How to Make a Midcentury Modern Coffee Table

Create your own stylish coffee table with lumber, matte white paint and tapered legs. Dan Faires shows you how.
Danmade: Midcentury Table
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Make a midcentury modern-style coffee table lumber and tapered furniture legs.

Midcentury Modern Coffee Table

Make a midcentury modern-style coffee table lumber and tapered furniture legs.

and Danmade

Materials and Tools:

  • 4 1x6 pieces of lumber cut down to 4' long
  • tape measure
  • carpenter's square
  • goggles
  • gloves
  • table saw
  • palm sander with 220-grit paper
  • matte white paint
  • 6 nickels
  • wood glue
  • drill and 1 1/2" screws
  • 4 tapered furniture legs
  • dark walnut stain
  • paintbrush
  • gold spray paint
  • 4 angled leg plates

Instructions:

Measure and draw a line at 4' using a carpenter's square, and cut with a table saw.

Use two scrap pieces of wood as braces for the underside of the table, and trim down to 20" or two inches less than the width of the table. Sand everything down with 220-grit sandpaper.

Paint all boards matte white, and allow time for them to dry.

Make a midcentury modern-style coffee table lumber and tapered furniture legs.

Midcentury Modern Coffee Table

Make a midcentury modern-style coffee table lumber and tapered furniture legs.

Space the 4' boards using nickels at each end, and add the braces 3" from each end. Secure with wood glue and 1 1/2" screws. Remove the nickels.

Sand the tapered legs for a smooth finish, and apply dark walnut stain with a paintbrush. Wipe with a clean rag, and allow time to dry. Apply gold spray paint to the metal tips, and allow time to dry.

Attach the leg plates 1/4" in from the edge of the brace using a drill and screws. Get angled leg plates for a true midcentury modern look. Screw in legs, and turn right-side up.

Make a midcentury modern-style coffee table lumber and tapered furniture legs.

Midcentury Modern Coffee Table

Make a midcentury modern-style coffee table lumber and tapered furniture legs.

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