Catalogs are full of incredibly cute kid-sized furniture with equally incredible price tags. But you don't have to buy into that. With these simple instructions, you can turn a piece of scrap plywood and a stack of buckets into a delightful tree table with a "hobbit hole" that's the perfect place for furry friends to hide out. You can also make these darling mushroom stools to go with the table.
Things You'll Need
- 3/8 inch or thicker piece of plywood 36 inches by 36 inches
- Small nail
- String
- Pencil
- Jigsaw
- Orbital sander and 80 grit sandpaper
- 3 shades green enamel paint
- 5-gallon buckets, 4
- Glue gun and glue sticks
- Hand-held drill with a 1/4-inch drill bit
- Polyester batting
- Burlap, 1 yard
- Stapler and 5/8 inch staples
- 5/8-inch wood screws, 6
- 1/2-inch washers, 6
Step 1: Prepare the Table Top
Start a small nail in the center of a piece of plywood that is at least 3/8 inch thick and about 36 inches by 36 inches. Tie a piece of string to the nail and then tie a pencil to the other end, about 16 inches from the nail. Pull the string tight and draw a circle.
Draw curves, varying inside and outside, staying inside the 36-inch circle drawn in the first step.
Cut along the lines with a jigsaw.
Using 80 grit sandpaper, sand the edges until smooth, rounding the edges on both sides of the cut plywood.
Step 2: Paint the Tabletop
Wipe the tabletop clean of all sanding dust and paint with a medium dark green, latex enamel.
Let the paint thoroughly dry. Using a natural sponge, dampen the sponge and dip into a medium green latex enamel paint. Dab the sponge on the surface with a quick motion, turning various directions as you go.
When the paint is completely dry, sponge on a final layer of the lightest green paint.
Tip
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You might want to add a couple layers of a water-based polyurethane finish to further seal the table if it will be washed frequently.
Step 3: Prepare the Base
Glue the bottom three buckets together using a hot glue gun. This will help when cutting the "hobbit hole" in the base.
Draw a tunnel shape on the lower side of the buckets leaving the bottom rim intact for stability.
Drill a 1/4-inch hole in the lower corner of the drawn hole.
Insert the blade of the jigsaw through the drilled hole and cut along the drawn line to create the hobbit hole.
Set the fourth bucket on top of the group of three buckets and staple the batting around and on the bottom of the bucket.
Staple the burlap around and to the bottom of the fourth bucket.
Step 4: Finish the Table
Lay the tabletop on a cushioned surface, right side down. Remove the fourth bucket from the stack of buckets. Turn the bucket, bottom side down, spreading the batting and burlap out of the way and center it on the tabletop. Screw through the bottom of the bucket and into the tabletop with 5/8-inch screws and washers.
Set the stack of three buckets inside the fourth bucket, which has been attached to the tabletop. Pull the batting and burlap up and over the buckets and staple in place.
Trim and staple the batting and burlap around the hobbit hole.
Turn the table upright.
Ready for a tea party!
