DIY Plywood Side Table

I’ve been thinking about making a new bedside stand for my room for the past couple months and this past week I finally put together this plywood table and love it! And you might be thinking, uh – this isn’t next to your bed in the photo… True! I’m also in the middle of redoing our front living room because we’ve been using the dining room as a living room since we moved into the new house and I’m in serious need of new furniture. I have been using my lap desk as a table next to my bed for the past few months and decided when I moved this one in that I actually still prefer the table because it’s slightly shorter than my bed. So I moved this down into the new living room and kept the lap desk upstairs. Down below I will show you how it looks next to a bed too though because I honestly like how it functions in both rooms!DIY Plywood Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Plywood Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Plywood Side Table @themerrythoughtWhat you need:
Birch Plywood
Table Saw
Tape Measure
-Pencil
Drill
Countersink Bit
1 5/8″ Screws
2″ Dowel
3″ Screws
Wood Filler
-Sand Paper
-Paint
-Paint Brush
DIY Plywood Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Plywood Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Plywood Side Table @themerrythoughtHow to make it:
-Use the table saw to cut out three 17 1/4″ x 17 1/4″ squares out of the plywood.
-Use the table saw to cut out two 17 1/4″ x 15 7/8″ rectangles out of the plywood.
-Take two of the 17 1/4″ square plywood pieces (these will be the top and bottom of the table) and pre-drill holes along the two sides where they will connect with the side pieces of plywood. Measure 5 1/4″ in from the front and back sides and 7/16″ from the sides and make a mark at these points. Drill holes at each of these marks – this should be four holes on each of the two boards. (Make sure not to use a drill bit that is too large to the screws you are using.)
-Use a countersink bit at each of those holes.
-Line the top up with the sides – so it sits right on top of side pieces as they are standing up – make sure that they are lined up perfectly along the side and the front and back. Pre-drill side pieces by drilling through the existing holes on the top through the sides.
-Secure sides to top by using 1 5/8″ screws at each of these holes.
-Repeat the pre-drilling & countersink steps with the bottom piece on the side that will face outside of the cube.
-Before attaching the bottom to the sides, (on the side of the board that will be facing inside the cube) measure in 3.5″ from each side at each of the four corners and make a mark. Pre-drill holes at these spots and use the countersink bit at each hole.
-Cut four 11 1/2″ pieces of the dowel – be sure to be very exact in measurements and cutting. If they aren’t all the same length, you’ll have a wobbly table!
-Measure to the center of each of the dowel pieces and pre drill a hole at that spot.
-Attach legs to the bottom using the 3″ screws.
-Now attach the bottom to the sides using the 1 5/8″ screws.
*Optional-If you want to paint the inside, this is when I painted mine because I wanted to leave the backside of the cube to be natural wood so I just painted the four inside walls.
-Lay the stand with the from facing the ground and lay the last 17 1/4″ square piece over the back lining up the sides perfectly.
-Measure 7/16″ from each side at each of the four corners and make a mark. Pre-drill holes at these spots and use the countersink bit at each hole.
-Attach using 1 5/8″ screws.
-Fill in over the screws with the wood filler, let dry and sand down.
DIY Cube Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Cube Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Cube Side Table @themerrythoughtDIY Cube Side Table @themerrythoughtWhich do you prefer the table in – living room or bedroom??

xo. Caitlin

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