BACK TO DIY

 

Quick Project: A Table that Fits over an Ottoman

An ottoman is a great piece of furniture for a living room and adding a table that fits over an ottoman is a space-saving idea to add a coffee table to the room.

21/08/2022

 

 

 

 

 

Making an ottoman is an easy project that anyone can do. It is simply a fabric-wrapped base with an upholstered cushion on top. Even if you make a storage ottoman, it is still an upholstered base that has a top that fits into the base with a foam top upholstered in fabric. Take a look at a few ottoman designs and you will see how easy it is to make.

 

 

An ottoman is a great dual-purpose piece of furniture if it also offers storage, but they can still take up quite a bit of space. A clever idea to make more use of an ottoman and still have it for extra seating when you need it, is to make a table - or two - that fits over the top of the ottoman. This way, you have a coffee table and an ottoman, and they both take up the same space.

 

 

 

 

 

Tips for a table to fit over an ottoman

 

 

 

Size of the table

The table should be high enough and wide enough to fit over the ottoman easily. You also need to take the brackets into account, so don't forget to add a bit extra for these. Measure accurately so that you can have everything cut to the exact size at Builders and then all you have to do is assemble. 

 

 

Material to use

There are choices for making this ottoman table and it all depends on how much you have to spend. A laminate like PG Bison Melawood comes in various styles and this can also be edged at your Builders store, that means you have no finishing to do whatsoever. The next option would be to use SupaWood that can be painted or a BisonLam or SupaLam that has one side laminated. And finally, there is the option to use wood. Pine is affordable but there are plenty of other options.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best brackets to use for this type of project are those that are rigid plastic with sides, as shown below. You can pick these up for about R20 for a pack of 10 at Builders stores.

 

 

 

 

Supplies needed to make the table

The supplies needed for this project vary according to the tools you use to make it. A pocket hole jig is the best, as everything is hidden out of sight underneath. but a biscuit joiner would work just as well. If you own neither of these tools, you will need to make a butt joint between the sides and top. Always use wood glue and rigid plastic brackets as these brackets have reinforced sides that will hold the shape of the table.

 

 

If you have the tools, another easy solution for making the table is to cut angle corners to fit underneath the table. This also provides all the support needed to hold the shape.

 

 

 

 

 

back to top