Turn an unused bookshelf into a new dinner table for your family.
Building your own furniture does not require a degree in carpentry or even a great deal of experience. By re-purposing some pieces you already have, you can create your very own custom furniture. Bookcases, for example, can be laid flat and used as dinner tables. All you need to do is remove the shelves and add legs and you will have a brand new dinner table that costs much less to build yourself than purchasing a new table. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Select a bookcase to use for your dinner table. Consider the height and width of the bookcase when making your selection. The larger you want your table to be, the taller and wider the bookcase should be.
2. Remove the shelves from the bookcase -- only the base and top of the bookcase should remain. Lay the bookcase flat on the ground with the backside facing up.
3. Remove the backing from the bookcase if it is flimsy chipboard or anything less than solid wood. Add 10 inches to the height and width measurements of the bookcase and cut a sheet of 1-inch plywood to this size.
4. Sand the surface and edges of the plywood and lay the piece of plywood flat on top of the bookcase. Center the plywood over the bookcase so it overhangs the edges of the bookcase by 5 inches on all four sides.
5. Secure the plywood to the bookcase by sinking 2-inch wood screws into the joints along the top, bottom and sides of the bookcase. Insert one screw every 4 or 5 inches and countersink the heads so they sit just below the surface of the plywood.
6. Fill in the holes over the exposed screw heads in the table top with wood filler and allow it to dry according to the instructions on the packaging. Sand away the excess wood filler after it has dried to create a smooth surface.
7. Determine the desired height for your dinner table by using an existing table or the chairs you intend to use as reference. Cut four 3-by-3 inch hardwood posts to the desired height to be used as table legs.
8. Flip the table top upside down so the plywood lays flat on the ground and the bookcase frame faces up. Set one table leg upright inside each corner of the bookcase frame so the sides of each post are flush with the edges of the bookcase. Insert two 3-inch wood screws through the bookcase frame into each adjacent side of the table legs to secure them in place.
9. Flip the table over into the upright position and sand away any imperfections with fine-grain sandpaper.
10. Paint or stain the table top, the bookcase and the table legs as you desire. You may choose to paint or stain the entire table one color or you might select a darker color for the table top and a lighter one for the bookcase and legs. Coat the table with a clear varnish or polyurethane to protect it from stains and scratches.
Tags: dinner table, bookcase frame, table legs, bookcase Insert, bookcase should