Since we moved to a new house, there have been so many projects that need my attention. One of them was to get a round dining kitchen table to change our temporary monstrosity from a friend. Iβm obsessed with the look of this modern round kitchen table, but not so obsessed with the price. So I decided to make an easy round kitchen table myself.
There are a lot of options on how to make one. I loved what Lone Fox did in his kitchen nook and that he used 1 Β½β dowels to create the base. But I had a few reservations about that build - first, it doesnβt look structurally correct. Second, I had trouble finding dowels.
Related:
- DIY modern dining table and watch me make it here
I know, who wouldβve thought that dowels become such a commodity? I loved how Bourbon Moss made his table. It looks structurally correct and very neat and gorgeous. But! I had trouble finding half-dowels, either, and couldn't figure out how to cut it in half length-wise.
So I came up with a solution that suited my eye and the materials available - I used a poll wrap instead of dowels to create this easy round kitchen table.
And can I tell you? Iβm in love! And it only cost me around $100.
It was such an easy build. I was done in less than 2 hours. It was hassle-free, and it looks fabulous if you ask me!
I wanted to make a smaller table, to be able to put chairs on both sides, but you can read about it later when I finish this kitchen nook makeover.
Materials:
Tools:
Instructions on how to make an easy round kitchen table
1. Build a base. Attach top round
To make this round table structurally sound, you must make a stable base. Perhaps, there are other ways to do it, but I thought if I made the base from plywood to make a drum, it would stand the test of time.
On a table saw, precut twelve 3x27β Strips. ( I asked at the home improvement store to cut plywood precisely at 27β and had only to rip the strips on my table saw)
Take both 14β rounds and draw 12 lines on both of them - this will make the assembly easier later. I made them short, but I recommend drawing them through both rounds.
Using wood glue and a brad nail gun, start attaching the round to the strips. It will be tricky for the first few, so if you have a pair of helping hands, I will use them. Attach the second strip across the first one to stabilize it. But donβt expect it to be free-standing yet.
Slowly make your way around, attaching all 12 strips. I used three brad nails on each of them. Make sure to align them with the marks you made on the round.
Note: Keep your fingers away when you use a brad nailer from the top. An obvious thing to some, but I had an accident with a brad nailer before, so now Iβm extra careful.
2. Building a base. Bottom round
It will fill wobbly before you add another round on the bottom, so donβt get discouraged.
Flip your structure around and attach another 14β round from the top. Make sure you align previous marks. Also, check for squares to make sure your strips are standing straight.
Donβt forget to use wood glue! Wood glue essentially holds it together. Brad nails are only there to secure it.
And the base is ready! Moving on to the next step!
PIN IT FOR LATER
3. Adding a wrapping pole
You can wait for the base to dry. But who has time for that? It was very stable, so I decided to continue my project, thinking it would dry later.
Measure the exact distance from the bottom to the top. It supposes to be 29β if you do everything correctly.
Take the wrapping pole, mark where you need to cut, and cut on a miter saw. Use masking tape to prevent a tear-out. 96x16β wrapping poll would give you three parts.
The last part will be a bit wider but donβt rush to cut it. Attach the two first, then measure where exactly you need to cut.
4. Attach a wrapping pole to the base of this easy round kitchen table
Use a good amount of glue and spread it Iβll over the edge of the strips and the rounds.
Youβd need to use brad nails to keep it in place. I recommend adding it on the top and the bottom. It could be filled with wood filler and sanded later. But those brad nails are so tiny. You canβt even see them from a distance. Or maybe Iβm going blind lol
When attaching the wrapping pole, I recommend starting from one side and moving to another instead of nailing the ends first. This will ensure that itβs not βbubbling upβ and that everything is flush and secure.
Work your way around the drum base. When you get to the last piece of wrapping pole, measure it and cut to width using a sharp knife.
5. Attach the kitchen tabletop
To attach the top, I used wood glue only. You can use small hinges, like this one, but I think wood glue should do for now.
If it wonβt work and my kids break it, I can always add those little brackets - they will be so close to the base that they won't be too visible.
6. Add the bottom base
After I finished the table, it looked not complete without the base. So I got a 15" pine round to attach on the bottom.
7. Finish as desired
Since the top and the base are made from different materials - the top is pine, and the base is red oak, I had to find a way to match the top with the bottom. I tried to stain the top with weathered oak but wasn't satisfied with the result, so I used a natural finish instead. I'm thinking of going dark in the future, but for now, I think it looks lovely.
You can take this project to a different level and make the top from red oak, but since kids will be using this table every day, itβs better to make it from cheaper material and change it later. We all saw on Instagram what happened to the dining table over the years. So nope, no more expensive wood for my little kids.
I used water-based poly by Minwax in my project and was very happy with the result.
Watch the full video on how I made this round table on YouTube
What do you think of this easy kitchen dining table build? I think itβs so easy and fast to make, and looks fabulous! Now, onto the following projects for the kitchen nook transformation!
xoxo,
April
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