Coffee Table

A great way to save some cash when buying a coffee table is to make it yourself. If you have a bit of know how and experience of working with wood then it is a pretty straightforward process. First of all you will need to buy the wood, or perhaps recycle it from old pieces of furniture. You will need 4 lengths of wood around 14-16 inches in height, a 2 foot by 4 foot piece for the table top, 2 top rails, 4 corner supports, and 2 fillets, along with some wood screws and bolts.

The thickness of the chosen wood can be anything you wish, but most standard widths are more available from lumbar yards. The actual type of wood is also a personal preference, but try to get a decent grade for better quality and durability. If you plan on painting the wood then the natural patterns will not be so important, but if you wish to stain or varnish the finished table then look for a good grain if possible. Stores like argos have lots of wood choices at very low prices, or any good home improvement store will do just fine. Plywood or Medium density fibre board are acceptable for the table top.

Place the top on the floor wit the underside showing and fix the rails to it to create a small frame which the legs and fillets can be attached to. If you are unsure about how to do this then have a look at some of the online home improvement stores, many of them have very detailed instructions on how to make pieces of furniture, and best of all it is free. You will need to chisel the top of the legs to make a better fit to the table top corners. The four corner supports should be drilled and screwed to the four corners of the frame you have created.

You can of course just buy a brand new coffee table, and with so many around there is a huge choice. The prices are very low as well if you shop around. The argos catalogue has over 400 hundred designs at their online store ranging in prices that will suit all budgets. Even coffee table nests are relatively cheap, and have the advantage of being discreet and easy to store.