DIY folding table

A folding table on the balcony is a very convenient and multifunctional thing. It does not take up much space and will become your indispensable assistant in everyday use. Making a folding table with your own hands is quite easy and simple. To do this, you need to stock up on the necessary materials and tools to safely get to work. In our article, we offer you detailed instructions for the manufacture of such a design. Your task is to choose a more acceptable way. From our material you will learn not only how to make a folding table on the balcony with your own hands, but also get acquainted with the pros and cons of this building, with the main recommendations and selection criteria.

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Advantages and disadvantages

What is the mechanism of a folding wall table? This is not just an attached bar, but a self-sufficient structure that acts as a table in rooms with a small area.

Important! Such a piece of furniture is often used for a balcony, loggia or kitchen, but some skillfully use a folding table in the room, thereby saving space.

It is time to find out the pros and cons of the folding table. This will help you decide for yourself whether to make it or not. Just note that the advantages of the design many times outweigh the disadvantages that can be avoided by following our recommendations, which you will learn about a little later.

Pros:

• Compactness. Folding structures do not occupy a large amount of space in the room and do not interfere with moving around the balcony, performing various daily actions: hanging clothes to dry, go to the desired shelf, watering flowers, and so on. In a word, the most important advantage of a folding structure is a large saving of space. The assembled table is the best way to cope with this task.
• Attractive appearance. The folding table will be the highlight of a simple balcony, give the room originality and emphasize the special style of the interior. And having completed this design according to your drawing, you are guaranteed to get an author’s creation, which will only be with you.
• Low cost. By making a folding table with your own hands, you will significantly save your budget. Buying even the most expensive wood will cost you much less than the purchased version of the finished product. It is for this reason that many men undertake the manufacture of such a universal and budgetary design, trying their hand at arranging their apartment.

Important! Building a wall folding table is a fascinating activity for lovers of creative processes. Having worked a little, you will make a very useful thing for your home with your own hands. Your family will appreciate your efforts, and guests will be delighted with such a beautiful product!

Minuses

Against the background of the above advantages, one should not forget about the disadvantages of this type of table mount:

• Size limit. Since the folding table is a miniature structure, then it will be convenient for one, for a maximum of two people. Of course, three people can fit behind such a piece of furniture, but you must agree that in this case it would be better to use an ordinary large dining table.

Important! If you make the wall structure large in size, then it will be uncomfortable for you to constantly put and fold it back due to its large bulkiness and heavy weight.

• Restriction in the form. The folding mechanism is a specific installation, so not every shape you like will look good. So, the most successful and popular forms of a folding table include a semicircle and a square.

Important! Some owners want to build a round or rectangular wall table for their balcony, which when used in a narrow room can be extremely uncomfortable.

• Constraint in construction. Not every table can be fixed to the wall. So, for example, too large area and weight of the structure can sag greatly in the case of a small room height. Not every wall can withstand a wooden table, which is often put and folded back.
• Restrictions in the material of manufacture. Many people think that such a design can be made of absolutely any raw material - metal, wood, glass or plastic. Believe me, this is not entirely true. For example, is it profitable to use a hinged glass countertop? One of your careless movements can cause small cracks that will damage the table surface. This option should not be considered for those who have small children.

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Application area

Let's take a closer look at how you can use a folding table with your own hands. As we already know, the main feature of the folding design is its functionality, it can be easily decomposed and folded at any time. That is why the folding table is very compact, stable, durable, and he can find the following application:

• For work. If you do not have a personal account in the apartment, and you want to retire from prying eyes in order to concentrate for work, a folding structure on the balcony will suit you very well. You can safely put a laptop on it, work with documents and other important information. Teachers can check their students' written work in a relaxed atmosphere.
• For breakfast. Sometimes, waking up in the morning, I so want to spend time in the fresh air, listen to the birds singing, have breakfast and a cup of aromatic coffee. As an added pleasure, you can enjoy the beauty of the morning awakening of the city. Having breakfast in the fresh air without leaving your home with your soulmate is another big advantage of the hinged design. Having laid out a wall table on the balcony, you can translate your desires into reality.
• For your favorite activities. Behind such a convenient piece of furniture you can safely engage in your favorite hobby. So, for example, if you like to make wooden crafts, this option will be your ideal solution - sawdust will not be scattered around the house. Do-it-yourself wall-mounted folding table is very convenient for performing other hobbies: embroidery, drawing, needlework or just playing board games with friends. The only rule that must be followed is to set good lighting when using the table in the evening and at night.

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Do-it-yourself folding table on the balcony - master class

If you want to independently make a wall table on the balcony, then do not forget to take into account that it should be as compact as possible and light in weight. Most often, more expensive and heavier material is used for its manufacture - wood, or more budget and light - plywood or particleboard. You will learn more about how to make a folding table to the wall with your own hands, what is necessary for this and how to complete each stage of the work.

Materials and tools:

• Wooden board, chipboard or durable plywood sheet.
• Jigsaw.
• Hammer drill.
• Drill.
• Screwdriver.
• Screws and dowels.
• Emery machine or sandpaper.
• Paint on wood.
• Varnish for wood.
• Antifungal impregnation.
• Connecting fasteners for countertops and supports.

The folding table will consist of the following details:

• Folding, central and supporting part.
• Top beam.
• Racks.
• Screeds.
• Milling machine.
• Legs

Preparatory work:

1. We select a model, determine the shape, size and color and mount the wall table. We check the compliance of the desired design with the interior of the balcony. We are convinced of the convenient location of the folding table when unfolded.
2. We cut the countertop of the required size.
3. Take a pre-cut rectangle of chipboard with a length equal to the base of the table and a width of about 12 cm.
4. We clean the cut sides of the hinged structure and the rectangle with sandpaper or on a milling machine (if you have one).
5. Soak the workpiece with an antifungal agent, and then varnish it on wood.

Joiner's works:

• We attach strictly horizontally a metal corner, which will be completely invisible under the cover against the wall, since its dimensions are very small.
• We make marks and install sleeves for fixing corners with screws. We attach metal holders to the wall in three places, and in the case of a large table - in four.
• Fasten the hinges to the countertop. They can be purchased at ordinary hardware stores. For fastening a small table, piano loops are also good.

Important! If you will use a table for everyday work with heavy material, it is better to take high-quality hinges that are used to fasten window frames.

• We fix the structure in the unfolded form with the help of a support leg, which can be made independently from a metal pipe. We make a small groove for fastening the stop in the folded state of the folding table.

Important! If your countertop is rectangular or large in size, we recommend that you make two such support legs on both sides of the structure.

That's all the work! The table on the balcony is ready for use!

Important! By attaching a folding tabletop under the window of the adjacent room, which adjoins the balcony, you can seat several people for it at the same time. The only important condition is to make sure that the table does not block the passage.

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DIY table on the balcony

Consider another simple way to make a wall worktop on a balcony. For its manufacture will require a minimum amount of materials and tools, namely:

• Two identical boards of chipboard (you can take plywood) with a thickness of at least 20 mm.
• Four metal hinges for connecting the paintings to each other and for fixing the door, which will serve as a stand for the table.

Step-by-step algorithm of actions:

1. We cut out two identical sheets with a jigsaw from the selected material. The size of the base is determined by yourself, we settled on the parameters, which amounted to 500x400 mm.
2. We carefully process the edges of the panels using a file with various notches or a phrase block. We walk along the perimeter of the material with sandpaper: first large, and then fine grain.
3. We mark and draw a “door” on the wall base, which we will cut out later and install on the right side on the inner area of ​​the resulting frame. In a word, we remove the core from the chipboard sheet so that we get the shape of the Latin letter U. All other three sides of our frame should have a width of at least 120 mm.
4. We process the edges of the wall frame and the previously cut “door” in exactly the same way as described above.
5. We drill four holes in the frame to fix it well on the wall
6. We cut the lower left corner of our “door” to conveniently open it.
7. We put the “doors” into the frame, mark the places along the line of its junction, on which we will fasten the metal hinges. We repeat such actions with markings on the countertop and the upper edges of the frame at the points of their connection with each other.
8. We combine all the details with hinges, screwing them to previously drilled holes.
9. We expose the frame at the building level to the area of ​​its location. We fix it on the wall with anchors or dowels.

Now you have your own table on the balcony! To decompose and assemble such a structure will not be difficult for you - it will be enough to slightly lift the countertop and pull the “door” towards you.

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General recommendations:

• Before installing a folding table, think carefully about its location. It should not interfere in everyday life, have a compact size and be combined with the overall picture of the interior.
• If the countertop is designed only for work, then consider installing good lighting, or install the design close to the window, which will provide you with natural daylight.
• Do not think that the most popular models of wall-mounted factory tables are the highest quality and durable. This is not entirely true. The guarantor of high quality is, first of all, the raw materials from which the furniture is made.
• Before making a purchase, pay attention to the level of glazing and warming of your balcony: will the table not suffer from atmospheric and temperature influences throughout the year (especially in winter)? So, for example, for a warm balcony, you can safely make a wooden tabletop. But for a non-glazed room - a table made of metal, plastic or aluminum.

Important! Remember that wooden furniture in the open air will serve you much less than products made from more durable materials.

• To protect the folding table from external environmental influences in winter, remove it and hide it in a room or closet until a more favorable period.
• When making a wall worktop on a balcony, try to round off the sharp corners of the paintings so as not to get hurt during use.

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Stock footage

Now you can easily make a folding table with your own hands, because you already know all the nuances of its manufacture. Enjoy fresh air with a cup of coffee with great pleasure!