How to Bevel a Wooden Table

Beveled edges add a decorative element to wooden furniture. You can bevel the edges of a wooden tabletop to add detail to the project. A bevel is often called a chamfer by woodworkers and is made using a router equipped with a chamfer bit. It is important to take your time when you are routing a woodworking project, such as the edges of a wooden tabletop, to avoid damaging the project. Practice edge routing a bevel on a scrap piece of wood before you rout your project material.

Router
1/2-inch chamfer bit
Sanding pad, fine-grit

Instructions

- 1
  Rest the router on a work surface. Insert the 1/2-inch chamfer bit into the router. Tighten the bit in the router using the router’s chuck key.
- 2
  Adjust the depth on the router until the profile of the bit is showing above the base of the router and tighten the depth adjustment knob.
- 3
  Turn the router on and guide the router into the wood at one corner. Move the router into the edge of the tabletop until the bearing on the bottom of the bit meets the edge of the tabletop.
- 4
  Guide the router around the edge of the tabletop in a counter-clockwise direction while keeping the base of the router flush against the tabletop. Move the router just fast enough to allow the bit to cut the beveled edge into the edges of the table top. Remove the router from the tabletop once the edge is completely beveled. Turn off the router.
- 5
  Sand the beveled edge of the table with a fine-grit sanding pad in the same direction as the wood grain until it is completely smooth.

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