Round and Round We Go–The Story of my DIY Coffee Table

August 31, 2015

I have to tell you about this blog I happened to find and LOVE!  I saw a post she made on Hometalk about her living room transformation and I was amazed, so I snooped around on her blog and saw her home tour and immediately decided to follow her.  The website is seekinglavenderlane.com.  CHECK.  IT.  OUT.

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I know, this post is about a coffee table.  Get to the point, Shara!!!  So while I was “touring her home,” I caught a glimpse of this coffee table painted like a clock and it was adorable!   I decided I wanted one…which I do often ha!  She had a post about how she turned her dining table into a super cute clock coffee table.  Check it out here.

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But, instead of buying an existing table to paint like a clock, I wanted to make my own.  Go figure.  But, I didn’t know exactly how I wanted to make it.

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I remembered that I had seen in a Pier 1 magazine MONTHS ago this super cool table base that was like two big Xs attached perpendicular (remember that geometry stuff?) to each other.  I liked it, but the price tag was $100 and I was busy with other things, so I never tried to make my own…Until I found this tutorial.   AND, now I had a reason to make one.  The bad news is that this plan made the table too tall and too narrow for my coffee table.   Thanks to my sweet geometry skills, I was able to modify the plans to fit my needs.  Let’s be honest, even someone with a BS in math can sometimes forget that the angles of a triangle must sum to 180, right.  No? Oh….

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Note: This post contains affiliate links.  Please see disclosure policy for more details.  As always, though I may receive a small commission if you purchase a product I link to, I only link to products that I highly recommend or personally use myself.

So, for this table you will need:

(2) 2x4x8 boards

(3) 2x8x8 boards (or if you can get one 10 ft and one 8 ft that would be fine–you just need five pieces of 3 ft board)

2 1/2″ pocket hole screws

Pocket hole plugs

Wood glue

Clamps

Miter Saw

Drill

Router

Obviously, measuring tape, pencil, and level will all come in handy as well 🙂

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I adjusted the angles and measurements to make the table be about 18-19″ tall, and about 30″ wide.  (I made the top 34″ diameter.) I basically cut to fit here–no special calculations were used.  I changed all the 50 degrees in the plan to 40 and all the 40 to 50.  This made the table “fatter” and shorter.  But then I also had to adjust the lengths.  All the pieces I just laid out and cut to size.  Once you cut the one long piece to be 18″ tall, it’s easy to cut to fit all the other pieces.  (If you’d like exact measurements of my table base, please contact me.)  I used my Kreg Jig and pocket hole screws to attach the pieces like the plan says.  I used pocket hole plugs to cover the holes.

 

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I cut 5 pieces of 2×8 board at 3 ft long.  I ran them through the table saw to get a nice square edge.  Then, I glued the boards together and made sure the top was as flat as possible.  I use my Pony pipe clamps when gluing up a table top.  Just make sure to buy a 3/4″ pipe that is long enough to reach the entire width of the table top you are gluing.

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The next day, once the glue was good and dry, I made a jig to use for my jigsaw to cut a perfect circle.  BUT, the wood was too thick and the blade kept bending and popping out.  I literally cut about two inches.  Awesome.  You know nothing ever goes as planned, right? So then I called my dad. PS A jig saw would probably have worked if I hadn’t used a jig for it.  If I had freehanded, it would have cut.  I’m just not good freehanding with a jig saw and I wanted the circle to be nice and round.

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Good ole dad came over the next Sunday afternoon and we set up a jig to cut the circle with a router.  We found the exact center of the table top and used a drill bit drilled bit to hold the jig in place.  The jig was made out of a 1×4 attached to a little box that the router sat in.  We measured from the router bit out 17″ and drilled a hole into the 1×4 at that point.  This will give us a table top of 2×17″=34″ diameter.

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I would have done this myself, but dad wont teach me how to use the router yet, so every time I need it, he has to come over.  I can’t figure out if he just likes to come over and help do it for me, or if he just keeps forgetting to show me the steps while he does it.  Either way, we got it done.  Dad loves it when I put his picture on the internet 🙂

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After a few hours of sanding the top and edges, I drilled pocket holes in the top of the four legs of the base and used them to attach the top.  Once the screws were in, I used plugs to plug the holes.  Then, it was ready to finish.  I stained the entire table with Minwax Provincial stain and once it was dry,  I dry brushed some white paint on the top.  Once the paint was dry, I gave it a light sanding to scuff it up a little.

 

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The edges (even after sanding for forever) were not 100% smooth, but I wasn’t going for “perfect.”    I brought it in the house and started looking through my stencils.  Let’s just say it took me FOUR DAYS to finally get the stupid Roman numerals on the table.  Long story…

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I didn’t have any stencils the right font and size, so I got on Pinterest and found this tutorial for using paper and ink to transfer the numbers. After printing it several times–which is what took me four days (helpful hint, make sure to MIRROR your lettering before printing and make sure you are using INK and not toner), I finally gave it a shot.

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Once, I got the numbers on the table, I.  Loved.  It.

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I added a coat of polycrylic on top because the ink from the letters was wiping off on my hand if I touched it.  The poly sealed it in and prevents it from wiping off.  After all the work you put into getting those letter on, you want to make sure they are sealed in!

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

 

Did you notice the cute blanket ladder in the background?  That’s what I made when I got mad my jigsaw wouldn’t cut this table top and didn’t have anything else to make in the meantime, but I had an itching to make something. That worked out well, I think 🙂  I just need to buy some blankets ha!

 

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

 

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

 

There’s Danny enjoying a cat video on his iPad.  I had to sneak him in here somehow.

 

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

So what do you think?  Is that cute or what?  Best part about it? I made it myself (with help from dad).  Second best part? Total cost: about $20-$25 in lumber and a little frustration.  Third best part: Now my sister wants one, too….that and a fake fireplace for her living room.  Looks like I will be busy for a while.

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Don’t forget to pin for later!  Until then, happy building!

You can make this adorable DIY coffee table for about $25 and a little time in the shop!--Woodshop Diaries

Written by

Shara is a math nerd with a passion for corny jokes, coffee, power tools, and building things in the woodshop.

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35 Comment

  1. Amy
    August 31, 2015 at 7:34 am

    LOVE your coffee table!!

    1. Shara
      September 1, 2015 at 11:48 am

      Thank you so much!

  2. Ashley
    September 1, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Your table looks great! I Love the finish! When I first saw the top (the side view), I thought it was concrete! 🙂

    1. Shara
      September 1, 2015 at 11:47 am

      Thank you! Now that you mention it, it kind of does look like concrete haha!

  3. Judy
    September 1, 2015 at 3:46 pm

    This table <3 !

    1. Shara
      September 1, 2015 at 5:12 pm

      Thank you!

  4. Sarah T.
    September 5, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    Can you post the measurements/angles you ended up using to make the bottom?

    1. Shara, Chasing A Dream
      September 5, 2015 at 1:49 pm

      Thank you for reading! I have added some instructions on how I modified the plans. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you try these. I apologize, I didn’t measure the pieces before I put them together, but I am pretty sure the measurements I listed are correct.

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  6. Christie
    September 13, 2015 at 11:28 am

    love this 🙂

    1. Shara, Chasing A Dream
      September 13, 2015 at 1:15 pm

      Thank you so much!

  7. jdle1203
    October 19, 2015 at 6:39 pm

    Looooooove this Table!!!! So Beautiful!!! Is there anyway u can modify the base for me? 🙂 If you can, please email me @ [email protected]

  8. jdle1203
    October 19, 2015 at 6:56 pm

    Loooooove this Table!!! So Beautiful!! Is there any way you can help me with modifying the base? 🙂 if so, can u email me at :
    [email protected]
    Thank you!!!!!

    1. Shara, Chasing A Dream
      October 22, 2015 at 2:31 pm

      Thank you! I have sent you an email. Please let me know if you do not receive it!

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  10. Kiri
    February 18, 2016 at 5:08 am

    Hello from Australia. Shara
    I love how your coffee table turned out, it’s awesome! I’m trying to attempt my first ever project with a pocket hole jig to make the legs just like this one. I already have a round glass top 90 cm ( 35.43 inches) diameter, so it’s pretty close to what you have here. I was hoping if you would share the sizes and angles you used to come up with the legs. I’m aiming for the height of the table to be around 45 cms. My email is [email protected]
    Thanks heaps,
    Kiri

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  17. Julie
    March 11, 2016 at 4:48 am

    This is lovely, really lovely. I’m positive your Dad just likes coming over to help – of course he does, why wouldn’t he, especially when he can see what lovely things you make with his assistance. (over use of the word lovely – sorry!)

    1. Shara, Chasing A Dream
      March 11, 2016 at 10:18 am

      Thank you! I appreciate your overuse of the word “lovely” 🙂 I think he likes to come over and help with projects, too, but he likes to pretend he doesn’t 😉 Dads are so funny.

  18. Katie
    March 20, 2016 at 10:08 pm

    I pinned your twisty table on Pinterest awhile ago and knew I needed two for our bedroom end tables. Upon further digging, I love your designs! This coffee table is awesome and I need one for myself! My husband recently purchased a table saw and router and I can’t wait to get going! Thanks for the inspiration!!

    1. Shara, Chasing A Dream
      March 21, 2016 at 8:39 am

      Awesome to hear! I am so glad you have enjoyed some of my projects and that I was able to inspire you! Good luck with your projects! I would love to see them when you get finished!

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  23. Theresa
    July 7, 2016 at 8:59 pm

    I love this table. I don’t see any measurements for the base. You do beautiful work and you are so creative. The top looked like concrete when I first saw it.

    1. Shara, Woodshop Diaries
      July 8, 2016 at 9:21 am

      I did not list exact measurements for the base, but if you would like them, I would be glad to provide them to you! Feel free to contact me if you need them! Thank you so much!

  24. Ruth
    January 18, 2017 at 8:10 pm

    This is awesome! I am going to build one like this for our kitchen. Love it and thanks for sharing!

    1. Shara, Woodshop Diaries
      January 19, 2017 at 8:09 am

      Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the post 🙂

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