Crates! You can get used packing crates used for vegetables from a local grocery store. Go to their produce department and ask. If they aren't available there, I've noticed that some craft stores are beginning to sell them or something similar. Check out Garden Ridge, Michael's, MJ Designs, Hobby Lobby, or any other craft store in your area. For a larger top, you could buy a few pieces of pine and glue them together at the edges then attach them to the crate from the underside, so that the fasteners (I recommend screws) don't show. You can distress the entire thing, using a small chain, to give it an older look, then antique it, or you could paint it in colors to match the decor in the room.

Another possible solution is to use 8x8x16" cinder wall construction blocks for the base. The nice thing about using this type of block is that they have holes piercing them which could be placed near the floor and used to place supports on which to create a lower storage shelf. If you want to you can paint them, then glue flat rubber feet or pieces of board or something similar to the bottom to protect the floor. Finally, either make a top for it yourself, or have a local glass company make beveled and rounded safety glass tops for them. Call around and get prices after first deciding on the dimensions you want. This can get pricey, so you may want to go with making the top yourself.

Here's another option. If you are handy, you could design and build them yourself. I have built many pieces of furniture out of pine, then finished them, and have achieved very satisfying outcomes. The nice thing about doing this is that you can get creative and make things you never see on the floor of a furniture store or in someone else's living room. When my wife and I were dating, I built her an oval dining room table because she had virtually no furniture. The square base was placed in the center of the table and had criss-crossing feet to give it a little more stability. My wife loved the table, and even helped to apply the finishing coats of antiquing paint I chose to complete the job.

Answer 4

If you need end/coffee tables and don't literally have to make them, surf the 2nd hand and consignment shops.

Also check out garage sales and Craig's list.

Eskie's answers are the most thorough for making endtables.

You can also use cheap trays from Target/k-mart....anchor them to whatever you use as a base (see Eskie's answer), fill them with decorative rocks and top with glass. Nice visual texture.

Answer 5

I'd suggest buying two of those inexpensive round tables from Target or Wal-Mart, putting floor length round table cloths over them, and then put a round piece of glass (that can be purchased separately with the tables) over the cloth. For more design interest, place another square piece of fabric over the round cloth for a layered look. This is pretty and does the trick.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Stacking decorative boxes (Target, Pier1, department stores) works well. I also once used a metal plant stand from a salvage yard with a round piece of glass (Walmart, $7.99) on top!

Answer 8

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Answer 9

milk crates....... (however you can get'm =) *FREE*

pieces of wood at lowes, home depot, etc. (go to the "damaged" wood section,,... and use the wood on top of crates,,, (even drill holes around edges and ziptie to crates).... *PENNIES*

zip ties, (zip tie the crates together, stacked, side, by side, etc.) buy a whole bag at dollar general *PENNIES*

fabric,,,, (wal-mart has a discount fabric table in the fabric section, stuff that has been opened, damaged , etc)
cover tables (drape over and let hang down sides) with new fabric. *PENNIES*

there ya go....... *very cheap*.... but sturdy and will look nice.

Answer 10

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