How to Turn a Coffee Table Into a Bench
What do you do with a coffee table that has served its purpose to the point where it simply no longer looks good? Cup rings, scrapes and other damage can make coffee tables unattractive as they age. Throwing it out to buy another is certainly an option, but why throw the piece out when it can be reincarnated into something beautiful and useful again? It does not take much to turn that unattractive coffee table into an attractive bench and conversation piece. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Coffee table
- Electric knife
- Foam
- Fabric
- Batting
- Adhesive spray
- Marker
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
Instructions
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1
Inspect your coffee table for damage and repair as necessary. Especially check for wobbly legs since you are turning this into something for people to sit on.
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2
Prepare the foam. The best way to do this is to turn the table over on top of the foam so that you can mark the straight edges with a marker, then cut along those straight edges with an electric knife.
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3
Attach the foam to the top of the table by spraying with adhesive. Take care that you center your foam to make your bench look balanced.
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4
Put the batting over the foam. You should have at least 3 inches extra all the way around for ease of stapling. Starting with the center of a lengthwise side, staple the batting to the underside of the table. Leave the corners for last so that you can tuck them neatly before stapling.
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5
Put the fabric over the batting. You need 5 inches extra fabric to allow for clean pulling and stapling. Once again, do your long sides first, then short sides, leaving your corners for last, stapling securely.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Do any painting before beginning the project. Doing so after the fact means possibly getting paint on your fabric.
Always measure twice and cut once.
Keep a screwdriver and a pair of pliers on hand in case you have to remove staples.
You can add buttons to make the bench look slightly more decorative. To do this, drill holes into the table where you want to put the buttons in before you put the foam over the top. Put holes in your foam where you want your buttons to be. Once you have put your fabric on, mark the placement of your buttons with long needles. Then sew your buttons on with upholstery twine or string. While this is not absolutely necessary, it can add some stability to the bench by taking some of the pressure off your staples.
There is some possibility of injury in the misuse of an electric knife.
Be careful not to get your adhesive spray on other objects because it is difficult to remove without damage.
This is an object to sit on; ensure that it is sturdy enough to bear the full weight of a person before starting the project.
