Ideas For How to Make a Table Base

Shiny new tables come with steep price tags. Skip the high prices by making your own table base. You don't have to be an expert craftsman with construction skills. All you need is a little creativity and a few ideas for an interesting, efficient and cost-effective table base. Does this Spark an idea?

What to Look For

The idea for a table base is to use something sturdy and interesting as the base for a glass top. This works well for a coffee table as well as a dining table. The base should be about 30 inches high for a dining table or 20 inches high for a coffee table, and strong enough to support a heavy piece of glass. Buy the glass top at any large hardware store. Take the measurements of your base and ask the store workers to cut the glass top to the dimensions you need. The glass should be at least a 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.

Think Industrial

Large metal crates and barrels work well for table bases, as do plastic and wooden crates, such as wine crates or milk crates. Clean them and use them as-is for a realistic look, or refinish the items by painting them or sandblasting them for a more modern look. Lash small crates together with plastic zip ties. Large wooden spools for industrial cables are also stable table bases. Call your telephone or cable company or local hardware store to see if they sell them or give them away.

Think Nature

Large items from nature make affordable table bases. Take a large piece of driftwood for an elegant, nature-inspired look. Look at professionally made driftwood table bases online for inspirations for your table, then haul the wood to a hardware store and ask the workers to level the top of the driftwood for your glass top. Several large logs also make a sturdy table base. Again, have these cut professionally to ensure a flat surface for your table.

Think Antiques

You likely have large items around your home that would make ideal table bases. An antique steamer trunk, an old wheel barrow and a toy chest would all be candidates for coffee tables. For dining-table bases, try a pair of small bookshelves or chests of drawers. Place them back to back, and keep the books or drawers on them for a cute look. Any item that's the right height with a flat top becomes an instant dining-table base, as long as it can support the glass size you desire.