Sofa Table Plan from take the side street

Material list: 1 sheet 3/4" MDF (4'x8')

2 - 1x2, 6-ft long

4 - 1x3, 8-ft long

2-inch nails for your nailer (I used an 18-gauge brad nailer)

1 1/4" nails for nailer (for the trim)

wood glue

Note: If you buy 1x2 and 1x3s that have the sharp corners

it's going to be easier to hide any seams. I think these boards

were a higher grade and cost a bit more than the ones I've

used before with the rounded corners, but it's going to make

a nicer finished product. I think it was definitely worth the

extra cost.

Cut list: 1 - 62" x 15", MDF - top

2 - 56.5" x 12", MDF - interior shelf & base

3 - 9.5" x 12", MDF - small cubby dividers

3 - 14" x 12", MDF - large cubby dividers

2 - 25" x 12", MDF - table sides

4 - 1x2 x 28" (If you want your legs an inch or two longer I think it would be fine)

4 - 1x3 x 28" (again, make these longer if you want your legs longer)

4 - 1x3 x 54.5"

4 - 1x3 x 9"

Note: Each 8' long 1x3 will give you a 28-inch, 54.5-inch and 9-inch piece.

Take the Side Street Sofa Table Plans — PAGE 1

www.takethesidestreet.com

I'm including a diagram I made of how I had my brother-in-law cut the MDF (remember how I'm

afraid of table saws?) -- we got all the needed MDF from one sheet, but it was close in a couple

spots (remember, each sheet is actually 49" x 97" inches so you do have a teensy bit of room for saw

cuts). Use your own discretion and be smart!

Instructions

Step 1 - (a) Using a nail gun and wood glue,

attach the 56.5" interior shelf to both of the

25" sides of the table.

(b) Do the same with the 56.5" base

(yep, the photo to the left is flipped) to

create the start of the larger, bottom

cubbies.

Take the Side Street Sofa Table Plans — PAGE 2

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Step 2 - (a) Find the middle point of the base or interior shelf, and center your first 9.5" vertical di-

vider on that line (orange line in diagram below is center of base). Make sure it's straight, then use

wood glue and nailer to secure the divider to both the base and the interior shelf.

2(b) Measure 13" from the edge of your newly

secured center divider and mark a line for the

next divider. Make sure it's straight (tip: use a

speed square as in photo below) and secure

with wood glue and nailer through both the

Step 3 (a) - Mark the underside of the top

piece to help you center it on the table.

3(b) - Apply glue to the top ends of the table

sides, flip the tabletop onto the base, center

it using your marks on the under-

side, and attach it with a nailer. Do not

worry about the fact that the table sags a little

in the middle and it wobbles from side to side.

All in good time, friends. All in good time.

Take the Side Street Sofa Table Plans — PAGE 3

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Step 4 - Attach the shorter, 9.5" dividers, using the

measurements you used for the larger dividers. Take

extra care to line them up with the bottom dividers

to create a clean line. Don't forget to apply glue be-

fore you slide them in! Nail from the tabletop, and

up at an angle from below on either side (that's

called 'toe nailing', heehee).

Don't be worried if you're left with this

You can just cut the nail with wire

cutters and set it with a nail setter.

After you use wood putty you'll

never even know it was there!

After all those steps, you'll have something that resembles this…

... and it will still wobble. No worries! This is because the trim is what is actually going

to hold the table together as a solid piece.

Take the Side Street Sofa Table Plans — PAGE 4

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Step 5 - (a) Using glue and 1 1/4" nails, attach one of the 28"

lengths of 1x2 to the side of the table, making sure it is flush

with the front as in the photo to the right:

(b) Spread glue over the front edge of both the MDF and the

1x2. Attach a 28" length of 1x3 to the front, keeping it flush with

the 1x2 in order to create the appearance of a solid leg. Make

sure to nail the 1x3 into both the MDF and the 1x2, just in case.

(I'm a better-safe-than-sorry kind of girl, and we're going for

strength here, people!)

Go around the table,

repeating this step for

the other three legs.

Step 6 - Place the table on its back in order to apply the

54.5" horizontal pieces of trim to the top and bottom of the

table's front. The top piece will be pushed up under the

base of the tabletop, and the bottom piece of trim will be

flush with the bottom of the base cubbies (you'll want to

slide baskets out, not lift them out).

Important Note: Apply glue to every surface where two

pieces of wood will be touching -- don't skip this as these

pieces of trim are going to be doing the majority of the sta-

bilizing and we don't want wiggly tables. Glue the tops of

the cubby dividers, the sides of the 1x3 trim you just at-

tached... you get the idea. Glue it, baby. Repeat on the

back side of the table.

Optional plan change: You can buy a thin piece of

plywood or masonite and nail it to the back side if you

want a solid back, but otherwise do not skip trimming out

both sides of the table. Stabilizing, remember?

Take the Side Street Sofa Table Plans — PAGE 5

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Step 7 - Attach the 9" pieces of 1x3 to the top and

bottom of both sides of the table. Make sure to line up

the bottom pieces with the other trim along the

Step 8 (optional, but recommended) - This is

another just in case step, but I think it's wise.

Cut a random piece of scrap to 3" (the length

from the bottom of the table to the ends of the

feet) and add a middle supporting foot. You

won't see it, but it will ensure that your table

won't sag over time. bottom to create a clean

line.

And there you have it, a

completed sofa table.

Take the Side Street Sofa Table Plans — PAGE 6

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P.S. For some tips on prepping MDF for paint you can check out:

http://www.takethesidestreet.com/2011/05/how-to-prep-mdf-for-paint.html