This handy C-table is the perfect companion for many different living areas. Use it as a laptop table, a snack table or even as a bedside table in a dorm room. The unique function of this table is that it can be folded down when not in use.
The idea for this table was born out of necessity. We had a similar table in our media room which was great for a hard tabletop surface, but only sometimes. When we all watch tv as a family we prefer to use a small ottoman in the middle of the sectional, but then we were stuck with an extra piece of furniture cluttering the space.
While the shell of the table is a simple build, it is the moving parts that take a bit of coordination. With the addition of swing out supports and peg/hole connection the table becomes quite sturdy and stable.
**Exclusive Feature**:
Click here to download Paper Daisy Design's blueprints for this How-To!
1. Review building plans and begin by cutting the shell of the table; top, side and bottom and hinge pieces from plywood.
With all your table pieces cut, it's a good idea to do a dry run of your boards. This is how the pieces fit together flat.
2. Drill pocket holes to attach sides to top and to bottom hinge pieces.
3. Trace the length and width of the hinge onto the connecting boards.Using a router, cut out the depth of the hinge about 1/4 of an inch from hinge boards and where the top and bottom boards meet the hinge boards. This will allow the boards to fold flat at the hinge.
Tip: You can use the depth guide to determine the exact depth of the hinge.
Once the pieces are cut they come together and it will look like this.
4. For ease in creating the slotted channels (dados) for the leg supports to slide in, it is helpful to build a simple router jig.
5. The exact width of your router becomes the distance between the two raised boards on your jig.
6. Using a 1/2" router bit, cut a channel that is 14" long. Then place the jig on top of the bottom and top boards and make two dado cuts on each board, 1/4" from the outside edges.
7. Be very careful that your top and bottom dado cuts line up perfectly.
9. To find the perfect length of the support legs, assemble table with hinges.
10. The table legs should be about 24 inches . For a more finished look, cut from the 1/2" x 2"x 36" oak boards. The length of the legs should be the measurement from top to bottom, plus the depth of the dado grooves on the top and bottom. To reduce the play in the bend, we also added about an 1/8 inch to the final measurement.
11. Once your legs are cut, use the leftover pieces from the 2" oak boards to create 2 angled supports that will stabilize the hinged boards. Cut them on a 45 degree angle with the long edge being about 10" and the short edge at 7 1/4". Because this needs to be an accurate measurement, check your table for alignment before cutting.
12. Once supports are cut, dry fit and pre-drill holes for the hinges on both the sides of the boards and the angle supports. The screws for these hinges will likely need to be hand tightened due to their small size.
13. Slide the legs into the table, find the center of where the leg support and angle support meet. Make a mark for a hole for the peg to go through. You will do this once for the top and then for the bottom, on opposites sides. (This photo is from finished project.)
14. Clamp angled piece and the leg and then move and clamp both to a work table.
15. Drill the holes with increasing sized drill bits. Be sure to use a 1/2" paddle bit or a Forstner bit (not shown) before you move to the the final 1/2" drill bit. This will help prevent the wood from splitting.
16. You will need to use the 1/2" bit to slightly increase the diameter of the hole for the dowel peg to slide through easily.
17. Using a miter saw, cut the dowels to 2".
18. Stain and finish all the table pieces. To create the pattern on the side of the table as shown in the tutorial, lay out triangles with painters tape. Stain one side at a time with a darker stain, moving the tape as necessary. To prevent stain from bleeding a gel stain is recommended. Also, use a rag for application and only spread the stain in one direction.
19. When your table is complete and you are ready to fold the table, remove peg/dowel from holes and swing the angled supports into the table. Fold top down and store the dowels neatly in the dados created for the legs.
20. Fold top down and store as needed. **Exclusive Feature**: Click here to download Paper Daisy Design's blueprints for this How-To!
This handy C-table is the perfect companion for many different living areas. Use it as a laptop table, a snack table or even as a bedside table in a dorm room. The unique function of this table is that it can be folded down when not in use. The idea for this table was born out of necessity. We had a similar table in our media room which was great for a hard tabletop surface, but only sometimes. When we all watch tv as a family we prefer to use a small ottoman in the middle of the sectional, but then we were stuck with an extra piece of furniture cluttering the space. While the shell of the table is a simple build, it is the moving parts that take a bit of coordination. With the addition of swing out supports and peg/hole connection the table becomes quite sturdy and stable. **Exclusive Feature**: <a href="http://eff5c75290b0e498bfcc-cdb2fd2cc8e016557784fa363a2704b5.r93.cf1.rackcdn.com/pdf/foldlingctabledoc.pdf" target="_blank">Click here to download Paper Daisy Design's blueprints for this How-To! </a>
1. Review building plans and begin by cutting the shell of the table; top, side and bottom and hinge pieces from plywood.
With all your table pieces cut, it's a good idea to do a dry run of your boards. This is how the pieces fit together flat.
2. Drill pocket holes to attach sides to top and to bottom hinge pieces.
3. Trace the length and width of the hinge onto the connecting boards.Using a router, cut out the depth of the hinge about 1/4 of an inch from hinge boards and where the top and bottom boards meet the hinge boards. This will allow the boards to fold flat at the hinge.
Tip: You can use the depth guide to determine the exact depth of the hinge.
Once the pieces are cut they come together and it will look like this.
4. For ease in creating the slotted channels (dados) for the leg supports to slide in, it is helpful to build a simple router jig.
5. The exact width of your router becomes the distance between the two raised boards on your jig.
6. Using a 1/2" router bit, cut a channel that is 14" long. Then place the jig on top of the bottom and top boards and make two dado cuts on each board, 1/4" from the outside edges.
7. Be very careful that your top and bottom dado cuts line up perfectly.
9. To find the perfect length of the support legs, assemble table with hinges.
10. The table legs should be about 24 inches . For a more finished look, cut from the 1/2" x 2"x 36" oak boards. The length of the legs should be the measurement from top to bottom, plus the depth of the dado grooves on the top and bottom. To reduce the play in the bend, we also added about an 1/8 inch to the final measurement.
11. Once your legs are cut, use the leftover pieces from the 2" oak boards to create 2 angled supports that will stabilize the hinged boards. Cut them on a 45 degree angle with the long edge being about 10" and the short edge at 7 1/4". Because this needs to be an accurate measurement, check your table for alignment before cutting.
12. Once supports are cut, dry fit and pre-drill holes for the hinges on both the sides of the boards and the angle supports. The screws for these hinges will likely need to be hand tightened due to their small size.
13. Slide the legs into the table, find the center of where the leg support and angle support meet. Make a mark for a hole for the peg to go through. You will do this once for the top and then for the bottom, on opposites sides. (This photo is from finished project.)
14. Clamp angled piece and the leg and then move and clamp both to a work table.
15. Drill the holes with increasing sized drill bits. Be sure to use a 1/2" paddle bit or a Forstner bit (not shown) before you move to the the final 1/2" drill bit. This will help prevent the wood from splitting.
16. You will need to use the 1/2" bit to slightly increase the diameter of the hole for the dowel peg to slide through easily.
17. Using a miter saw, cut the dowels to 2".
18. Stain and finish all the table pieces. To create the pattern on the side of the table as shown in the tutorial, lay out triangles with painters tape. Stain one side at a time with a darker stain, moving the tape as necessary. To prevent stain from bleeding a gel stain is recommended. Also, use a rag for application and only spread the stain in one direction.
19. When your table is complete and you are ready to fold the table, remove peg/dowel from holes and swing the angled supports into the table. Fold top down and store the dowels neatly in the dados created for the legs.
20. Fold top down and store as needed. **Exclusive Feature**: Click here to download Paper Daisy Design's blueprints for this How-To!
