DIY table with one leg. How to make a kitchen table with your own hands. Making the main element of the table - the tabletop

Arranging a summer house is a constant process. Either you build something or improve it. Moreover, furniture is constantly needed and tables are most in demand in the country. And put it in the garden, and near the house, and also in . We will tell you how to make a table for a summer house with your own hands in this article using the example of ready-made projects.

Homemade table from pallet boards

The material for this table was disassembled pallets. Naturally, you can use new boards. There is only one condition - they must be dry. You can buy dry ones (this costs more) or buy regular ones, put them somewhere in ventilated stacks and keep them for at least 4 months, or better yet, six months. In general, any furniture, including, is made from dry wood.

We are assembling a table for the street - to put it in a gazebo, so we will not glue the boards of the tabletop, but will fasten them from below, using planks. It's very simple country table and very cheap.

Having disassembled the pallets, we get boards with individual colors and patterns. Having worked a little magic, rearranging them several dozen times in different ways, we achieve the required result. It turns out to be quite a nice tabletop.

Take the side parts of the pallet. We use them for the table frame. We first sand them with coarse sandpaper, then fine sand them to the required smoothness (grain 120 and 220).

We take the planks that remained unused and use them to fasten the tabletop. We place them in the place where the joints of the boards are located. We use two screws to fasten each board with a joint, and one for a solid one.

From the treated sidewalls and two boards (also sanded) we assemble the table frame. We fasten its parts with self-tapping screws at the end (two for each joint). The frame can be glued or also “planted” on self-tapping screws. Only they are long. For each, we pre-drill holes with a drill whose diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the screws.

We turn the assembled tabletop over and sand it. The order is the same - first sandpaper with large grains, then with small grains.

Next is installing the legs. We select four boards of the same size, check their length, and adjust if necessary. Then - sanding again. This is easier than sanding the legs that are already screwed on. We screw the sanded boards to the frame. These will be the legs. For each there are two self-tapping screws, fixed diagonally (look at the photo). For greater stability, we install jumpers at the bottom. You can leave about 10 cm from the floor to the lintels. We connect everything with self-tapping screws, so that the boards do not crack, we pre-drill holes.

After removing the dust, varnish again. In theory, the varnish should lie flat, but it depends on the wood, so another sanding/painting cycle may be needed. As a result, we get such a homemade country table.

If you don’t like mismatched boards and traces of old nails, you can make the same design into boards. This table can be rectangular, or square. All sizes are arbitrary - please see the space available.

Country table made from leftover boards

This DIY garden table is assembled from leftover boards different breeds and sizes. Pine boards 25 mm thick and 50 mm wide were used for the tabletop frame, and 15*50 mm leftovers for the legs. We make the frame according to the dimensions you need. This table will stand on the veranda, which is small in width. So let's make it narrow - 60 cm, and length 140 cm. The height of the legs is 80 cm (everyone in the family is tall).

Immediately cut two long boards of 140 cm each. To make the tabletop width 60 cm, subtract twice the thickness of the board used - this is 5 cm. Short bars should be 60 cm - 5 cm = 55 cm. Fold the frame, following right angles, twist with self-tapping screws. We check whether the bars are folded correctly - we measure the diagonals, they should be the same.

We cut the boards into four 80 cm boards and attach them from the inside to the assembled frame. You can use 4 screws for each leg.

At approximately the middle of the height of the legs we attach the crossbars. This is a frame for a shelf. The shelf can be used for its intended purpose, and it also increases the rigidity of the structure. We fasten strictly at right angles, checking with a large square.

We put the frame on the floor and check whether it wobbles or not. If everything is done correctly, it should stand rigidly. Next, take sandpaper or a sander and sand.

Let's start assembling the tabletop. From finishing works There were boards of different types of wood left, some painted with stain. We alternate boards of different colors.

We fasten the tabletop boards with finishing nails, carefully finishing them off with a hammer. You can secure it to the shelf with regular nails or self-tapping screws. Then we smooth it out with a sander. Final stage- painting. Very unlucky with the choice of varnish. We bought it too dark and didn’t like the look. I'll have to sand it again and paint it a different color.

Wooden table with glued top

This design is different L-shaped legs. They are assembled from boards of the same thickness. In this case 20 mm. In order for them to hold well, 5 self-tapping screws are needed. We pre-drill holes with a drill with a diameter 1-2 mm smaller than the diameter of the screws. Then, using a drill of a larger diameter, we drill recesses for the caps. Diameter can be matched to furniture plugs suitable color or make them from a wooden rod. Another option is to use wood putty, to which you add wood dust that remains after sanding. After drying and sanding, the marks will be difficult to find.

When assembling the legs, you must ensure that the angle is exactly 90°. You can choose timber as a pattern. First, coat the joint of the two parts of the leg with wood glue, then install the screws in the following sequence: first the two outer ones, then the middle one, and only then the other two. After the glue has dried, we sand the legs, varnish them and dry them.

It's time to make the tabletop. We assemble it from boards of the same thickness. Choose the size you need. You can use fragments of different widths. It is only important that everything looks organic, and that the sides of the boards are smooth and fit together without gaps.

We coat the sides of the boards selected for the tabletop with glue, lay them on a flat surface (some kind of table) and tighten them with clamps. In this case, we got by with one, but preferably at least three. We tighten it so that there are no gaps in the resulting shield. Leave it for a day. Having removed the clamps, we get an almost finished tabletop. It still needs to be trimmed - to align the edges, and then sand it. You can trim with a jigsaw or a regular handsaw. It's difficult to get a straight line using an angle grinder, but you can try. After sanding we get a beautiful tabletop.

Using the same technique, you can make an oval or round tabletop. You just need to draw the appropriate line and trim the glued boards along it.

To make the table look more attractive, we will make a frame. We take a thin strip, sand it with sandpaper and fasten it around the perimeter of the tabletop. You can also use finishing nails. Only we also first coat the planks with wood glue, and then with nails.

After the glue has dried, we sand the joint again with sandpaper.

Now you can attach the table legs. We assemble a table frame from four boards (there is no photo, but you can do it as in the previous paragraph). We attach it to the back side of the tabletop with glue, then install furniture confirmations through the tabletop. A preliminary hole with an extension for the cap is drilled for the confirmations. The holes for fasteners are masked in the same way as on the legs.

We attach the legs to the fixed frame. We place them inside the frame. You can attach it with regular self-tapping screws. That's it, we made a table for the garden with our own hands.

How to make a garden table from wood with benches

For this table we used 38*89 mm boards (we unraveled them ourselves), but you can take standard sizes. A difference of millimeters will not greatly affect the results. In the photo below you can see what should happen.

To connect the parts, 16 cm long studs with washers and nuts (24 pieces) were used. All other connections are made with nails 80 mm long.

The parts are installed in place, a through hole is drilled with a drill. A stud is installed in it, washers are put on both sides and the nuts are tightened. Everything is catching up wrench. Why is this option convenient? For the winter you can disassemble and take it to a barn or garage.

Making seats

According to the drawing, we cut the boards to the required size. Everything is needed in double quantities - for two seats. We sand the boards, Special attention pay attention to the ends.

The short sections that we use to fasten the three boards of the seat along the edges are cut at an angle of 45°. First, we assemble the structure that is attached to the seat from below. We take a board about 160 cm long, and attach two short boards sawn at an angle to the end of it. You need to attach it so that this board is in the middle.

Then we attach the legs to the resulting structure (you can use nails). Then we add more boards cut at an angle and tighten everything with studs and bolts.

We attach the seat boards to the resulting structure. Since this is an outdoor table, there is no need to knock them together closely. Leave a gap between two adjacent ones of at least 5 mm. We nail it to the supports (which have been sawn down), two for each board.

We fasten the finished seats using four boards 160 cm long. We fasten each leg with hairpins (if you walk, you can put two hairpins, installing them diagonally or one above the other).

Assembling the table

The table is assembled according to a different principle. Please note that for the tabletop, the transverse boards along the edges are cut at 52°. We attach them at such a distance that the legs fit in. 2 nails for each board. You can use finishing ones, with small heads, or you can drive them deep and then mask the holes with putty.

Now we need to assemble the cross legs. We take two boards, cross them so that the distance between their ends is 64.5 cm. We outline the intersection with a pencil. At this point you will need to remove the wood to half the thickness of the board.

We make the same notch on the second board. If you fold them, they turn out to be in the same plane. We connect with four nails.

We make the second leg for the table in the same way. We are not assembling the table yet.

Installing the table

Now you need to attach the legs to the structure on which the benches are installed. We place them at an equal distance from the benches and fasten them with pins.

Now we install the tabletop. We also fasten it with pins. The last stage is painting. Here everyone does as he pleases.

Variations on a theme

By this drawing You can make separate benches and a table for your dacha or garden. The design is reliable and simple to implement.

DIY garden table: drawings

Whatever the size of the kitchen, be it a small cell in a small family or a huge spacious kitchen in country house, in any case, a table is a mandatory piece of furniture in it. Despite the abundance modern materials and choice designer tables made of metal, glass, plastic and stone, continue to enjoy constant popularity wooden crafts. Wood kitchen table creates an atmosphere of comfort and harmony in the house, somehow you don’t even want to quarrel, the mood becomes calm and balanced. You can buy such a table at any furniture store, the range of finished products is large and varied. But also wooden table can be ordered from a carpentry workshop based on an individual sketch. Of course, both of these options will cost a pretty penny, so many people prefer to make a wooden kitchen table with their own hands. Thus, you can save up to 70% of the cost of a finished similar product in a store. True, to perform carpentry work you will need special tools and carpenter skills, but this depends on the chosen material and the complexity of the table design.

Wooden dining table - optimal sizes

The size of the kitchen table directly depends on the area of the kitchen and the place where the table is planned to be installed. It is believed that a person feels comfortable if he personal zone not less than 70 cm, i.e. there is no one within a radius of 35 cm around him. Based on this, a square table 90x90 or 100x100 cm will be quite enough for a family of 4 people, if the room allows you to move the table away from the wall so that everyone sits on their own side. If the size of the kitchen does not allow you to move the table, then you can install a rectangular table 120x75 or 120x80 cm. In this case, two people will sit at the long side of the table, and two people at the short sides.

In a large room - a spacious kitchen or dining room - you can safely place a large wooden dining table, the length of the tabletop of such a table is 160 cm. Typically, the dimensions of large tables are 160x90 cm or 180x90 cm. The space along the long side of the table is enough to freely accommodate two people, and two the people behind the ends will feel like just kings. And this is on ordinary days. If there is an event with many guests, then 10 - 15 people can easily fit at such a table.

But how should residents of apartments with small kitchens accommodate guests? In such cases, an extendable dining table and a transforming table come to the rescue. Sliding tables are equipped with additional inserts for the tabletop, the width of which is usually 40 - 50 cm. There can be from one to three such inserts, all of them are located in the middle of the table or hidden under the tabletop cover in a special niche if the table is in assembled condition. When unfolded, the length of the extendable table can reach 230 - 280 cm. This is enough to invite guests to a wedding. When folded, the length of such a table is from 120 to 180 cm.

The height of the dining table is usually 70 cm, but much depends on the height and build of the residents; sometimes kitchen tables are made 60 - 65 or 75 - 80 cm high.

When choosing dimensions for a dining table, be guided by the space allocated for it. After all family members sit down at it, there should be enough left around free space to move the hostess so that she does not create inconvenience to those sitting and vice versa.

Wood for kitchen table

Choosing material for a kitchen table is a responsible task, from the right choice depends not only on the durability of the tabletop and its resistance to mechanical deformation, but also final cost the table as a whole. Solid wood kitchen tables are considered the most durable, environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing and the most expensive. To make your own table from solid wood, you will need the skills of a joiner and carpenter, as well as tools for wood processing and a workshop for carrying out the work.

The density of wood for a kitchen table is great importance. Marks and scratches may remain on the surface of soft wood, although it all depends on the care of the owners. And hardwoods can be difficult to work with for a beginner. Craftsmen distinguish three categories of wood according to density: soft, hard and the hardest.

Softwoods include: pine, cedar, fir, spruce, poplar, aspen, linden, alder, juniper, willow and chestnut.

Hardwoods include: oak, beech, elm, ash, larch, birch, apple and rowan.

The hardest ones: white acacia, yew, iron birch, dogwood.

Any wood is suitable for a kitchen dining table, even pine, which is considered the softest, but its surface must be varnished in several layers. A walnut table will be strong and heavy, and its surface will be extremely durable, even during the process of making openwork carving There are no chips on the nut.

Oak wood for kitchen table - perfect option. In addition to being strong, hard and durable, it is also easy to work and varnish, will not warp, splinter or warp, and is rot resistant, which is essential for wet kitchens.

Larch wood is considered healing, but taking into account the fact that the surface of the table must be covered protective equipment, it will not have the opportunity to release medicinal phytoncides into the atmosphere. Linden wood is suitable for the manufacture of turned elements, it is plastic and durable, but is affected by insect pests, and therefore also requires treatment with stain.

The most common types of wood used to make kitchen dining tables are pine, oak, walnut and wenge. Remember that you need to buy only well-dried material, with a moisture content of no more than 10%, otherwise the wood may warp, and this is fatal for the table.

In addition to solid wood, kitchen tables are made from laminated chipboard (laminated chipboard) with a thickness of 18 to 22 mm, as well as from plywood and MDF. The ends of these materials are covered with special PVC or melamine tape. These materials can hardly be called environmentally friendly and, of course, they are inferior in strength and durability to solid wood, but the ease of processing and low price tempt many. The laminated chipboard surface does not need to be additionally coated with anything; it already has a finished look. And plywood is used only for strapping or embedded parts, so it is not visible.

Whether to make a table from solid wood or prefer easy-to-process laminated chipboard depends on the preferences of the owner and his carpentry and financial capabilities. After all, a kitchen table made of laminated chipboard will cost much less.

Types and configuration of kitchen wooden tables

Once you have decided on the size of the table and the material of manufacture, you can begin choosing the shape and configuration. Diversity design solutions tables can satisfy any request and select a table model that will best fit into the interior of the house and complement its sophistication.

Legs for kitchen wooden table

The number of legs for a dining kitchen table, their shape and size directly depend on the shape and size of the table, as well as on the material of manufacture. For example, it will not be possible to make a table entirely from laminated chipboard on 4 legs, which are attached to the corners of the tabletop, since the laminated chipboard material is of insufficient thickness and strength. But if in such a model the tabletop is made of laminated chipboard, and the legs are made of wooden beams, then you will get a completely strong and durable product.

You can make legs for a kitchen dining table yourself according to a sketch, or you can purchase ready-made ones at a furniture fittings store. Self-production installing the legs is a labor-intensive task, the difficulty of which depends on the configuration of the legs. This is why many people prefer to purchase finished goods. In a furniture fittings store you can buy metal legs for the kitchen table, which are hollow pipes with a diameter of 70 - 90 mm, but you can also choose wooden carved legs that look like balusters for a wooden staircase.

The dining kitchen table can rest on one or several legs. It depends on the heaviness of the tabletop, the shape and configuration of the table. You can see what different dining tables with different numbers, shapes and sizes of legs look like in the photos below showing wooden dining tables.

To install the dining table on one massive leg, It is necessary to perform a high-quality cross strapping.

Also the table can have two massive legs, separated by a certain distance. Typically, such tables have a rectangular or oval shape. Tables on two legs are convenient because people sitting at them do not hit their legs against the legs of the table. At the bottom, these two legs widen to increase the support area and are also connected at the bottom by a header board or reinforcement board.

Dining tables with four legs- the most common category and the easiest to perform, since complex calculations for strength and stability are not required. Just pick up the legs correct size and place them at the correct distance from the edges of the table. The shape of the top of such tables can be round, oval, square and rectangular.

The shapes of legs for a kitchen table can be very diverse. Remember that the aesthetic appeal of the legs is even more important than the beauty of the tabletop, since it will be hidden by the tablecloth, while the table legs will be visible to all guests.

Kitchen table tops

The kitchen table top can be made of solid wood (furniture panel, which is boards glued together), as well as laminated chipboard or glass. Naturally, massive tables look more refined and resemble a work of art, while tables made of laminated chipboard are just an ordinary, unremarkable dining table. The end of the chipboard must be edged, so the cut must be perfect. Cutting laminated chipboard at home, and even so that the cut is even, is quite difficult. Especially if the cut is semicircular. Therefore, it is better to order sawing of laminated chipboard on a machine. Trim Chipboard is better just PVC tape with a thickness of 2 mm or more or melamine tape. The first option is preferable, since the edges are smooth, even and rounded. If you cover the end of the laminated chipboard with melamine tape, the edges will be sharp, they can cause puffs on clothes, cuts on the skin, and melamine tape is short-lived and does not withstand frequent water procedures.

Important! The thickness of the tabletop should be more than 25 mm, preferably 28 - 35 mm. If you use laminated chipboard with a thickness of only 18 mm, then it is necessary to make reinforcement at the bottom in the form of a false countertop made of plywood.

The shapes of the tops of wooden tables are not as varied as the shapes of the legs.

Round tables for the kitchen are an option for everyone. The main problem is that, oddly enough, such a table requires more space. You can’t put it in a corner, and even if you move it against the wall, you still need free space for people to sit around it. A round wooden dining table will look great in a dining room or large kitchen or living room, where it will stand in the middle of the room. A round table is not appropriate in a small kitchen. Perhaps if only one or two people live in the house, and the table is small - no more than 90 cm in diameter. Round tables allow you to experiment with support. For example, use only one leg or three legs, but for greater stability, four legs are still used, installed at a distance of 10 - 15 cm from the edge of the tabletop. You cannot use two support legs in tables with a round top - this design is unstable.

Oval kitchen tables can have various sizes: From small tables for oversized kitchens to huge tables that take up the centerpiece of the dining room.

A small oval wooden kitchen table is designed for compact kitchens; it can be installed in a corner soft set, as shown in the photo. But the most common ones are still large tables and tables of medium size, since they fit in average domestic apartments and at the same time can accommodate many guests. If there is nowhere to put a large table - the living room and kitchen area does not allow it - then an oval sliding wooden dining table comes to the rescue.

Such a table usually has a tabletop divided in half, the halves of which can be moved, and additional inserts can be installed in the middle part of such a table. By the way, the shape of such a table when folded can be round, but the table takes on an oval shape only when unfolded.

Wooden kitchen sliding tables

It is worth highlighting sliding tables for a large number of guests as a separate category. They can have different shapes: round, oval and rectangular. The most common are still rectangular and oval models. It is easier to make a rectangular wooden sliding dining table yourself than an oval one, since there is no need to round the corners using carpentry tools.

Sliding mechanisms for such tables can also be different. Old Soviet tables were not equipped with roller guides or full roll-out guides, and the table had to be moved apart with effort, as the wood rubbed against the wood. Especially if the table for a long time stood folded, sometimes it was extremely difficult to move the stuck to each other wooden surfaces. Modern sliding tables have a special roll-out mechanism that greatly facilitates work and also prevents damage to wooden parts and surfaces. Metal guides for an extending table can be purchased at a hardware store.

Sliding wooden kitchen tables: photo examples.

Additional wooden insert sections, which are installed in the middle of the table, can be stored under the tabletop when the table is folded. The easiest way is to make special fasteners for them into which they will be inserted.

In modern sliding dining tables, the insert consists of two halves connected by hinges, folds in half and is hidden under the tabletop using a special mechanism. To do this, under the main tabletop there must be an additional false tabletop with a hole in the middle.

Tables with wooden legs, but with a glass top, are suitable for rooms in a style close to hi-tech or minimalism. Sometimes a glass tabletop is installed on top of a wooden frame or wooden table top with holes. In any case, the product turns out to be futuristic. The tabletop is usually made of tempered glass; it is not only shock-resistant, but also much stronger than wood, and the surface is quite difficult to scratch. The legs are attached to the glass tabletop using special fasteners. You can easily make such a table yourself if you order glass cutting from an organization that specializes in this.

Transformable tables are a separate category of tables that, when folded, form a small, compact bedside table. If you place it near a wall, it will take up no more than 50 - 60 cm. When unfolded, such a table can accommodate from 10 to 15 people. The folding tabletop covers are secured with hinges. The most common shape of transforming tables is rectangular, but round tables are also available.

DIY wooden dining table

To make a wooden table with your own hands, you need to have a workshop, since there will be a lot of dust, and there is no point in littering your apartment or house. First you need to draw a sketch of the future table indicating the exact dimensions. Then sawing wooden elements You can order it at a sawmill if you can’t produce it yourself. Let's consider making the simplest wooden dining table.

We will need the following materials and tools:

Hacksaw;
Jigsaw;
Drill;
Milling machine;
Plane;
Paint brush;
Bolts;
Emery cloth and sander;
Wooden boards 22 mm thick;
Furniture board.

The first step is to cut out all the elements according to the sketch. The legs in our case will have a simple straight shape with cutouts that can be easily made with a jigsaw, and then cleaned with a grinder and chamfered.

The legs of the kitchen table according to the drawing consist of two horizontal elements(supports) with which the table rests on the floor surface, and two vertical elements (legs-stands). They are connected to each other by a simple bolt connection (8 mm bolts). The bolts are fastened through and secured with a nut on the reverse side. Assembly begins from the bottom, first one vertical leg-stand is attached to the supports, then the same is done with the second leg. Then a longitudinal connection - a jumper board - is inserted into a special groove between the vertical legs-stands. It is fixed by the second vertical elements of the support legs.

The next stage is installation of the countertop. We put it ready furniture board and in the place where it is planned to attach the vertical elements of the legs, we install horizontal transverse stiffeners. These elements have a length equal to the width of the tabletop. Then a flange of wooden blocks is installed on top. The technology for attaching the flange to the tabletop and horizontal transverse stiffeners is easier to understand by watching the video at the end of the article. The strapping/flanging beam is fastened through the stiffener strips with two self-tapping screws.

First, the bars are attached to the long sides of the tabletop, then perpendicular bars located along the narrow side of the table are attached to them with self-tapping screws. As a result, there remains free space between the tabletop and the edging bars, which does not look very aesthetically pleasing. To close it, decorative wooden plank. Dowels are used to secure it to the beams. Holes for dowels are made in the beams and planks. Then wooden cylinders, which are called dowels, pins or dowels, are inserted into the holes of the strapping bars, having previously lubricated the hole with glue. Then a decorative strip is put on the protruding dowels. The tabletop is ready.

All that remains is to screw the table legs to the tabletop. For this, the same bolts are used as for attaching the vertical legs to the horizontal supports. It is better to make the holes for them in advance.

The design of this table is collapsible; after the feast, it can be taken apart piece by piece and hidden in a closet or behind a closet. The sequence and technology for making a wooden table with your own hands can be seen more clearly in the video instructions below.

An integral attribute of any home is a table. Despite the fact that the variety of shapes and materials of this piece of furniture can amaze even the most demanding and sophisticated buyers, many amateur furniture makers try to make a table with their own hands. There is nothing complicated about this, because the design of the table is not much more complicated than a regular stool. Armed with a saw, drill, hammer and other tools, you will be able to assemble such a product in literally half a day, and it will look no worse than a store-bought one. One of the main advantages of making this furniture yourself is the opportunity for creative self-expression. In addition, a DIY table can become the central element of any interior.

It's no secret that the main function of the table is to organize a place for dining and receiving guests. In addition, it often serves as a place for family pastime, during which you can enjoy various entertainments: playing cards, monopoly, lotto, dominoes, etc. In addition to significant savings and demonstrating your carpentry skills to others, making a table with your own hands provides a person with an excellent opportunity create a unique item that is ideal in all respects: shape, size, material and reliability. By following the instructions and recommendations of professionals, you will see from your own experience that you can make this piece of furniture yourself at home.

Today, various building materials are used to produce tables: metal, glass, plastic, stone, but furniture is often made from such high-quality material as wood. To create a wooden table with your own hands, you can use soft (spruce, pine, cedar, fir), hard (birch, walnut, oak, maple, ash) or very hard (dogwood, yew) wood species that have good resistance to rotting and mechanical damage. influences.

Walnut has the most valuable qualities for furniture - it combines high hardness and excellent viscosity. If you are new to carpentry, it is recommended to give preference to furniture made of pine, birch and oak. If you decide to make an original pine table with your own hands, you can use cheap, knotty boards, but they must be free of falling knots, cracks, stains and signs of rot.

Before you begin to analyze specific points and recommendations that will help you make a table with your own hands, it is important to decide on the design of the desired product. Due to the wonderful combination of naturalness and environmental friendliness of wood with the dacha concept, a homemade wooden table will become excellent option garden furniture. A small table made of wood with your own hands, as if deliberately aged, will also fit well into the design of a city apartment made in Scandinavian or Provence style. It is noteworthy that in terms of the complexity of the work, this piece of furniture for most craftsmen is almost like a homemade piece of wood, since homemade table It's very easy to assemble. This fascinating process is reminiscent of assembling a construction set.

The one that is most memorable is the poorly designed dining table. One that is too low or too high, one that does not have enough legroom underneath, one that has too little space. To help you design a table that will be remembered only for its attractive appearance, we will provide basic standards here.

TABLE HEIGHT. Distance from the floor to the top surface of the lid. Usually it is 68–76 cm.

SPACE ABOVE LEGS. The distance from the floor to the bottom edge of the drawer is the vertical space for the legs. The minimum distance is 60 cm.

KNEEL ROOM. The distance from the edge of the table to the leg is the space for your knees when the chair is pulled up to the table. The minimum distance is from 36 to 40 cm, the optimal distance is 36–46 cm.

SPACE ABOVE HIPS. The distance from the seat to the lower edge of the drawer is the vertical space for the hips when a person sits on this chair, pushed towards the table. Minimum – 15 cm.

ELBOW ROOM. Side space on the table for each person sitting. The minimum is 60 cm, but 75 cm is much better.

HAND DEPTH. Front space on the table for each person seated. Less than 30 cm will not be enough, and more than 45 cm will be too much.

SPACE FOR A CHAIR. The distance from the edge of the tabletop to the wall is sufficient to move the chair away when getting up from the table. Architects claim that a minimum of 90 cm is needed, and 110 cm would be the best option.

Table with king belt

When you hear the word "table", don't you think of a flat panel with four legs? Aren't you thinking of just such a table as the one pictured here? Yes, this design is the most original of the original ones. In the simplest version, the table - a typical design - consists of only three types of parts: legs, drawers and a lid (table top). The legs and tsar belt form a strong, yet open, support structure. In a structural sense, many tables are tsar tables, although we rarely call them that. Much more often they are called by their functional purpose or location: dining table, kitchen table, bedside table, desk. As you look further through the book, you will come across the original designs of different tables, and many of them will return to this “basic” table. Such a table can usually be found in the kitchen or dining room. Its massiveness gives the impression of strength. Although the legs are quite massive, the chiseled profile visually reduces their massiveness. In addition, the reasonable dimensions of the legs make them ideal for strong carpentry joints. Despite the simplicity of the design of a table with a tsar belt, many variations are possible. The table can be round, square, oval, rectangular. Its legs can be square, turned, tapered or carved. Even the drawers can influence the appearance of the table.

Design options

For example, a round table with the same turned legs as the base table looks completely different. The square tsar belt with the round lid gives it this distinct look. Despite the elegant cabriole legs of the table in the Queen Anne style, the massive drawers make it a work desk. The cut-out drawers at the third table make a significant visual and practical difference, making the table appear lighter and taller and creating more hip room for the occupant.

Country style table

This table is called by different names - country style table, retro style table, bar table - and presented in different ways. Furniture researchers usually describe it as a simple, low, oblong table on a massive base with turned legs and legs. This characterizes it quite accurately: a table with a drawstring belt and legs. Legs, especially those as strong as in the picture, significantly increase the durability and rigidity of the structure. With intensive daily use, the legs can increase the service life of the table by years. The terms "country" and "bar" are definitely associated with the 17th-18th centuries, when such tables were widely used in hotels, taverns and bars in rural areas and towns. Surviving examples of such tables actually have massive legs - although they are heavily worn out by many feet. The table shown here is equipped with one middle leg instead of two longitudinal ones, to make it more comfortable to sit at the table. However, many early tables had pro-legs around the perimeter. The design is simple. The drawbars and legs are cut into the legs with spikes and reinforced with wedges, dowels, etc. The table cover is a wide panel “at the tip”.

Design options

The easiest way to change the design of a table is to change the legs. Our “original” table has round legs - turned - and the shape of the turning can be changed endlessly. Just remember that you will need a flat, rectangular surface for the frame-to-leg joints. On a country-style table, you can also change the legs - as per appearance,
and by their configuration, as shown in the figure below.

Table with drawer and drawer

The name “table with a tsar belt” refers not to the style, but to the design. This type of table is the basis for kitchen, library, desks etc. Even for a workbench. A drawer or two increases the functionality of the desk since the tools that are used when using it can be stored in these drawers. In some cases, a small box is enough, while in others you need the largest one possible. There are only a couple of ways to incorporate such a box into the design. The simplest approach is to simply cut out a drawer opening in the drawer frame. For a relatively small box and a fairly massive drawer, it is quite suitable. If the opening turns out to be so large that it creates a danger of destruction of the board, then it is better to replace the drawer with box bars. The bars can be rotated 90° so that their width matches the thickness of the leg. Tenon joints provide rigidity. A design with two bars - supraglottic and subgular - is preferable, since the upper bar will prevent the legs from moving inward.

Design options

Installing a drawer in round table quite possible. But if the tsar belt has a square or rectangular shape, then you need to be prepared that access to the inside of the box will be limited. If the drawer belt is rounded, then the front panel of the drawer should be made in such a way (for example, a layered bent or block-glued structure) so that its shape matches the shape of the drawer.

An alternative to a table with a leg in each corner is a table with one central leg. Its tabletop is attached to a central post mounted on low legs that diverge to the sides. Here, drawers are not structurally required, but some single-support tables have them. At first glance, a table without legs and drawers gives unlimited legroom. However, while it does have plenty of knee and hip room, its "creepy" legs tend to get in the way of the sitter's feet. This is the price of stability: the projection of the tabletop should not exceed the support area by more than 15 cm. A little more and you risk knocking over the table by leaning on the edge. Strength is critical to this design B-pillar and its connection to the base or legs. The table shown here has an oval tabletop and - in accordance with the major and minor axis of the oval - two pairs of legs of different lengths. The legs are connected to the racks that taper downwards, and the racks are connected to the tabletop brackets with double tenons into the lugs. These intermediate assemblies are in turn glued onto a square core lath to form a central support that flares upward.

The pedestal table appeared in the 18th century as a small coffee table with a three-legged base. To make a dining table, carpenters combined two single-legged tables or placed an oblong tabletop on two three-legged supports. Modern models range from simple utilitarian to multi-post. The structural advantage of multi-post supports is their increased resistance to tilting. Although the support area may be noticeably smaller than the projection of the tabletop, a large table with this type of support can be quite stable due to the mass of the support.

Put wide board on the trestles - and you get a table. This is the ancestor of the trestle table, which is perhaps the very first type of table. Since ancient times, its form has been significantly improved, but it remains an easy-to-make collapsible table. Its elementary form remains a panel or sheet of plywood on free-standing trestles. And when the trestles are no longer free-standing, that's when the assembly becomes a table, because they must be connected to each other, to the tabletop, or both. In the table shown here, each half of the trestle consists of a fairly wide stand, embedded at the bottom into the leg, and at the top into the tabletop bracket. The wider the trestles, the better the table resists swaying from side to side. There is a long, massive rod embedded in the racks. The table top is attached with screws to the trestles, and the structure becomes one whole. Although there is enough space for your feet under the tabletop, you should not forget about the footrest so that when sitting at the table you do not get bumps on your shins. Also, the ends of the tabletop should protrude beyond the trestle by 35–45 cm to provide sufficient space for those sitting there. Many trestle tables are designed to be collapsible. Common methods of fastening parts of a collapsible table are shown on the next page.

Design options

Think about the shape of the racks and legs of the goat - the simplest way change the appearance of this table. Several examples are shown here. The original sawhorses were similar to sawhorses, and the X-shape was quite popular in medieval Europe. Pennsylvania Germans and others German settlers brought this form to America, and it is still often found at picnic tables. Today the most common is the H-shape. Shakers (sectarian shakers), who made many trestle tables, usually used graceful legs with “high rise”

The familiar dining table can be expanded with an additional cover board. Then an ordinary table for a family can be enlarged to accommodate guests. At first glance, it may not be noticeable that this is a standard table with a drawstring belt, cut into two parts and reconnected using special runners. The runners can be bought ready-made or made together with the table. Each table cover must be at least 60 cm – optimal location per person sitting.

Design options

The design of an extendable table can vary, as usual, by changing the legs and drawers. The shape of the drawers and tabletops has virtually no effect on general design. If we are talking about a table with drawers, then with the sliding version they work as usual. As the extension range increases, it may be necessary to add an additional leg to support the middle section. And don’t forget about the importance of small details - for example, attaching drawers to the table top

Extendable table on one support

A table with a single support is a basic form of table that has some advantages over a table with a tsar belt. If you need a folding table, do not forget to consider this form. Such a table can easily have a sliding, folding, or hinged lid, which will expand it. The most common option is a sliding lid with an insert section. As shown on the next page, the lid is divided into two and its halves are connected by special sliding runners. Thus, these two lid panels can be pulled apart and inserted between them additional board. What to do with the support is a key question for the master. For the table to be stable, the size of the lid and the support area must be close. In the example shown, the support is vertically divided into two parts, each of which is attached to a corresponding cover panel. When the lid is pulled apart, the support also separates.

Design options

The basic form has a support that separates when the table is extended. This is not the only option. If a relatively small expansion, say 30–40 cm, is acceptable, then the extendable table can be made on a non-dividing support. Another option is to make a table on two supports. A table with a support for each sliding half can expand by 90–120 cm.

When choosing one of the types folding tables one of the most interesting designs is a system with retractable sections. It is easy to make and use. There is nothing unusual about the basic structure of the table. The only difference from the usual underframe made of drawers and legs is the presence of slots in the end drawers. The difference lies on top of the drawer and legs. Instead of attaching the table top to the drawer belt, its side sections, attached to long tapered runners, are laid on the drawer leg assembly. The runners correspond to the slots in the drawers. The existing central board separating the side sections is secured with screws to the frames. The table cover is placed on top of the central board and side sections, but is not firmly secured. When unfolding the table, the side section simply slides out from under the lid. The skids have stops that prevent the section from being pulled out too far. When pulled out, the lid will tilt slightly at first, but when fully unfolded it will be flush with the side section. Since the pull-out sections are part of the design, you won’t have to search through closets and storage rooms for them when you need to lay out the table before guests arrive. You simply pull out a section or two – even if the table is already set.

Design options

The system with retractable sections is compatible with any type of table support, provided that drawers are available. Thus, a trestle table or a two-legged table (as in the figure on the right), equipped with drawers, can have pull-out sections to increase the number seats. However, the system is not well suited for countertops with shapes other than rectilinear. When folded, the side section is retracted under the lid and its edges remain (or should remain) visible. If the shape is different from the shape of the lid, then the table will probably look quite strange when folded. For example, a semicircular side section located under a square or rectangular lid will create a gap between the lid and the drawers.

Double-support table with extensions
sections

A table with a sliding folding lid (tabletop) is relatively rare. Despite its low prevalence, this is an excellent system. The table has one additional section - a duplicate of the “main” lid; this section is connected to the lid using hinges and, when folded, lies on the main section (lid). To unfold the table, the “double” tabletop moves to extreme position(up to half of the underframe), and then the additional section folds back onto the underframe. The upper edges of the drawers should be covered with felt or felt to facilitate the sliding of the lid. Making a sliding mechanism is not difficult. Each runner has a ridge that fits into a groove in its guide. The disadvantage is that during high humidity ridges may jam in grooves. Basic option usually configured as a side table. When unfolded, the edges of the tabletop are quite far from the tabletop, which creates sufficient space for people to sit under the table. The Y-shape of the legs will provide sufficient space for the legs of those sitting at the ends of the table.

Design options

When folded, this table looks like a somewhat strange dining table. To limit the overhang of the tabletop over the underframe (ensuring stability), the size of the base part should be close to the size of the folded tabletop. Therefore, a folding tabletop should be used on a type of table that does not look strange with a small tabletop overhang. Good options for this use include a side table (as a base table), a sofa table (shown here) and other tables and tables special purpose. When folded, these tables can be placed close to the wall. Folding tops are commonly used in traditional card tables, but without a sliding mechanism. Nevertheless sliding mechanism will do here too.

A table with a folding board (or boards) is practically a “generic” name for all tables in which sections of the tabletop are connected to each other by hinges. This is a common species and is present throughout American history. In any style of furniture, from William and Mary style to modern, you will find a table with a folding board. This table has folding boards as part of the design. When not in use, they can be lowered into a vertical position, saving space in the room. There are many ways to keep the folding sections in the raised position. The example shown here uses retractable holders - you lift the board and slide out the support brackets from underneath it (much like drawer). For some other support systems, see a table with swivel frame supports, a table with swivel legs, a book table, and several card tables. The main thing to think about for this type of table is the width of the folding boards, which can be optimally supported by retractable or swivel/hinge arms. Make the folding boards relatively narrow - say, no wider than 38 cm. For wider sections, see options with swivel frame supports or swivel legs. A long folding board, like the example shown here, will require more than one bracket. By the way, this example was produced in the 20th century interesting name, which applies to a relatively long, utilitarian table with hinged tops. This name, which can be translated as “suffering,” creates in consciousness a picture of a decomposed large table", stocked with food for hungry seasonal farm workers during the harvest season. Regardless of what we call it now, the people who sat at such a table in 1840 or 1880 probably called it a clapper table or a folding table.

Design options

If the basic dining table is quite long and relatively narrow, with a rectangular top with sharp corners, then a table with folding boards can be of almost any size, proportions and shape. The table top (table top) may have folding boards of a round or slightly rounded shape. On a shortened or square base, you can install a round, square or oval tabletop. You can round the corners of the folding sections or make their outer edges curved.

Table-book – Russian name table with rotating frame supports, which are hinged to the drawer-leg-leg assembly. The support post is connected to the rotating post by an upper and lower crossbar. The entire support can be rotated so that the raised folding section (board) can be placed on it. The swivel support became the predecessor of the swivel leg. There's a lot in it structural elements, reflecting the state of carpentry in the 16th century when it appeared. But like any well-made frame, it is structurally rigid and makes an excellent support for a folding board. Although the first such tables usually had two frame supports (one for each folding board), there were often tables with one folding board and one swivel support, and it happened the other way around - there were several leviathans with 12 swivel supports. When folded, tables were usually very narrow and saved significant space. A large table with two swivel legs on each folding board can be made so that the legs swivel both towards each other and away from each other. If they turn towards each other, then with the folding boards lowered support posts frames will be located next to the main legs, visually making them more massive. When rotated away from each other, the support posts will be positioned side by side, creating the appearance of a table with six legs. The first tables were usually made in the Baroque style, with a complex turned profile of the legs. However, the example shown is completely modern in style.

Design options

A significant advantage of the book-table is the ability to support very large additional sections. Reliable support under the folding board makes the table very stable even with one section raised. Thus, it is difficult to make a very narrow table with wide folding boards. When folded, the table takes up very little space. When unfolded, it has a huge tabletop

This table can justifiably be called a table with folding boards, but the swivel leg sets it apart from others of its kind. The swivel leg is a descendant of the frame swivel support (see page 158). If the swivel support is attached to the table frame, consisting of a drawer, legs and a leg, then the swivel leg is attached only to the drawer. The result is a lighter appearance. It is the size rather than the assembly of the swivel leg that characterizes this table. The tabletop diameter of only 107 cm will be quite comfortable for four. The swivel leg is used in card tables with small folding tabletops. During the Queen Anne period, a smaller version of the table shown here was called a "breakfast table" and was used both for actual breakfast and for games and tea parties. Larger tables will likely need additional swivel legs to provide better support for the folding boards. Hinge joint - actually wooden hinge– makes the swivel leg feasible. A fancier version than shown here makes the connection look like a metal loop.

Design options

The design of a rotating table leg with folding boards appeared in the first half of the 18th century. Although we chose a Queen Anne style table as the “basic” one, the swivel leg was used in tables different styles. The profile of the leg will generally be an indicator of style. Chippendale style swing leg tables often have cabriole designs, but always with a claw-and-ball finish. Square shaped legs are also used in Chippendale tables. During the federal
Hepplewhite style tables had tapering legs, as shown here, and Sheraton style tables had turned, often embossed, legs.

The unfolded folding boards transform
rectangular table to square

The advantage of a table with a frame swivel support over a table with a swivel leg is the stability created by the additional legs. When the folding boards are raised, they are supported by additional legs. A table with swing legs also has this advantage over a table with swing legs, but also has one advantage over a table with frame swing legs. Like the swing leg table, this table has an additional leg for each folding board. But only a narrow crossbar connects the leg to the table. These crossbars are placed in a cage of two guides installed between the longitudinal drawers, and are pulled out through the cutouts in the drawers. The leg is attached to the crossbars. Raise the folding board, extend the leg and lower the board onto it. You have a leg under the folding board and still have four legs under the stationary table top. This structure can support very wide folding boards.

Design options

Here are two very different tables with extendable legs, each of which has excellent stability thanks to the additional leg (or legs) when unfolded. When the card table is folded and placed against the wall, the additional leg is not noticeable. By unfolding the gaming table and extending the additional leg, you will have support at each corner of the tabletop. Perfect. Extendable legs are also a great addition to a long table with folding boards. If you make two extendable legs for each board, the table will not lose stability when someone leans too hard on it.

The table-chair owes its appearance to medieval practicality. In the Middle Ages, dwellings were small and drafty. Any furniture was expensive, everything was done hand tools. And if a piece of furniture could perform more than one function, well, so much the better. The table-chair is clearly universal. With the lid down it is a table. With the lid raised there is a seat. And as with most universal things, its functionality is far from perfect. With the development of the furniture industry, the table-chair became more advanced in design and elegant in appearance. The product shown here has legs and armrests attached to the sides of the seat with tenon-to-socket joints. The pronounced end of the shoe-shaped legs makes the chair more stable and the armrests more comfortable. The chair even has an under-seat drawer for more sophisticated storage than a box with a lid. The table top is attached with a dovetail mortise.