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Decorate on a budget by turning a door into a coffee table.
Before You Begin
Step 1: Cut the Components
Step 2: Remove the Honeycomb
Step 3: Fixing the Leg Plates
Step 4: Add Support Cleats
Step 5: Attach the Dividers
Step 6: Add the Legs
For an easy painted finish, choose a primecote (pre-primed) door. For a natural-finish table, select a door in a wood you like. Doors vary is size so measure the actual thickness of the frame of the door before buying 3/4-in. x 1-in. wood. If you can't get 3/4-in. x 1-in. wood, buy 3/4-in. x 1 1/2-in. and trim it down.
Cut the door using a circular saw guided by a straight edge. You will need two pieces 32-in. x 32-in., one piece 7 3/4-in. x 32-in. and two pieces 7 3/4-in. x 15 5/16-in.. Cut the 3/4-in. x 1-in. pine braces into six pieces 31-in. long. Plane one end to a chisel point to make skidding them inside the door easier.
Cut away the internal honeycomb of the door to a depth of about 1-in. Apply yellow glue to the edges of the braces and slide into the door. Put one piece in the center and one at either edge to align with the screws of the leg plate. Repeat for the top and bottom of the table.
Attach leg plates to the base corners, aligning the plate so the mounting hole is 1 3/8-in. from the edge of the table. Fill the open edges of both the top and bottom of the table by gluing and tapping in a piece of pine. Clamp with C-clamps.
Lay out the positions of the supporting cleats on the underside of the top and the mirrored position on the upper side of the base. Chisel out a half lap joint at the junctions of the long and short pieces. Glue and screw the pieces in position.
Glue and clamp the vertical dividers to the base. Cut notches out of the long piece to sit over the supporting piece. Check that it is square and allow time for the glue to dry before removing clamps. Position on the top of the table, glue and clamp in position.
Cut four 9 1/2-in. long pieces of 2 3/4-in. x 2 3/4-in. pine for the legs. Drill a 2 3/8-in. diameter hole in one end of each leg. Use a router to remove the waste to sufficient depth to conceal the leg plate. Screw in the hanger bolts using two nuts working against each other. Remove nuts and attach legs to the table. Sand and paint.