Scrap Plywood Coffee Table
Introduction: Scrap Plywood Coffee Table
This coffee table is made from scrap plywood leftover from another project. It was a fun project and fairly easy to build.
Supplies
* various pieces of scrap wood [or you could use one sheet of 1/2" or 3/4" birch plywood)
* [1x] bottle of wood glue
* [4x] 16" hairpin legs
* 1" wood screws for legs [16x]
* [1x) polyurethane
* Table Saw
* Miter Saw
* Router
* Router Circle Jig
* Palm Sander
* Sand Paper (80, 120 & 220 grit)
* Tack Cloth
* Power Drill
Step 1: Gather Scrap Pieces
Depending on the final size of your table you will need several strips for the glue up. After sorting through various pieces I ended up using about 45-50 strips of scrap wood to make a table that was 25" in diameter.
Step 2: Cut to Length
I cut the pieces roughly about 30" in length. This gave me a few inches to work with in case I messed up cutting the circle. If you want your table to be bigger than 25" in diameter then cut the pieces longer and add a few more strips to your glue up.
Step 3: Cut to Width
Using a table saw, cut the strips to a width of 2". Your table's thickness can be more or less, but I felt 2" would give me a hearty look.
Step 4: Glue Up
Layout the strips in the order you want and apply glue evenly. Do a few strips at a time to get started so it makes it easier to glue bigger sections once you get to the end. Let the glue dry.
Step 5: Find the Center Point
There are a couple of ways to find the center point, but for this project I just measured the length and width of table top and adjusted according to how much room I had available. 415
At my shortest points I was just shy of 13" from center. This gave me some room to play with as I cut and ended up being about 12.5" from center giving me a diameter of 25".
Step 6: Cut Out the Table
There are several methods to cutting out a circle on a project (jig saw, table saw, router, etc.). Whatever you use I would recommend having some guide to help you. I used a router with a circle jig which made it very easy. Remember to prop up your piece on a few boards underneath and the start with a few shallow passes. Continue making passes and lowering the bit until excess is trimmed off.
Step 7: Sand and Finish
Using a palm sander I started with 80 grit and worked my way up to 220 grit. After I finished sanding I used a tack cloth and shop vac to remove all the dust.
I had some leftover Polyx-Oil leftover from another project and applied 3 coats (giving it time to dry in between each coat). There are numerous protective finishes you can use on a project like this, so just use what is available to you and follow their directions.
Step 8: Add the Legs
I picked up these hairpin legs at my local Home Improvement store. Since it was a smaller table I was originally going to only add 3 legs, but felt 4 made it more sturdy.
I measured about an inch in from the side of the table to corner of the legs and just measured the the space between them until they were even and then screwed them in.
Step 9: Final Product
I hope you enjoy the build as much as I did. 599