DIY Fluted Side Table
I’ve got it! I’ve been searching for end tables for months on end and haven’t found anything that hits right. Then one day, when I was putting my boys to bed, the whole idea just came to me. We have been obsessed with fluting over the past few months. I had this vision of a beautiful, modern fluted side table that would go perfectly in our space. The best part? I knew EXACTLY how I wanted to build it. This fluted side table turned out to be such a simple build that I’m sure absolutely anyone could do it themselves! You can even do it without any power tools!
DIYers of all skill levels could definitely pull this off, and I can’t wait to see!
When I posted on Instagram that I was using a concrete form tube to make a table, let’s just say, people weren’t quite on board yet! If you’re still with me after that bomb drop, let’s get into making the easiest and in my opinion, cutest, accent table there ever was!
Supplies:
- 12” Concrete form tube
- (10) 1” ½ round trim [8’ length]
- ½” or ¾” Plywood sheet [or pre-cut round from The Home Depot]
- Construction Adhesive
- Wood glue
- Wood filler
- Caulk
- 220 Grit Sandpaper
- Paint
- Painter’s tape
How To Create A DIY Fluted Side Table
- Cut the 1/2 round trim to length
- Cut the plywood
- Cut your tubing
- Time to assemble!
- Wood fill and caulk
- Paint! Paint! Paint!
STEP 1: Cut the ½ round trim to length
The first step is to cut the trim! I cut the trim first because they are going to be the actual height of the table. You can use a hand saw or a miter saw which is what I I used to create a stop block to make sure they were all the same length. To determine the height, I measured how tall I wanted them to be next to my couch and determined that 22” was a great height for me.
Twenty two inches is within the standard height of side tables, according to Google. I needed 40 pieces to go all the way around the tube form. I was able to cut 4 slats from each 8’ piece of trim.
STEP 2: Cut the Plywood
After I built my table, I found a pre-cut 12” round at The Home Depot. If you go that route, you can skip this step! The ones at The Home Depot are ¼” thick so I would buy at least two and glue them together to make it ½” thick, or 3 to make it ¾” thick.
I have a ton of scrap plywood from the waterfall desk I made awhile back. Something to know about me, I love repurposing scrap! I placed my concrete tub onto the plywood and traced the outside. Then, I used my jigsaw to cut the circle out. After cutting it, mine wasn’t perfectly smooth so I took my orbital sander and sanded the edges to be smooth and to help shape it into a circle.
STEP 3: Cut the tube
There are many tools you can use to cut the tube since it’s just hard cardboard! The easiest approach I found was a multi-tool. I used to think that I didn’t have many uses for a multi-tool (funny, given the name MULTI-tool) but I use it all the time.
To get the right height of the tube, I put my plywood on top of the tube and held a slat piece on the side, flush with the top and marked right below that slat. I did this a few times around the tube and connected the lines all the way around with a flexible measuring tape (like ones that tailors use). Then, just follow the line around with your multi tool.
STEP 4: Assembly
Starting with the top, the concrete tube is thin. I put a bead of construction adhesive around the top rim of the tube to attach the plywood top. Next, I laid out a few slats at a time, flat side up, and put a dab of wood glue at the top ¾” and then construction adhesive the rest of the way down. You can use construction adhesive the whole way, just be sure none of it squeezes out of the top.
One the first slat, I made sure to use a level to get it perfectly straight. I kept checking every few slats to make sure I wasn’t drifting. This is really important!
The slats should line up against one another. I taped the top of the slats to the plywood top to ensure they were completely flush with the top and nothing budged while drying.
If the tube is at all uneven, you can flip it upside down and take your sander to it to smooth and level it out.
STEP 5: Wood Fill and Caulk
The top of the table will have some gaps which you can easily fill with wood filler. After you fill it and it dries, sand with 220 grit sandpaper. I sanded by hand and with my orbital sander. The orbital sander sure does the job way quicker!
The final step before painting is caulk. I want this to look like one seamless piece so caulking in between the slats is important to achieve that look. I ran a thin bead of caulk down the crack between the slats and smoothed it with my finger and a baby wipe over it. It’s a time consuming step but well worth it – trust me!
STEP 6: PAINT!
Finally, we paint! After the caulk has had sufficient time to dry, it’s time to paint. I used a cabinet and furniture acrylic paint from Valspar so I didn’t need to prime or seal. I love this product because it is all in one paint saving me a few minutes of time. I know you’re supposed to prime raw wood ,but this worked perfectly for me.
I took a 2” brush and painted the slats first. Lastly, I finished by painting the top. After 3 coats of paint, it’s finished and looking great!
The color I chose for this table is Thunderous by Sherwin Williams.
Thanks for reading and I hope this inspired you to create your own fluted side table!
For more behind the scenes of this project, head over to Instagram and follow me there!
xo Ruth | Olivegrey Avenue | OliveGreyAvenue.com
For more amazing tutorials from Our Faux Farmhouse contributors like this accent wall from Savannah Kay Designs, check out the Our Faux Farmhouse blog here.
