# DIY: Long Table
When decorating your home, you don't have to relegate yourself to purchasing expensive pieces for every room. You can purchase inexpensive pieces to aid you in building a table. You may also opt to repurpose items you already have around the home to create what looks like pricey furniture. Whether you are putting together a dining room table that comfortably seats 10 of your closest friends or a long coffee table for a family room, the table you create is sure to be conversation piece of which you can be proud.
Things You'll Need
- Skill saw
- Measuring tape
- 4 2-inch by 4-inch pieces of wood
- 3 1-inch by 4-inch pieces of wood
- 4 4-inch by 4-inch posts
- 1-inch screws
- 24 L-brackets
- Sandpaper
- Wood stain
- Aluminum ceiling tiles
- Nail glue
- 1-inch by 1-inch pieces of wood
- Liquid epoxy
- Clamps
Instructions
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The Table Legs
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1
Measure the length of your table. Cut two 2-inch by 4-inch pieces of wood 9 inches shorter than the length of the table. Cut the ends at 45-degree angles. Repeat this process for the width of the table with two more 2-inch by 4-inch boards.
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2
Stain the four 2-inch by 4-inch pieces of wood in a hue that either matches or complements your tabletop.
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3
Fit the angled ends of one of your wood pieces together to form a rectangle. Clamp them together. Screw the corners together with a screw gun and remove the clamps.
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4
Cut four legs from 4-inch by 4-inch wood posts in 29-inch lengths for a dining table or 12- to 16-inch lengths for a coffee table. Stain the legs to match the rest of the table.
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5
Fit the legs snugly just inside the corners of the frame. Screw them into the framed angles.
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6
Cut three pieces of 1-inch by 4-inch wood that will fit between the width of the frame. Screw one piece inside the center of the frame and the other two pieces 18 inches from each end to create a secure base for your long table.
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7
Attach the legs to the underside of the table with L-brackets and 1-inch screws. Screw three L-brackets inside the shorter ends of the frame and five L-brackets inside the longer ends. Screw the other ends of the brackets to the table.
The Tabletop
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8
Turn paneled doors into decorative tables. Purchase an unfinished panel door with four to six panels. You may opt to repurpose one from your own home.
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9
Sand the door. Stain the door the color of your choice and allow it to dry for at least 24 hours.
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10
Cut aluminum ceiling tiles to the exact width and length as the raised center panels in the door. Make sure they don't hang over the shallow panel lip. Affix the tiles to the panels with nail glue and allow them to dry for two hours.
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11
Create a frame with 1-inch by 1-inch pieces of wood to encompass the door. Secure the frame around the outer edges of the door with L-brackets that you screw into the underside of the door and the outside of the wood framing every 12 inches.
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12
Pour liquid epoxy resin, which can be purchased at most home improvement stores, over the door until it just reaches the top of the wood frame. Diligently wipe away any resin that manages to seep between the frame and the side of your table. This is a tedious process that requires you to be on hand until it sets. Allow the resin to dry for 24 hours. Once the resin is completely dry, carefully unscrew the L-brackets, removing the wood framing to reveal the smooth finish on your new table.
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