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Build Your Own Small Table

If you are in need of a table and are feeling creative, you may want to consider building a small one. You can enjoy a small table in your kitchen, office, basement, or anywhere in your home where a table can keep a room looking organized and inviting.

In order to build your table, the following is a list of the materials and tools you will need:

• Wood – You can purchase wood at your local hardware or home improvement centers. You will need two pieces of wood. One should measure 2x2 for the table legs, the other should be 2 feet by 2 feet and have a ¾ inch thickness. This piece is for the tabletop.
• Saw – A manual saw will work, but to save time and hand cramps, consider purchasing a cordless circular saw.
• Sandpaper – You won’t need a sander for the job, a light piece of basic sandpaper will be perfect.
• Metalbrackets – You will need approximately eight 2 inch long L shaped metal brackets
• Screws – Purchase a package of 8 wood screws 1 inch in length. You will also need regular screws that are ½ an inch shorter than the tabletop’s thickness.
• Cordlessdrill – This is one of the handiest tools you can own. Cordless tools are available in different voltages. You’ll find that an 18 volt cordless drill will do the job perfectly. In addition, many battery operated drills, such as some SKIL® cordless drills, also act as screwdrivers.

Once you have all the tools you require, you can begin your work by following these steps:

1. Take the 2x2 wood and with your saw cut 4 legs so they each measure approximately 35 inches in length.
2. Lightly sand all pieces of wood so that all sharp edges are removed and the surface feels flat and smooth when you touch it.
3. With your regular or cordless screwdriver, screw a metal bracket into each table leg. The bend of the bracket should be flush with the end piece of wood. In order to achieve this, place the bracket at the end of the leg.
4. Turn the leg 90° and proceed to screw in the next bracket as you did the first. You will then repeat this maneuver with the rest of the table legs.
5. Place the tabletop facedown on the floor.
6. Position a table leg with the bracket end down on one of the corners of the tabletop. You will need to line up the edge of the leg with the tabletop’s edge.
7. Hold down the bracket placed over the tabletop and with your regular or cordless screwdriver, screw one screw through the bracket’s hole, followed by the other.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the remaining 3 table legs.
9. Turn the table over when all legs have been secured and shake the table to check for motion. If the table moves, you will need to replace the metal bracket with longer, thicker brackets. On the other hand you could also drive two long screws into the top of each leg through the tabletop to make it secure.

Once the table is finished be sure to clean it off with some nice smelling oil designed to clean wood. You may also want to stain the table to give it a more finished look, or to match it to the other décor in your room. The choice is yours.