The Console Is Complete!

Earlier this week, I detailed building the console table base. This was almost a month in the making – the top was done in early April! But here it is – how to build a console table!

I’m a little giddy and proud of this. I built furniture.

I started off by correcting a small mistake. I used the wrong sized screws in the top the first time around. They were one size too big and a few of them poked through the table top. Dangerous and pointy! Once I realized the mistake, I reconfigured it with the smaller screws.

With the base and top good to go, we put the two together for a test run.

Yessss. Kind of awesome. Here’s a better view of the frame-like border (made with 1″ x 2″ pieces) from the end.

We pulled the sofa away from the wall and carefully set the base between the wall and couch and laid the top on it. Yes my frame collage is still empty. Leave me alone! This illustrates why staining the base wasn’t terribly important – it’s nearly completely hidden.

A view from above. The console table is 26 3/4″ tall and sits just below the couch pillows.

Oh! See those two holes in the back of the console, towards the center? I realized it would be IMPOSSIBLE to reach the wall outlet with the table in place. So, when I (re)built the table top, I screwed three pieces together but didn’t attach them to the rest of the table. The center brace prevents it from falling through.

Here’s the console table from an angle. The top sits right above sofa frame – we’ll probably scoot the couch out a smidge more to give the table some breathing room. But minimal space is ideal so nothing falls to the floor in a hard-to-reach spot.

The table top needs just a bit more love! A few pieces need stain touch-ups. And the whole thing needs a layer or two of polyurethane to protect the wood.

But for all intents and purposes, this console table is signed, sealed and delivered. I never realized how easy it would be to build a console table, but I did it.

Up next? Touch up stain, add polyurethane, search high and low for lamps that I love, decorate and, in ten years or so, maybe I’ll be ready to put art/photos/etc in the frame collage. Oh, and I’ll gather up receipts to detail the budget. Hint: it was MUCH LESS than other 90+ inch console tables on the market.

Are you building anything? Staining furniture? Have some tips for removing stain from your nail beds? I might have that problem…

p.s. – recap building the console table: building a console table top and building a console table base.