DIY Network

Game Table and Stools A desk becomes a game table with stools. From "From Junky to Funky" episode DFJF-308

In this segment, host Samantha Gleisten creates a game table and stools from an office desk.

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Materials:

wooden teacher's desk
wooden end tables
1/4" plywood
1'x2' pine
small wood strips
wood stain
polyurethane
wood glue
screws
nails
wood putty
fabric
foam padding
upholstery tacks
felt pads
"T" square
table saw
nail gun
chop saw
palm sander
power drill
staple gun
scissors
paint brushes

1. Remove the desktop and center support (figure A). Put them aside for later use.

2. Using a "T" square, measure 17 inches from the bottom up, and then mark all three sides of the two cabinets of the desk.

3. Cut both units with a table saw (figure B) at these marks.

Figure A

Figure B

4. Remove the support braces from the inside of the units to make way for new blocking and interior panels.

5. Measure and cut new interior panels out of 1/4 inch birch plywood to cover the left and right sides of both units. Wood glue and nail gun into place.

Figure C

6. Measure and cut two pine 1x2's using a chop saw to bridge the tops of the units (figure C), holding them apart just enough to fit the new stools in between. Wood glue, clamp and nail gun in place.

7. Cut and screw small 1" x 2" wood tabs onto the new lower top of the desk units.

8. Cut the legs off of the end tables so they will fit under the desktop. They will be used as stools when the coffee table is complete.

9. Use a palm sander and wood putty to prepare the exterior of the unit, not including the desktop. Sand the end table units and desktop, but don't use wood putty.

10. Stain the desktop and end tables to match. Paint all other exterior and interior surfaces.

11. Apply polyurethane finish to the desktop, end tables, interior and exterior surfaces.

12. Reassemble the desk by screwing the desktop on from underneath the wood tabs. Make sure the desktop is centered so there is an equal amount of overhang on both sides.

13. Cut two sets of rectangular pieces of fabric for the sides and back of the desk/coffee table.

14. Cut two strips of wood to the height of each fabric rectangle.

15. Lay the fabric down with the back facing up, and then put a wood strip on each end. Fold the ends of the fabric over the wood strips, and then staple in place (figure D).

16. Attach the fabric rectangles to the sides and back of the desk/coffee table using a nail gun through the wood strips on the ends.

17. Cut foam padding to cover the top of the end tables (figure E). Cover the padding with fabric by folding the ends under, and then hammering upholstery tacks through the fabric and wood.

18. Add large felt pads to the bottoms of the seats and coffee table feet.

Figure D

Figure E

Project Cost:

Desk: Free
End tables: Free
Foam, fabric: $14
Paint, materials: $18

Total: $32

RESOURCES :

Wacky Cats
Website: www.wackycats.com

The Yellow Jacket
Website: www.yellowjacketvintageclothing.com/get_yellow.swf