How to Build a Table for Craft Projects

For this next HouseCall, Ron found himself at the crossroads of California, Arizona and Mexico in the desert city of Yuma, Arizona and the home of Candace Kirk. Promoting the beauty of Yuma is what Candace does for a living working for the convention and visitor's bureau. In her spare time she likes to create beautiful things with her arts and crafts projects. Unfortunately, Candace had outgrown her workbench so she called upon Ron to help her build a bigger and better craft table.

Click Here For a list of what you will need in order to complete this project.

1. Design new table:

• The previous work area that Candace used was quite small so she was forced to continually get up from the table to get the various supplies she needed for her projects. She wanted a larger work surface so that she could surround herself with all the materials she was working with and still have plenty of space to do her work. She also thought that storage right at the table would come in quite handy.

• Ron's idea was to purchase four kitchen cabinets at the local home improvement center and use them as the base for the new table.

• The top would be built from scratch.

2. Cabinet assembly:

• Candace's backyard provided a stunning backdrop for their project. With screwdriver in hand they began by assembling the four cabinets following the instructions that were supplied.

• Candace was not new to working with tools and the cabinet assembly went quite smoothly.

• They managed to put each of the cabinets together in less than an hour.

3. Table top:

• Ron suggested they use MDF or medium density fiberboard to make the top of the craft table. This is a very dense particleboard product. They could have used this product alone, but since Candace used a lot of paints and messy liquids, Ron suggested adding a plastic laminate surface that would be easier to keep clean.

• Ron would eventually attach a piece of wooden trim around the edge of the tabletop but first he wanted to glue strips of wood on the underside along the edge to stiffen the top and help prevent sagging.

• These strips would also create a surface to which they could later attach the trim.

• They turned the MDF over, added wood glue to the reinforcement strips and then gently squished the strips back and forth a little to distribute the glue.

• Candace used a nail gun to secure the strips in place while the glue dried.

• They carefully flipped their tabletop back over.

• Ron showed Candace the sheet plastic laminate material and they carefully set it face down onto the fiberboard surface.

• They used contact adhesive to attach the laminate top. Ron suggested that a short napped paint roller was one of the fastest and easiest ways to apply contact cement to large surfaces. They applied the adhesive first to the back of the laminate surface.

• Contact cement bonds to itself, so while the laminate was drying, they applied a coat to the particleboard.