At least a small table in the kitchen is already a fine thing. After all, this will not only create a dining area, but also additional work space if needed. However, some kitchens are just so small that you can’t fit a table in them with the best will in the world. A great solution can then be a folding table. And building a folding table yourself is no problem at all with the right instructions!
A folding table to copy
As the name suggests, a folding table is a table that can be folded up. There are folding tables in several variations. A folding table, for example, can be a conventional table with integrated, fold-out tops that provide additional table space.
Another version are folding tables, which can be completely folded and stowed away to save space. And then there are those folding tables that are attached to the wall and can be folded out into a table when needed. Such a folding table presents this construction manual.
Our folding table has a 75 x 50 cm tabletop, which is attached to the wall with two wooden slats. Under the table top, a support ensures that the unfolded table remains in position. When the table is folded down, it protrudes just 7 cm from the wall. Thus, this table finds space even in a very small kitchen.
Building a folding table yourself – the material list
In addition, dowels, wood screws and wood glue are needed for the construction of the folding table as well as fastening material for mounting it on the wall.
Building a folding table yourself – this is how it works
1. Step: make the rail and the support
The rail, which will later be attached to the underside of the tabletop and will hold the support of the tabletop, is made first. For this, the two 1 cm thick wooden strips are glued to the 4 x 1 cm wide wooden strip. This creates a U-shaped profile.
Note: If the do-it-yourselfer has a router, he can also make the guide rail from a wooden strip. In this case, it needs a 35 cm long, 4 cm wide and 2 cm thick wooden strip. A continuous groove 2 cm wide and 1 cm deep is then milled in the center of this bar.
Next, a triangular support for the table top is sawn to size. To do this, measure 2 cm on each side of the 35 x 40 cm wooden panel, once from the top left corner down and once from the bottom right corner to the left. These two points are then connected. Now the cutting edge is marked and the board can be cut to size.
Info: In principle, the support could also be rectangular, so the wooden plate can be installed as it is. When sitting at the folding table, however, the support would then interfere with the legroom.
2. Step: mount the brackets on the wall
Now determine where the folding table should be attached to the wall. At this point, a straight line is drawn with the help of a spirit level. Then the 75 cm long and 6 cm wide wooden rail is attached to the wall with dowels and screws. (However, it is important to consider the material thickness of the tabletop. The table top later rests on the wooden rail so that the folding table slides up by 2 cm. If the determined line should result in the upper edge of the table top, the retaining bar must therefore be mounted offset downwards by 2 cm.)
The two metal brackets that will later connect the support bar to the table top are screwed to the support bar. The metal angles are placed at a distance of 15 cm from the outer edges.
Once the support strip is in place, two hinges are mounted on the triangular support. These two folding hinges are flush with the support at the top and bottom of the rear edge. Then the support is screwed to the retaining bar via the folding hinge. The distance to the right outer edge of the support rail is 35 cm.
The 8 x 8 cm wooden plate is attached to the wall about 35 cm below the retaining strip. It forms the lower holding point for the folding mechanism. The triangular support is screwed to this support plate via the folding hinge on the lower edge. Once everything is in place, the triangular support can be folded away to the right or aligned so that it points straight forward.
3. Step: fix the table top
Now the table top is assembled. To do this, the tabletop is connected to the 7 cm wide wooden strip with the three remaining hinges. The guide rail is also attached. The rail is placed so that the recess (or groove) is centered on the underside of the tabletop. The distance between the rail and the front edge of the table top is 10 cm.
Then place the table top on the support strip on the wall and screw it to the two metal brackets. With this the self-made folding table is ready!
To fold the folding table, the triangular support is folded away to the right and the table top is folded away downwards. If the table is to be erected, the tabletop is folded upwards and the triangular support is folded towards the middle. As a result, the prop slips into the guide rail under the tabletop and the tabletop is fixed in place.