How to Make a Coffee Table on a Budget

The lowly coffee table -- you don't realize just how much you use it until you don't have it. A truly all-purpose piece of furniture, the coffee table serves as a foot rest, snack table, homework desk, game table, kids' craft table and, of course, a place to rest a cup of coffee. If you would like to add a coffee table to your den or living room but are on a tight budget, you can make one out of recycled or inexpensive materials. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Find a tabletop. Old doors work well as coffee tabletops, as do shutters, salvaged countertop sections and cabinet doors. Get creative and rethink everyday items. For example, a surfboard would make a unique and exciting tabletop, as would a pickup truck tailgate. Or remove the legs from an old foosball table, and place a piece of plexiglass over the top.

2

Find a table base. Anything sturdy and relatively heavy works well if it is the right size and height. Consider using a large flower pot or garden urn, an old toy box, a half-whiskey barrel, a tree stump, an electrical cord spool, an old bench, a large aquarium or even an old coffee table whose top has seen better days.

3

Take stock of your table and base. On one hand, you may want to make the two pieces look as cohesive as possible by painting the top and the base the same color. On the other hand, contrasting pieces can work well together. For example, if you have an old door with layers of faded, peeling paint, try pairing it with a sleek metal base, such as a silvery aluminum watering trough or planter box.

4

Determine the best way to join the two pieces. If both pieces are wooden, such as an old door and a toy chest, join them with L-brackets screwed into the wood on the underside of the table top and the base. If you're using a drill and screws, make sure you don't go all the way through the tabletop. All-purpose adhesive works well on other materials.

5

Add any finishing touches, such as filling drilled holes with spackle, sanding uneven patches and touching up any areas that need it with paint or stain. Clean up excess adhesive. Check the table for sturdiness. For example, make sure that one end of the tabletop will not fly up if someone uses the other end as a foot rest. Dust or wipe down your table with a clean, soft cloth.