How to Build a Sofa Table With Turned Legs

An elegant sofa with round legs is easy to match.

A sofa table is a tall, thin table positioned behind the sofa in a living or sitting room where the sofa is away from the wall. These tables are an elegant addition to a room where space is abundant and flow is important. It is important for the pattern of curves on the sofa legs must match that of the table. It helps the flow of the room when the table and sofa appear as one.

Things You'll Need

• 46-by-18 pine board
• Four 2-by-2 30-inch-long pine boards
• Measuring tape
• Carpenter's pencil
• Lathe
• Sandpaper
• Damp cloth
• Eight L-brackets
• Wood screws
• Drill
• Wood stain
• Staining brush

Instructions

1. Measure the sofa to make sure the 30-inch tall and 46-inch long table will fit behind it properly. If not, adjust the size of the pine boards accordingly.

2. Sand the edges and top of the 46-by-18 pine board until nicely smooth. Wipe any dust away with damp cloth.

3. 

   Careful planning will match all the living room tables.

   Measure the curves of the sofa legs and set the lathe to those measurements. Mark on the table legs a 2-inch space at the top of the leg boards. Set the lathe based on the curve measurements of the sofa legs. Begin turning the legs on the lathe under this 2-inch space.

4. Sand the legs until perfectly smooth. Use wood screws to drill an L-bracket flush with the top of the legs on the two sides that belong on the inside of the table. Using these L-brackets, attach the legs to the bottom of the tabletop in the corners so that the top of the leg is flush with the edges of the tabletop.

5. Stain the table to the same shade and depth of color found on the sofa legs using the staining brush.

Tips & Warnings

• For more decoration in the table, attach a decorative strip to the front and sides under the tabletop. A scroll saw is used to make the strips detailed.

• Test the stain color you have chosen to make sure it matches the sofa legs. Ask for help at your local hardware store if the color of the sofa legs is hard to match.

• Keep children away from power tools.

References

• Made Man: How to Build a Sofa Table With Turned Legs