23 Aug DIY Couch Table

Build Your Own Couch Table

How about furniture that will add more real estate for your wine glass?

This entryway table or “couch table” is the perfect solution for our client who doesn’t have a dedicated entryway space. Her must have furniture piece is a large sectional that takes up a lot of her living room—but this means she can host several guests at a time.

Who said small space living should limit how many friends you can entertain at once?

Because the couch is so large, we had to get creative with table space.

We searched online and found some long and narrow tables that would fit perfectly behind her couch and also act as a catch-all for shoes, mail, and drinks. Some options were perfect but too much money. Other options weren’t the right size and didn’t optimize her space.

So we made one.

Very easily.

You can too!

This finished table measures 70.5″ x 9″ x 28″

We had about 12″ between the back of the couch and the walk way in from the front door. 9″ of table width is plenty for glassware, mail, keys, etc. Which was perfect, because we found two 2″ x 9″ x 8′ planks at Ballard Reuse in Seattle, WA. Planks like this aren’t uncommon at reuse places!

When you shop for wood, know how long you want your table to be. If you don’t own a miter, table, or circular saw, have the store cut them to size for you.

Once you have your wood, you’ll also need these items from your local hardware store:

1. 12- 1/2″ Flanges
2. 8- 1/2″ Couplings
3.  4- 1/2″ x 3″ Nipple
4. 8- 1/2″ x 10″ Nipple
5. Box of 1 1/4″ Construction Screws
6. Palm Sander
7. Sand paper
8. Stain (optional)
9. Polyurethane
10. Tape Measure
11. Carpenter Square
12. Drill/Drill bits

Step 1:

Once your planks are at the desired lengths, sand the wood starting with 80 grit sand paper and work your way up to 150 grit. Make sure to get the edges too— get ’em as smooth as you want!

Step 2:

Our client wanted to stain the planks before we protected the surface with polyurethane. Staining the wood is optional, but make sure put at least 2 coats of polyurethane on your table to protect it from spills, kids, and/or yourself. Follow the instructions on your stain and polyurethane containers.

Step 3:

Open up your plumbing parts if they’re in baggies and take off any labels that are taped on. Sometimes this part of the project is the worst. The labels can be stubborn.

I fill up my sink with Dawn dish soap and hot water, let the parts soak for 10 minutes or so, and then scrub the labels off with a scrub pad. If that still doesn’t get all the adhesive off, finish the job with Goo Gone.

Step 4:

Find good placement for the table legs by placing four of your 1/2″ flanges at each corner. I went 6″ in from the ends. These first four flanges will be the very bottom legs for your table.

My clever client wanted to make sure this table was at least 3″ off the floor so her Roomba could fit underneath!

Step 5

Once you found the perfect placement (I used a carpenter square to make sure everything lined up the same way), drill pilot holes first, and then screw the flanges into the wood.

Step 6:

To complete these bottom legs, screw in the 1/2″ x 2″ nipples into each flange.

Then screw in a coupling.

Optional: If you want, you can put a furniture pad on the bottom of the coupling so it doesn’t scratch your floor.

Step 7:

Turn the plank upside down so your 3″ feet are hanging upside down. Now, using a carpenter square or tape measure, place four more flanges in the exact same spot on the same plank on the other side.

It should line up directly with the flanges below.

Step 8:

You’re now ready to start building the longer legs that will attach the top plank.

Step 9:

On the top plank, mark out where the flanges will go. It should be the same distance as the other flanges. Now, be prepared, if you’re using reclaimed wood, the wood might be slightly bowed. It’s all about the charm. But sometimes this can make lining up the bottom plank with the top plank frustrating.

Measure it out perfectly then, when you go to attach, you may have to adjust the flanges ever so slightly so everything can match up.

Step 10

Once you map out where the flanges should go on the top plank, flip the bottom half of the table onto the top plank and see if your measurements line up. If they do — and this is important — screw the flanges onto the legs that you’re building up on the bottom plank. THEN attach the flanges to the top plank with your construction screws.

You may need to adjust the final location of the flanges on the top plank if your wood isn’t perfectly straight.

There you go! All in, this project cost us under $100 and its custom fit to this space.

Make sure you check for level. The great thing about using plumbing pieces to construct furniture is that you can screw and unscrew them slightly to make your piece level.

Think you’ll try this yourself? You could use these instructions to make end tables and coffee tables too!