How to Build a Chest Coffee Table

From simplistic to avant garde, coffee table styles are innumerable. The chest coffee table not only provides a surface for social and practical activities, but also for convenient storage space. Making a chest coffee table can be done with some pieces of wood, a few woodworking tools and some connectors.

Instructions

1

Lay a 36-by-18-by--inch piece of wood on a flat surface with the 18-inch sides to the left and right. Measure in 2 inches, and mark along the 36-inch sides at every corner.

2

Select another 36-by-18-by--inch piece of wood to be the front panel. Hold it vertically. Set the it on top of the first 36-by-18-by--inch piece. Line up the ends so they are even with each other.

3

Where the edges of the two boards meet, place decorative angle brackets to the right of the left-hand 2-inches mark and to the left of the right-hand 2-inches mark. One end of the bracket should be underneath the first piece, while the other end is adjacent to the perpendicular piece. Drill holes into the wood where there are screw openings in the brackets and insert the wooden screws.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the back panel, using the third 36-by-18-by--inch piece of wood.

4

On the right-hand end of the front panel, measure down along the edge 2 inches and up from the bottom 2 inches. Mark both places. Repeat this for the left-hand end of the front panel.

Move to the back panel and repeat the marking from the top and bottom.

5

Place a 19-square-inch piece of wood on the right-hand side of the base. Place a decorative bracket below the top 2-inch mark. Drill out the screw holes and insert the screws. Place another decorative bracket above the bottom 2-inch mark. Drill out the screw holes and insert the screws.

Place the other 19-square-inch piece of wood on the left-hand end of the base and repeat the process for attaching the decorative brackets.

6

Starting at the right-hand end of the base and measuring to the left, mark along the top edge of the back panel 4 inches. Starting at the left-hand end of the base and measuring to the right, mark along the top edge of the back panel 4 inches.

7

Use the marks to line up the locking lid brackets along the inner sides of the marks. Drill screw holes for the locking brackets and insert the screws to mount the brackets.

8

Set the 40-by-20-inch piece of wood, the chest lid, on its edge on the top edge of the back panel so that 1 inch hangs off of both ends.

Line up the top edges of the locking brackets with the chest lid. Drill screw holes and insert screws to attach the lid to the base to complete the table.