Furniture made from plywood - how to choose plywood and tips for creating furniture (103 photos). Milling table made of plywood - an economical option Let's revive a desk made of plywood
Homemade furniture- cheap and original solution capable of doing inner space home more attractive and comfortable. Of course, to design something truly complex, you need the appropriate skills. However, a plywood table is a fairly simple piece of furniture that does not require much time and effort. Having understood the issue, even a novice master will be able to create it.
We'll tell you how to make a table out of plywood with your own hands.
Materials and tools for work
An important stage of work is the preparation stage. Stock up on all the necessary tools and materials, make sure you have a good understanding of the process at all stages.
How to choose plywood for a table 
The main component is, of course, plywood. To create a table, sheets consisting of at least 5 layers of veneer are suitable. The thickness of such panels varies from 16 to 30 mm. The length and width of the plywood are not critical; the choice depends on the size of the tabletop you want to achieve as a result.
Important! The quality of a plywood sheet can be judged by examining its surface. Samples suitable for such work are smooth, have a uniform color, and do not contain knots, cracks or other defects.
What tools and materials to prepare
For the manufacture of
As you work, you will need the following.
- A jigsaw or circular saw for cutting plywood.
- Furniture glue.
- Thick cardboard or other similar material for creating life-size templates.
- Pencil and long ruler.
- Fastening elements - bolts, furniture corners or wood screws.
For processing
A separate line is worth highlighting the materials needed at the stage of final processing of table surfaces. This is usually sandpaper or Grinder for primary processing. AND wax, varnish or paint to finalize a piece of furniture.
Important! The texture of natural wood, which is obtained by treating surfaces with transparent varnish, will fit well into interiors in loft, minimalism, and country styles.
However, strict classic room, as well as ultra-modern high-tech, harmonize better with painted products.
Table drawing
Creating an accurate drawing - next part preparation process. Draw out the tabletop and legs with dimensions on paper. The more complex the shape of the product that is planned to be assembled, the more detailed the diagram should be.
After completing the drawings, transfer the elements depicted on it in real sizes onto cardboard. Cut out the resulting fragments - they will serve as templates for working with plywood.
How to make a table from plywood 
After the tools, materials, drawing, and templates are prepared, it’s time to begin the process of creating the table. To do this, follow the instructions.
Part marking
Take a cardboard template, secure it to a plywood board with masking tape, and trace it with a pencil. Thus it is necessary to outline all the components of the table, starting with the tabletop and ending with the legs or side stands that replace them.
Cutting out parts 
For this use a jigsaw or circular saw. It is easier to cut a triangular or square shape than a curved one. But the latter can also be dealt with using patterns.
Surface treatment
We are talking about grinding elements using sandpaper or other grinding tool.
Important! The joints are subjected to the most careful processing. They must be absolutely smooth so that the parts fit together as well as possible.
Connection of product components 
Mark with a pencil the location of the fasteners. Drill holes in these places using a drill with a diameter slightly smaller than that of the self-tapping screws. Then process the top of the resulting holes with a drill with a large diameter - this process is called countersinking.
Then connect all the components. Make sure that the joints are tight - then the table will last a long time. Place caps on the screw heads.
Varnish or paint coating
Varnish will allow you to show off the wood texture, paint will add a little color to the interior. Both options have their own advantages.
Important! Interesting solution is painting the legs and table top in different shades.
- The most important thing when designing your own table is to make it fairly stable. To do this, you can additionally connect the vertical legs with horizontal elements, even creating an entire frame.
- Sometimes it is recommended to try to glue together, respecting the proportions, a small mock-up of a future piece of furniture made of paper or cardboard. This is usually enough to understand whether the invented model will hold up or not. You also need to somehow strengthen its supporting elements.
Creating a table with your own hands is somewhat reminiscent of playing with a construction set in childhood. Only the result is significantly more useful and durable.
Plywood is a material that has been unfairly neglected by furniture manufacturers. It is environmentally friendly, has high wear resistance and durability. Despite low cost, manufacturers continue to give preference to even cheaper, but short-lived chipboard.
Of course, you can order furniture from plywood, but why not make a set from it yourself? Such a new interior will be exclusive, in which you can show all your imagination. In addition, you don’t need to become a carpenter to do this: a minimum of tools and skills will suffice.
How to choose plywood?
The material, extremely easy to work with, seems to encourage creativity and experimentation. Despite its strength, plywood is easy to cut and design. The sheet can be given any desired shape: it bends and will not break.
Plywood is a number of veneer sheets glued together. As a rule, birch or coniferous trees are used, and the leaf inside can be made of coniferous, and the outside is birch. More expensive and high-quality plywood is made from hardwood.
When choosing plywood, pay attention to the following parameters:
- The brand is responsible for the scope of application and moisture resistance. Sheets of the FK, FOF and FKM brands are suitable for furniture. The second option, laminated plywood, is the best, but costs more than the others.
- The variety characterizes appearance surfaces. Measured from IV to I, E – premium. Each side has its own designation.
- Surface treatment. As in the previous case, it is determined for the parties separately. The designation Ш1 means the presence of grinding on one side, Ш2 – on both sides. ШН – surfaces were not polished.
- The formaldehyde content is designated by the letter E with an index from 1 to 3 and characterizes the degree of environmental friendliness.
You also need to pay attention to the quality of gluing of veneer sheets, the quality and type of wood, and the appearance of the sheet. Plywood has an interesting texture and pattern that does not need to be covered with an additional layer of paint. Preference should be given to manufacturers from Russia.
Tools
What tools can a novice carpenter not do without? Plywood does not require complex special equipment. Majority necessary tools everyone has them.
A ruler, compass, tape measure and square are needed to take measurements and draw a drawing.
The choice of cutting tool depends on the thickness of the sheet used. A sheet up to 1.5 mm thick is enough sharp knife, up to 6 mm you need a jigsaw, for the thickest sheets a circular saw is required. You will need a drill to drill the holes.
A chisel, plane, chisel, file and sandpaper are useful for processing parts. The parts are connected using glue, nails and screws. Stock up on tools to work with them.
The choice of accessories depends on what exactly you are going to do. Don’t skimp: high-quality fittings will last longer and won’t let you down at the most inopportune moment.
Stages of work
Making furniture from plywood with your own hands begins with drawing a drawing. You can use ready-made drawings or draw your own. Take measurements of the room, calculate the dimensions of each part. Be extremely careful not to discover the error when it is too late.
Transfer the parts to the prepared sheets. Cut out the blanks suitable tool. The parts are sanded, varnished or painted, and carved. If the plywood has an interesting pattern, why not leave it? Show your imagination and don’t be afraid to experiment.
The parts are connected using nails, screws or glue. Pay special attention to the parts that bear the main load.
After the glue has completely dried, check the resulting structure for strength. If the test passes, congratulations: job done!
Ideas
Plywood is suitable for making almost any home furniture: cabinets, tables and chairs, sofas and beds.
During assembly kitchen furniture use moisture-resistant and wear-resistant types of material. Don't forget about ventilation system and other communications: they should be freely accessible, but when not in use, it is better to hide them from view. Pay special attention to mounted and corner cabinets because they require accurate calculations and care during assembly.
Plywood is ideal for creating children's furniture. The environmentally friendly material is safe, and thanks to its wear resistance, it will “endure” the games of the most active and restless child.
For the cabinet, select plywood of sufficient height and length, since you need to use a single sheet. Thickness also plays an important role: the larger it is, the stronger the structure will be. When calculating the parameters of the side walls, take into account the thickness of the doors. The bottom of the bed must be at least 18 mm thick. Timber should be used for the body frame.
Plywood makes a practical and inexpensive set for a summer house.
Despite the ease of working with the material, a beginner should not immediately take on a complex project that requires experience. Start with something simple: a table, a chair. The classic first work is considered to be a rocking chair.
It is not recommended to cut plywood across the grain. If the need arises, make several cuts parallel to the future cut - this will avoid cracking. Moisten the surface of the plywood and fix it in the desired position for 10-16 hours: this way you will give it the desired shape.
Thick sheets of plywood (more than 10 mm) should be treated like wood. When working with softwood plywood, use nails and screws in conjunction with washers to avoid damaging the sheet.
At the joints of the parts, holes must be drilled in advance. The same applies to holes for fittings. The parts must be sanded before gluing. The cut area is treated with sandpaper.
During work there will be a lot of dust, so it is better to work in a separate room. If this is not possible, protect the furniture with covers in advance.
If you have never worked with drawings, look for furniture drawings on the Internet. Even if you can’t find the right one, you will get a general idea of how to draw it correctly.
Get inspired by photos of plywood furniture. Perhaps some idea will suit your taste?
Photo of plywood furniture
Buying furniture in a store may not always meet your expectations. Now you can quickly and easily make a table with your own hands, which will be much cheaper. Even without carpentry experience, you can assemble quite a original model table, and then decorate it as you wish. Moreover, you know exactly what your interior needs and what exactly can complement it harmoniously.
Don't worry if you don't know how to make a plywood table. The site has a large number of tips on how to do everything correctly, as well as photo and video instructions. Can be done folding table for the living room, kitchen table or any other model. The main thing is to draw up drawings in advance and follow preliminary sketches throughout the entire work process.
1
2
3
4
5
If you decide to make a table from plywood with your own hands, then take care of a sufficient amount of material. There must be several bars, which will later become the legs of the product. In order for the final work to be decent, every detail needs to be prepared and in this case you will need:
- jigsaw;
- building level and tape measure;
- drill;
- pencil;
- Sander;
- construction adhesive.
By making a table with your own hands, you can be sure that it will serve you long years. Each manufactured part is subjected to a thorough inspection, and unevenness, splinters and other defects must be removed. Before assembly, to increase service life and appearance, all parts can be varnished.
A plywood tabletop can have absolutely any shape. It all depends on your imagination. For a sample, you can take photos from the site and add to them. Plywood is very easy to transform, so you can easily make even round table. Remember that when choosing a material for a countertop, you should pay attention to its thickness. The most the best option it is considered 20 mm, since such a thickness can withstand quite a lot of weight.
1
2
3
4
Table assembly
You should start assembling a plywood table from the legs. This is the foundation that should hold firmly ready product. You can fasten them with a screwdriver, but it is advisable to additionally coat the joints with glue, it will allow the parts to be fixed more firmly. Remember to be sure to follow the diagrams that you must prepare in advance. Any deviations threaten that the structure will soon become loose and cease to perform its functions.
The tabletop is attached according to pre-marked patterns. If you later decorate the surface, you can attach it to the top with a screwdriver. To ensure that the surface remains completely clean, you can attach the tabletop from below to construction corners.
As a result of the work, you will be able to make sure that making furniture at home is not only quite economical, but also interesting. And your loved ones will surely like the completed project.
In order to make the furniture look more aesthetically pleasing, you need to hide some of its parts. For example, the edge of a tabletop looks ugly if you don’t put a special construction edge along it. It will not only hide imperfections, but also extend the life of the table. Moisture that may get onto the tabletop during operation will quickly destroy it, and the edging will protect it from this problem for a long time.
The edging gives the table a finished look
Be sure to varnish the entire finished structure, even if you have already done it disassembled. This coating hides all the imperfections that arise during the assembly process, and also strengthens the protective properties of the material. Even if you decide to paint it any color, do not skimp on the varnish, the shade of the paint will only become brighter.
The material from which the countertop is made must be durable and preferably new. Even small cracks will greatly reduce its service life, and chips will ruin its appearance. At the right approach you can assemble the finished product in one day, and for those who already have carpentry experience, sometimes a few hours are enough.
Such a table can be very useful if there is a shortage of storage space and if you do not work with wood every day, but on occasion.
Step 1: Dimensions and Part Identifications
Many parts have only one dimension. This is because the second one is either unimportant, stated elsewhere, or, depending on the thickness of the plywood. I found out this method was: 18mm, 23/32, 3/4 may be close, but small errors add up.
You will need:
4x8 sheet of plywood. I used bc. e. and it was designated 18mm.
4 pipes about 32″ long. This is a flexible part. I used 1.25 inch aluminum plugs from onlinemetals.com. They are a bit pricey to ship but were needed as I drilled holes that were too big for my 1″ electrical pipe. I plan to experiment with what you have available and what drills you have access to. A tight fit will give better results.
8pcs x 2 3/8″ bolt
Wing nut 3/8 8pcs
Washer 3/8 16pcs
Adhesive & Double Stick Tape Carpet
cookies and or drywall screws
3/4 oak dowel 36″ long
Notes:
The blue pieces and one short yellow piece support the pipe. These are shown here, but installed under the table to keep the pipes parallel to the top.
Not all photos are 100% accurate. The first table was a glitch and some adjustments were made to the final drawings.
Bolts are overkill, but bigger size easier to use.
Step 2: Cut the Sequences
The idea here is to have similar parts without moving the saw. Tabletop a circular saw can be used, but it was done with a circular saw and rip fence that came with him.
First cut: Rip 24″ off short end of 4x8 plywood. This is for the top of the table and will be the basis for many other aspects. Using some of the cut is important. Track seen, straight edge, etc.
Second cut: From the other end, use your 24″ piece and subtract 4 thicknesses of plywood. It should be around 21. The reason this is important is because the feet are placed on inside top of the table and outside the shelf.
Cutting them off either side gives greater precision.
Set these two aside and continue cutting.
The pieces are color coded, and if they have a color or a color dot they have one common dimension. Remember, save on the right side of your line.
Leg Note: The legs should be 3″ x 3″ when finished. This sheet cut has the short side measuring long for the rabbit. If you want glue and screw or glue and cookies the short side would be 2-1/4, or 3″ minus the thickness of the plywood!
Once all the strips are cut go back to the first 24″ wide piece you made and cut that 37″ long. We cut carefully, with a guide or straight to some edge. Save cut for later as Short skirt ends will come out of it.
The next section of the shelf from above is the length. This was done using the second piece. Use the top one you just made as a template and subtract four thicknesses of plywood. Should be about 34″. Save cut off like a short skirt, the ends will be made from this.
Step 3: Drilling Holes, Long Boards
1. Take two long 3-3/4. To get the length, lay them out on top and subtract two thicknesses of plywood. Draw a line. Clamp them together and cut at the same time if you can with a circular saw or miter saw. Set aside.
2. Cut two short 4-1/2s and the remaining 3-3/4s. This aspect should be 32-3/8″ +/- so that they will fit into the shelf when everything is assembled. Clamp and cut all three at once.
3. Next, drill holes of the required diameter depending on which pipes you have chosen. Pay attention to the location of the link from the bottom. Mark all “bottoms” for later installation. Drill the holes as evenly as possible. For this I used double tape And drilling machine. All pieces were stacked on a flat surface with the reference-marked side down. In short, they were in the center and everything fit.
If you don't have a drill press, drill three 3-3/4 wide ones in one group, remember the center is shorter and make your marks longer. They should be ordered long, short, long. Then, using the shorter ones as a template, drill two 4-1/2 wide holes. I would still recommend using double-sided adhesive tape.
Please also note. If your plywood has a good side/and a bad side that is important to you, flip the boards appropriately. If the holes are not perfect the pipes may not allow you to do this later.
Step 4: Drilling Holes, Short Boards
1. The board is supportive. Cut the remaining 4-1/2 boards to approximately 24″. I did this by cutting the 4-1/2 x 48 in half. Then add the remaining 4-1/2 and cut all three at once on the miter saw until maximum length Maybe.
2. The pipe supports. Cut long 3-3/4 into two pieces 22-3/8 +/-. They fit under the table so that their actual size is 24″ minus the thickness of the plywood*2.
Similar to long boards these should be stacked and stuck together. Ideally 4-1/2, 4-1/2, 3-3/4, 3-3/4, 4-1/2 with 3-3/4 in the center. Remember the bottom marks. If you need to break that I would do 3-3/4 and 4-1/2 and mark them as A. do everything else and mark them as B. You don't want to have to bend the pipe to get things to fit.
Pay attention to the holes:
My first holes were for 1″ emt conductor. This material was cheap, but my hole was too sloppy. Thus expensive aluminum. However, 1.25 aluminum through a 1-1/4 hole drilled with a fostner bit was too tight. Ended up using a feather drill and some sanding.
Step 5: Optional Rigor
In my table I have mortised the leg room. I don't think this is absolutely necessary, but it does add to the stability. It's a fair amount of work. Take it or leave it, the worse thing is to add a few more bolts!
If you choose this should be done to the bottom of the top of the table. Ideally, the front of the skirt is added before making holes and making a show of it.
Step 6: Assemble the top
This should go pretty quickly. I used a biscuit jointer. If you do this, be sure to tag the boards and links to correct angles. Glue and clamp or glue and nails/screws work as well.
All your pieces had a stamp on the bottom. Make sure it is visible when you collect these pieces.
Step 7: Drill at the top
Two ways to do this.
1. Draw a 2-1/2 line all the way around the top. From this line the centers of the holes are 4-3/4 apart in the short direction and 5-5/16 apart in the long direction. Drill away. The numbers are a little off, 1/8 is possible. With some fancy geometry you could cut the lines if you really wanted to. 3/4″ fostner bit for best results
2. I built a jig. 9-3/4 x 37 plywood scraps. Draw the 2-1/2 line all the way around. Mark your centers 5-5/16. Install the 2-1/2 link on the drill press. Drill one line of the hole and just opposite the two corners.
Place the template on your top with a line of holes along the bottom edge, clamp securely. Drill. Then turn it over and line up the two corner holes with the template from the two detailed ones. Insert a 3/4-inch dowel into each of the two corner holes. Clamp and drills on line again. Next, I wound the fishing rods, move the template of one line, placing it in the corners.
It worked quite well. The holes looked good, but were not 90 degrees. It probably needs another jig!
Step 8: Legs
A couple of ways to make legs.
Cut all legs to 32″. It's not critical. If you have other machines you can use in combination with this table I think that the changes that. Cut as many as you can safely at once for greater accuracy. Make sure you don't use more than 3″ wide boards. The ones on the shelf.
We use 3″ strips and either 2-1/4″ or 2-1/2″. According to these plans 2-1/2 since there was a rabbit and a dado. If you want to use other methods, then use 2-1/4″. Or technically 3″ minus the thickness of the plywood. In my case 18mm.
Step 9: Assemble the Shelves
We've cut before. It should be about 34″ (37″ minus 4 plywood thicknesses).
We take the remaining 3 long” wide boards. Lay them out on the shelf on top and place two pieces of plywood at the end to shorten the overall length. Scribe and overhang. Cut them both at the same time. Should be about 32-1/2″.
Assembling the shelf is simple, just like you did the top one. There is no need for additional holes or spikes.
Additionally:
Tape the long boards together and drill two more holes for the pipes. I'm in the center of the shaft at 3″ of the board and about 4″ from the end. I did this much however it would be of more use if several holes are drilled into the legs to raise and lower the shelf. I only have one shelf high.
Step 10: Leg Hole Cutting Guide and Leg Holes
This guide drills holes in the top and in the shelf exactly. This is not necessary, but if you have all holes turned off, then your legs will be specifically detected. This helps make the legs interchangeable.
Directory
Scrap approximately 3x10. Cut 3″ for the top. Cut the remaining piece in half a short way with a 45 degree cut.
Two lines up at the 45 degree end and tape them together as shown in the picture. Cut off the 90 degree end so they are the same. Drill a 3/8″ hole 1-7/8 from the 45 degree end and 2-1/4 down from the top (measured before sticking the actual jig on the top).
Use a square to make sure everything is 90 degrees. Glue and brad or clamp together.
Use a jig to drill 2 holes in each of the four corners of the top and shelf.
DRILL HOLE LEGS
With the table upside down, position the legs using a temporary clamp. If you decide to go rigor, you don't need clamps. I counted the legs and angles to be safe.
On the outside, use holes drilled in the top to drill through the legs. Run the bolt and washers down to the washer and nut at each corner.
Mark the height on the shelf measuring from the top along the foot. Mark each leg. Remember that you are working upside down and turning the shelf upside down and using it as a tray will effectively lift things up. The plywood surface is about 12″ from the ground to my finished table. Install shelves inside the legs. This should stay with friction, but clamp to make sure the corners stay on line. Through the holes drilled before you drill with internal shelf through the legs. Add bolts as above. If you wanted adjustable height move the shelves and mark the shelf, drill, repeat.
There are additional holes. If you want to bolt them you will need another set of bolts and adjust the hole placement. Wing nuts can conflict with each other.
Step 11: Shutters
Made with your own hands - priceless, heavy, powerful tabletop and storage space for yourself - also 5 points. Of course, sawing/drilling on the knee is not worth the possible savings of 1000-1300 rubles, but only if the cutting is done in a normal workshop. If there is the same dude there who has no idea about disks and others basic knowledge, also on a shaky, trashed “like a table” in a “like a workshop”, sometimes even with an amateur jigsaw - it’s easier to cut it yourself.
I will share my vision of the shortcomings, I have a table from scratch in the foreseeable future, now I live with a monster “from the store” that was radically altered for myself and received for free.
1. The system unit is on wheels, or rather I have on powerful casters; good wheels with movement in all directions were not at hand, and it is not necessary, as experience has shown - back and forth is enough. Firstly: it’s more convenient to clean around and under the SB. Secondly: access to the back of the system unit is greatly simplified (it generally needs to be moved to the left, since the cabinet is on the right), it just seems like you plug it in once and forget it, USB extension cords do not always solve the situation completely (or rather, they never do). Don’t forget to provide, along with the rollers, a locking and safety bracket at the back from any available material, so that during a sudden movement towards the wall, the system unit does not drive the protruding plugs into its ass with all its might.
2. The mess with cables needs to be resolved immediately and radically. Above the tabletop, you can use cheap ties, but they still collect dust; it’s better to come up with something with a cut of a box or pipe along the far edge of the tabletop. Below the table top, the horizontal is determined by U-shaped corners on back wall(the cables are again tied together, preferably in separate bundles for their intended purpose), vertical plastic ties as a completely temporary option, optimally ties made from pieces of Velcro sewn or glued to rigid tape. One edge of the tape can be screwed to the side wall, or you can hang these rings with a cable on the nearest U-corner.
Electricity needs to be solved by two pilots with the maximum number of seats (there are never too many of them, 6+7 is not enough for me). We go from the outlet to the first pilot (you can even extend it), which we hang on the side wall, between the table top and the system unit, closer to us. Be sure to leave 2-3 free cells, in the rest we plug in something that can be easily switched off, such as charging and lighting, and the main thing is the second one pilot, good quality and with good protection (normal filter). It can be hung on the same wall, but further away, we turn on the power supply for the solar system, monitors, printer, whatever else is rarely pulled out. You can also use a router, but ideally it should be plugged into a separate outlet so that you can turn off the entire table and the router will still work. And it doesn’t belong on a system unit, it’s better to live on the top shelf, all you need to do is change the standard meter short one from the kit for a longer cable. If you catch an installer carrying the Internet to neighbors or friends, it won’t cost a penny, a sincere “thank you” is enough.
