Coffee Table Plan

[Travis Bochenek]

Hi everyone, thanks for stopping by my thread

I was asked to build a substantial coffee table by my lovely wife. The general design is this, but I'm not using the hack job approach they do with pocket screws to hold the top boards together AND down to the skirt.

BALUSTRADE-SALVAGED-WOOD-COFFEE-TABLES.jpg

I found some great 1 3/4" Sipo (Utile) which has been milled and glued up for the top which is 64" by 48". I've also received the legs from Osborne Wood which are 10" x 5". After finishing the top I realized that this will be one HEAVY beast. Because of this I'm exploring ways to build it without the bottom shelf & supports. So essentially the top, legs and 1/3'4" blocks secured above and below the legs. I want to prevent racking and wanted to get your thoughts on whether or not a 1 3/4" apron with additional supports across would be enough. The overall table height will end up being 15 1/4" so it's low, but I wanted to make sure that it will stand a bit of abuse as I have 2 young boys. Any experience or thoughts would be hugely appreciated. Btw, this wood is incredible beautiful, cant wait to put finish on it. Here is a pic of the table cut to final size, and below is a pic after glue up prior to it being cut down.

[Dave Richards]

How tall are the legs?

[Travis Bochenek]

Hi Dave, they are 10" tall and 5" wide. They aren't typical legs as they don't have the larger squared off area on top which is why I am attaching 5 1/2" wide blocks made out of the same 1 3/4" Sipo to them on both the top and bottom. For the top, this is why I wanted to see if the same 1 3/4" sizing would work for an apron. Here is a better picture of the leg.
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[Dave Richards]

Obviously you'd get more strength if you connected the legs at the bottom. How about a piece 5-1/2 in wide by the width of the top long on the top and bottom of the legs at each end? That would also make it easier to attach the legs to the top.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

Love your table top!! My sister-in-law has commissioned me to build her the exact same table! I never thought about the racking until now since you've mentioned it. Let me know if you figure it out because she wants to use longer legs to make the table the same height has her sofa.

[Gene Davis]

Here is a screencap of a blocked-out cocktail table with your L x W and top at 16" high, which is standard for cocktail (coffee) tables. Look around at furniture sites and you'll see.

In looking, you can also see that your size of 48 x 64 is just plain huge. You can draw lines on it and put a net across the short center and play a version of ping pong, if you use a deadened ball.

I put 1.5" capitals and bases on your 5 x 10 legs, and to jack it up to the 16 inch height, put another 1.5" of sub-base under the top.

[Travis Bochenek]

Wow, thanks for putting that together. I have to get some pictures but the base is built, actually, very similar to the one you posted. I've also put an Ogee edge on it which helps to break up the very large table top. It was my first time using a router and I'm pumped at how it came out. I will get some pictures of the table in it's current state very soon.