Turning a 6 panel door into a coffee table.?

Question

I have a cherry 6 panel door slab. I think it will make a great coffee table but Im not quite sure how to do it. Any suggestions would help. thanks :)

What should I use for the legs, I am having problems finding something that is cherry, that doesnt cost a lot.

I was kind of thinking about using epoxy to smooth out the top, like on bar tops, but the people that work at my local home improvement store said it wouldnt work very well. Any other ideas besides just a piece of glass?

Answer 1

Turning your cherry 6 panel door slab into a coffee table will be a really fun wood working project.

To Make a Coffee Table Out of your cherry 6 panel door slab you will need:

1.Your Door
2.Plywood Sheet
3.2X4's
4.Power Drill
5.Wood Screws
6.Wood legs
(some websites that sell coffee table legs:
http://www.tablelegs.com/Legs/CoffeeTableLegs.aspx
http://www.osbornewood.com/coffee-table-legs.cfm)
7.Primer
8.Paint
9.Piano Hinge

First Step:
Measure your door. You should subtract one inch of the length and the width, so that when you build your coffee table base you have a lip hanging over the top of the table.

Now take and cut your 2X4's to build a box that is slightly smaller than the length and width of the door.

Cut your sheet of plywood to the same size.

Now take the wood frame of 2x4's and screw them together. Attach to the bottom of this frame the plywood sheet.

Flip the box over so that the plywood is on top. Take your drill and drill a hole in each corner. Be sure to hit the 2x4 frane you just built.

Now take the wooden coffee table legs and screw them into the frame.

Flip the frame over and stand it on the legs.

Attach your piano hinge to the top of the 2X4 frame.

Attach the other side of the piano hinge to the frame of your cherry 6 panel door slab.

The door will lay flat on top creating the surface.

Another fun project you could do, if your sort of sentimental like I am, is to take some photos, blow them up to the size of the panels, place them and then cover them with glass panes.

Just a suggestion. Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Put 4 legs on it. IF, it have glass in the panels, you could figure out a way to add some low light from under. If, the panels are wood with some design. You may have some small collectibles that fit in the indention and lay a piece of plate glass over the whole door (Check with Hardware Stores and Glass Shops). People could see your little Trinkets through the glass. I had a friend do something similar, though it not a door. But, he had his knife and coin collection under the plate glass.
Maybe others have more ideas for you.

Answer 3

Leave the panels in and router out the edges of the 6 panels so you can drop a piece of glass into each. Make the cut just deep enough so the pieces of glass are flush with the top. See if you can get the hardware store to cut 1/4" , or double thick glass, or go to a glass shop.

For the place where the door knob went, you can buy round brass plates to cover the hole, or, drill a series of holes the same size to hold cups, or a milk pitcher or sugar.

Answer 4

Are you going to put glass on it, so there's a flat surface?

As far as legs, there are a number of companies that can supply them, e.g.:
http://www.osbornewood.com/
and Ikea might have some that are suitable. However, the cheapest may be to go garage sale hunting or thrift shop hunting and scavenge legs off something else. Or just set the door
on top of a smaller coffee table and anchor it to the table. Watch out for tippiness from too much overhang if you use the smaller table idea.

Answer 5

Speaking as a woodworker, you can use just about any straight grained wood, and finish it to match the cherry. This might include 'premade' legs, or you may want to contact a specialty company that supplies parts to the furniture industry.
For example, www.woodworkersjournal.com/adinfo has links to some companies that you might be interested in.

You might try your hand at finishing the legs yourself....if youve never done this before, it would be worth your time to attend a 'craft seminar' at a nearby building supply store. At least ask around the local hardware stores to find someone who can either coach you in the process, or can do the work for you. I get a lot of referral work this way myself.

I enjoy using "old wood" and architectural pieces myself....anything from furniture, to shelving, decorative trim...there are all kinds of ways to salvage old pieces.... and there is a lot of really good looking wood, covered up with layers of paint to be found, hehehe.

Have Fun

Answer 6

I would cleanly cut the box top to say 29 7/8 square and use contact cement to glue it to a piece of 3/4" shop ply the same size. Then use 1 1/2" thick material with a 1" +/- deep rabbet cut so the glass top sits flush with this wood border. It wont be as pizza box looking but eliminates filling the box and gives you something sturdy to mount the base to.I think the wood edge will set off the pizza lid graphics.I might try it myself.

Answer 7

Above are good ideas. Another thing you may do. Put some special pictures you have in the panels. Be nice if you have some that about the same size. 5x7 or 8x10. I not sure of the panel size.

Answer 8

I started building a shed at the beginning of the year with some free plan I found online. Have a look and see if they might help you https://tr.im/i9qz7

Answer 9

look under any basic coffee table and notice the fasteners and the bracing at the corners. predrill all screws. enjoy

Answer 10

http://www.tablelegs.com/

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