Is there a thread somewhere about building a dining top for an existing table? (1 Viewer)

namsupak

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I have been searching for awhile and I just can't seem to find a thread about this. I am curious about possibly building a dining top to fit on an existing table. Just looking for some direction or a nice diy thread. Could be that my searching skills are lacking or its such a niche question because I realize most people with dining tops just have them built at the time of purchase.
 
I have been searching for awhile and I just can't seem to find a thread about this. I am curious about possibly building a dining top to fit on an existing table. Just looking for some direction or a nice diy thread. Could be that my searching skills are lacking or its such a niche question because I realize most people with dining tops just have them built at the time of purchase.
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And in top on my kitchen table
I just have to finish the rail
Done!!
 
Are you looking for something to go over your existing poker table that will turn it into a regular dining table? I don't know if I've ever seen a full step by step thread for that, but if you search "dining topper" you should find some examples.
 
I need to build something exactly like that so following...
 
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And in top on my kitchen table
I just have to finish the rail
Done!!
Not sure about OP, but this is the opposite of what I'm looking for (and the opposite of what I think OP is looking for). I'm hoping to find something describing a simple way to turn a poker table into a dining table with a removable top that makes it look nice. That way the poker table never has to be moved/stored and the only time the topper is stored is during poker night.
 
I've designed one... but not built it. It's 100-ish pounds. I am a little leery of using veneer'd plywood for the table surface. I think hardwood may be the way to go... but then the cost will go up quite a bit.
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Not sure about OP, but this is the opposite of what I'm looking for (and the opposite of what I think OP is looking for). I'm hoping to find something describing a simple way to turn a poker table into a dining table with a removable top that makes it look nice. That way the poker table never has to be moved/stored and the only time the topper is stored is during poker night.

Define "simple" :)
  • Simplest would be to cover it with a bed sheet or a cover like this. Eazy-peezy
  • Next up is just to cover it with a sheet of hardwood plywood (like oak or birch), stained/finished to your liking. You can leave it as the full 4'x8' sheet or cut it down to match the footprint of the table. Relatively simple solution.
  • Next step up is what @Shaggy suggests, which essentially takes the solution above and adds a skirt underneath the top sheet, around the perimeter to hide the "poker" portion of the table. This assumes you have a small enough table that you can get the skirting to attach to the top sheet and still fit around (ie, if your table is already 96"x48", this gets much more difficult) You can make them a single sheet (takes 2 people to lift on/off) or break them into 2 or 3 segments (similar to a leaf in a standard dining room table). Plywood works OK for a single sheet, full hardwood works better for a segmental approach where you need all the doweling hardware. These are not simple to build without some solid woodworking experience. Or cheap.
 
Lots of things to consider.

Plywood vs hardwood?

Oval vs rectangle? Or something more unique like what @Shaggy posted with the fancy corners?

Skirting?

1 piece? Multiple pieces?

Size?

If you can get away with it, the easiest thing to do is grab a sheet of 4x8 plywood, cut it down to size (size of your poker table + ~3" in both directions if you plan to use 3/4" plywood for skirt, and a slight recess from the edge of the table to the skirting). Add veneer edge banding to the edges. Cut some skirting pieces and screw them in from underneath to the table. Add some stain and polyurethane and you're done.

All other iterations get much more complicated. If you're going with an oval shape, then kerf cutting the skirt going around the ends is your best bet. Steam bending is mucho hard, as well as veneering 1/8"-1/4" strips.
 
Lots of things to consider.

Plywood vs hardwood?

Oval vs rectangle? Or something more unique like what @Shaggy posted with the fancy corners?

Skirting?

1 piece? Multiple pieces?

Size?

If you can get away with it, the easiest thing to do is grab a sheet of 4x8 plywood, cut it down to size (size of your poker table + ~3" in both directions if you plan to use 3/4" plywood for skirt, and a slight recess from the edge of the table to the skirting). Add veneer edge banding to the edges. Cut some skirting pieces and screw them in from underneath to the table. Add some stain and polyurethane and you're done.

All other iterations get much more complicated. If you're going with an oval shape, then kerf cutting the skirt going around the ends is your best bet. Steam bending is mucho hard, as well as veneering 1/8"-1/4" strips.
beat you by 5 minutes there buddy..... ;) :D
 
Lots of things to consider.

Plywood vs hardwood?

Oval vs rectangle? Or something more unique like what @Shaggy posted with the fancy corners?

Skirting?

1 piece? Multiple pieces?

Size?

If you can get away with it, the easiest thing to do is grab a sheet of 4x8 plywood, cut it down to size (size of your poker table + ~3" in both directions if you plan to use 3/4" plywood for skirt, and a slight recess from the edge of the table to the skirting). Add veneer edge banding to the edges. Cut some skirting pieces and screw them in from underneath to the table. Add some stain and polyurethane and you're done.

All other iterations get much more complicated. If you're going with an oval shape, then kerf cutting the skirt going around the ends is your best bet. Steam bending is mucho hard, as well as veneering 1/8"-1/4" strips.
Leaving the weight of the topper on the rails for long term is okay? The height of the table seems like it might get really high too, but probably not much we can do about that part.
 
I used plywood cut into three pieces so they were easy to move with one person, added a 1x4 for the skirt and have a section that overlaps the middle piece with machine screws that tie it all together.

My first attempt was a rough draft to see if it'd work and I'll be updating over the winter with a more permanent solution.

I put a sheet on the table and then put the topper on top. No issues with it on the rail foam yet...the plywood is definitely less weight than 9 fatties leaning on it.

I'll post some pics later.

It's a really simple project.
 
I used plywood cut into three pieces so they were easy to move with one person, added a 1x4 for the skirt and have a section that overlaps the middle piece with machine screws that tie it all together.

My first attempt was a rough draft to see if it'd work and I'll be updating over the winter with a more permanent solution.

I put a sheet on the table and then put the topper on top. No issues with it on the rail foam yet...the plywood is definitely less weight than 9 fatties leaning on it.

I'll post some pics later.

It's a really simple project.
Yes, pics please. How durable is the plywood surface?
 
Not a step-by-step, but here are a few construction pics of a couple of basic toppers - both single pieces.

Stretched octagon - or vampire coffin ;)

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And an oval, using the kerf cuts that Tony mentioned above:

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I've designed one... but not built it. It's 100-ish pounds. I am a little leery of using veneer'd plywood for the table surface. I think hardwood may be the way to go... but then the cost will go up quite a bit.
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I'd go with plywood. Solid wood will be super hard to sand flat after you glued it up without a wide widebelt sander. Plus plywood will be way more stable (hardwood will want to cup and bow and expand and contract). I know most quality tables are built out of solid wood and not plywood but if you're asking how to build one then I'm not sure you have the skills required to use solid wood. Plywood will be MUCH simpler and look just as good. Just put some polyurethane (stain first if you want) on it. DON'T USE LACQUER! Polyurethane will hold up well to moisture and use.
 
Not a step-by-step, but here are a few construction pics of a couple of basic toppers - both single pieces.

Stretched octagon - or vampire coffin ;)

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And an oval, using the kerf cuts that Tony mentioned above:

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I love the octagon. I may try it, then the old lady might let me replace our dining room table with the convertible poker table. :cool
 
I love the octagon. I may try it, then the old lady might let me replace our dining room table with the convertible poker table. :cool
Thats a good choice. You can also glue a strip of solid wood (about 3x4" to 1 1/2" and just a little thicker than the top so you can sand it flush) to the edge of the top. It will hold up better than edge banding and alow you to route a round over, ogee or whatever you want on the edge. I'll post a picture of what I'm talking about.
 
You can just glue and clamp or glue and nail. (Those 45° clips on the octagon will be kind of hard to clamp but doable)
 

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Make it just a touch thicker than the top so when you're sanding it won't go through the veneer.
 

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Then you can route the edge or hand sand a roundover.
 

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You can certainly go with edge banding too. Just be sure if you do to sand it completely flush on both sides of the top and run a sanding sponge down it to break the sharp edge. Otherwise it will catch on something eventually and tear a piece off
 
Are you looking for something to go over your existing poker table that will turn it into a regular dining table? I don't know if I've ever seen a full step by step thread for that, but if you search "dining topper" you should find some examples.
Yeah that is what I am looking for. Basically I want to make my table a more permanent fixture by utilizing a dining top.
 
Not sure about OP, but this is the opposite of what I'm looking for (and the opposite of what I think OP is looking for). I'm hoping to find something describing a simple way to turn a poker table into a dining table with a removable top that makes it look nice. That way the poker table never has to be moved/stored and the only time the topper is stored is during poker night.
YeahI agree with you I want to make it so I can just leave the table out.
 
Not a step-by-step, but here are a few construction pics of a couple of basic toppers - both single pieces.

Stretched octagon - or vampire coffin ;)

View attachment 767836
View attachment 767832View attachment 767833


View attachment 767834


And an oval, using the kerf cuts that Tony mentioned above:

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View attachment 767839


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@Irish What is the purpose of the cut outs on each side of the oval? Inquiring minds want to knowl
 
@Irish What is the purpose of the cut outs on each side of the oval? Inquiring minds want to knowl

That's a trade secret. I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you.

:ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
You can't quite get the full length needed for the skirt with two 8' long cut-off pieces of plywood. Those gaps are eventually filled in with 2 filler pieces, and for this topper I used a little piece of decorative molding to hide the 4 seams.
 

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