Building the Table

6. Assemble the frame. Make a rectangular frame with the four plywood side pieces so that the mitered edges abut. Start at one corner and glue two pieces together. Use a carpenter's square to make sure the sides are perfectly perpendicular. Have someone hold the pieces while you drive in four finishing nails. Repeat for the other three corners. Once all of the corners are glued and nailed, clamp each to let it dry for 24 hours.

7. Add corner supports. Glue a small wood triangle to each inside corner of the table, so the support is flush with the top edge of the frame.

8. Add caster-block supports. Glue each of the larger wood triangles into the corners of the table so they are flush with the bottom of the table. Clamp the supports until the glue is dry.

9. Add the top supports. Glue the six top-support cleats to the inside edges of the table, flush with the top. You'll need two on each of the longer sides, spaced equidistant from each other, and one on each of the shorter sides, approximately midway between the corners. Screw each cleat into the side with two flathead screws.

10. Let all glue dry.

 

Photo 2: Finished centerpiece opening.

11. Cut out space for centerpiece. Set the centerpiece (or pieces) on the tabletop in desired location, and trace around the bottom(or bottoms) with the pencil. This pencil mark will guide you when you cut the hole for your centerpiece. Drill a pilot hole, then cut out the marked section with a jigsaw. (See Photo 2 for a look at the finished results.) A tip: Cut from the bottom of the plywood, not starting from the side that will show. If your container slants, you may have to make the hole bigger. Use a rasp or file to smooth the edges.

12. Complete the top of the table. Glue the 3/4-inch finishing strips around the edges of the tabletop. (Clamping is not necessary.) You may want to add several finishing nails for a tight fit. These strips will hide any roughness and make it appear that your table is solid wood. Let dry.

13. Attach the caster blocks to the caster supports. Set each block on the support so that the block overlaps the two sides of the table by 1/8 inch or so but doesn't stick out past the sides. Then secure blocks with four 1-1/2-inch screws.

14. Attach one caster to each block using 1-inch screws.

 

Photo 3: Attaching the tabletop.

15. Attach the top to the frame. Place the tabletop upside down on a workbench or floor (lay down a tarp so the tabletop doesn't get scratched). Set the table base over the tabletop, carefully lining up the edges. Countersink a 1-1/4-inch flathead screw through a corner support into the tabletop without going through to the top. Repeat this with each corner support and twice with each top-support cleat (see Photo 3).

16. Sand, stain, and seal. Use 150-grit sandpaper to smooth the wood. Wipe with a rag to remove the dust. Apply the stain with a clean rag, which lets you really rub the color into the wood. As soon as you've achieved the shade you want, seal the color with two or three coats of water-repellent polyurethane, letting it dry between coats.

17. Drop your centerpiece into place and wheel your new coffee table into position.