How to Make a Retro Diner Table

Gather your supplies. Find the supplies you need at hardware and home stores, salvage yards, or by using pieces of old furniture, or recycling other stuff. You can also find the necessities online. See the Resources section below for a link.

Hook up the top of the table top. Saw your wood to the desired size. Cut your linoleum sheet to fully cover the wood base. Apply the glue between the linoleum and wood base, pressing down evenly and firmly. Clamp the linoleum to the base or press it by placing a heavy, even object on it until the glue dries.

Install your border. Get a thin, aluminum border from the hardware or home store and secure it around the border of your table. Add a quality glue, according to package directions, and follow that up by adding a series of small screws around the border to keep it in place.

Secure the base. Flip your table top upside down, add a dab of glue and then screw the base into place. Make sure that the screws you choose are not long enough to poke through the top of your table. Otherwise, you'll just ruin the whole project and end up with another hunk of junk in your garage.

Add accessories. If you want to add even more to the groovy, retro feel of the table, get yourself the proper accessories. These include a pair of vinyl seated, metal chairs, a wire napkin and salt and pepper shaker holder, and retro place mats. Find all this stuff by scouring thrift shops and yard sales. You can also find everything from retro posters to clocks at the retro store listed in the Resources section below.