The dining room is one of the focuses of any space. It's where you eat, mingle, and potentially do work if you don't have a dedicated study. A dining table made from solid wood can run into the thousands of dollars. A plywood put-together table, such as one from Ikea, while cheaper, can also run hundreds of dollars. Building your own dining table is significantly less expensive than both options.
Tabletop
There are two options for the top of the table--a reclaimed door or a piece of medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Solid and hollow-core doors come in standard lengths of 78, 80 and 82 inches and standard widths of 32, 34 and 36 inches; MDF comes in 4-foot-by-8-foot sheets that are 3/4-inch thick and can be cut into any design--rectangular, square, circle, oblong, etc.--that you want.
The tabletop you choose depends on the space you have. A reclaimed door, for example, will only work in a large dining room because of the length. With MDF, there are more possibilities for a table that will fit the space you have.
Legs
Choosing the legs for your table depends on whether you want the legs at the corners or a pedestal underneath the table. For a pedestal table, Murray Anderson suggests two cable reels (the large wooden spools electrical cable is shipped on) placed on their sides one on top of the other.
Ikea also sells sets of four table legs, while Anderson suggests turned spindles intended as newel or corner posts for staircases. Make sure you use the thickest ones you can find, as that will make the table leg stronger and ensure the table can hold enough weight.
Putting it Together
If you decide to use MDF, draw whatever pattern you choose--smaller rectangle, square, circle or oblong--onto the board and cut it out. Sand the board until it's smooth to the touch, and then nail or screw it to the chosen leg style.
If you've chosen a reclaimed door, you need to first build a frame around it. Cut four boards out of wood the same thickness as the door so you have two short pieces for the door top and bottom and two long pieces for the door sides. Cut a 45-degree angle out of each end of the boards. Nail or screw the frame onto the door. This frame adds additional strength to the door.
Nail or screw the door onto your cable-reel pedestal or , making sure to screw or nail from the top of the table down. This prevents an unsightly, and dangerous, nail or screw tip from poking up through the table.
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