Thread: Drop leaf ikea hack work table design help for a novice - chipboard?

Welcome to the forum

Some random thoughts in no particular order.
Rather than hinges, could you use dowels, drill 2 or 3 holes along the joining edge, to keep the two tops aligned, and use locking catches Syneco 115 - 125mm Zinc Plated Adjustable Toggle Latch - Bunnings Australia
underneath to hold them together. Still with adjustable legs for the outside.

If you can route for hinges, use toggle bolts rather than screws to attach the hinges. The thinness of the remaining wood shouldn't be so much of a problem.

Cut a narrow slot from the bottom and insert a strip of wood to reinforce the side

Originally Posted by russ57

Some random thoughts in no particular order.
Rather than hinges, could you use dowels, drill 2 or 3 holes along the joining edge, to keep the two tops aligned, and use locking catches Syneco 115 - 125mm Zinc Plated Adjustable Toggle Latch - Bunnings Australia
underneath to hold them together. Still with adjustable legs for the outside.

Thanks so much for your thoughts, That’s a pretty good idea! I am quite small tho so I don’t know how I’d go wrangling the second top up into thin air to align dowels and assemble it every time I wanted to use it. I had been looking at these though: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...Dti80Nk3S&s=10 but a locking catch like you linked would be much simpler and cheaper!

Originally Posted by russ57

If you can route for hinges, use toggle bolts rather than screws to attach the hinges. The thinness of the wood shouldn't be so much of a problem.

That’s amazing, i love the idea! I don’t think the coarse particle board will take routing for concealed hinges though, after reading up on it a little more. A shame the piano hinges would be mounted on the underside so I couldn’t use the same idea because it’s very clever (though the logistics of getting them shoved in there for a concealed hinge when the holes in the hinge are small…)

Originally Posted by russ57

Cut a narrow slot from the bottom and insert a strip of wood to reinforce the side

This I could do with the tools I have, but not neatly. I did toss up the idea of mounting some 3mm ply with glue before attaching the hinge just to give the screws something extra to grip onto but I’m not convinced the physics of it will make a difference…

Perhaps a draftsmans table might be close to what you're after?

These have variable heights, angleable tops, some fold or part and are designed to be folded away easily.

I've seen HEAPS of these second hand....

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Perhaps a draftsmans table might be close to what you're after?

These have variable heights, angleable tops, some fold or part and are designed to be folded away easily.

I've seen HEAPS of these second hand....

Thanks! I have a massive flip top conference table in the hallway, (I think one day my other half will stub one toe too many and secretly burn it!) the problem being that it’s too large to manoeuvre into the workroom and I need a small table for sculpting work that is only occasionally large for cutting. I’m having a look online for draftsmans tables, but I’m not finding any that meet the spec for what I need in a cutting table, are you able to show me an example of what you’re thinking?

Honestly what I need is a bigger flat but that’s not happening, just yet!

My father just tried to get rid of a few from an art school he closed down. He is (was, now retired) and architect and builder and taught architects on "how to draw with your hand" (!!!! yes, its a thing!).

They were originally bought from an auction place.

I meant when they are "available" I didn't really mean you'd readily find 15 on Gumtree TODAY... but they are there at places like Pickles, Greys, etc.

This is available from Amazon: (110cm .) - Studio Designs Vintage Drafting Table - Rustic Oak: Amazon.com.au: Home

91wcp2APxqL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

One could always steal some of the design elements from this (also on Amazon):

71yPN5rEkJL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

Obviously you wont find exactly what you want on a place like Amazon, but if you can come up with a sketch and an idea of the sizes you want then getting it made should be a possibility (I used to do this kind of commish work, others here still do).

My thoughts as you need a few attributes is to make the table so an ancillary top can be added to the initial stand. Take, for instance, the first retro-table above, then on top of that you could add a board that is super big when needed. A sheet of 9mm MDF, or laminate board from Bunnings, with edges around the underside to keep it located upon the "under table" would work.... you and partner could lug this big top off the drafting table and store it behind a door, cupboard or shed when unneeded.....

Ahhh, I think I understand now! Thank you! I love all the different areas of knowledge on here.

I was confused because the initial drafting table is not flat (it has a pencil ridge) and also smaller than the table I have, which is half of what I need in terms of surface area. I then envisioned having two and just leaving one vertical, which sounds pretty good, unfortunately due to my floor space situation here wouldn’t work as I have a knitting machine on stand handily stashed just under the lip of my current table.

that said if I came across a couple at greys I’d probably give it a go as long as they were at least 120x70

now I understand, yes, we could put a large top on temporarily, this doesn’t require me to buy a drafting table as the existing skarsta table and top will do, I could even rip the top off my conference folding table that’s been threatened to disappear, and screw in some locating pieces, and use that. But there is nowhere in my flat to store it (every free wall is full of furniture in some shape or form) and since I can’t lift it, it would require a serious production with two of us to carry it through our twisting corridors from the garage, and up onto my table whenever I need to cut!

im wondering if I need to look at tiny homes, caravans and boats for clever table ideas

You might find inspiration at Ikea again for larger cutting out table.
You might even find something in the as-is room which is light weight construction like your current table.

I have a large house and understand the problem finding somewhere to store an extra top. Hinging a top onto your existing table does solve that but avoiding any gap will be tricky.

Good call!!

Yes avoiding the gap as well as making sure the weight doesn’t just yank the screws right out is going to be tricky, lots of good suggestions on here so might try the simplest and cheapest first. I do have a second skarsta top, which weighs about 7.5kg, so maybe it will hold with a lot of chipboard screws in a piano hinge

If I could get away with a permanent large table that would be perfect, but if I put one in this room I can’t open any cupboards, or fit a chair in there

I’ve also come across this kind of hinge: https://livesandlegaciesblog.files.w...ble.jpg?w=1040

It’s Side mounted, would allow the table to fold on top of itself so no weight hanging off any chipboard screws, mounted into the side so no mortise and a perfectly smooth top… could just unfold it and pop a trestle underneath to prop up the leaf. What do y’all think? anything I’m missing?

Sent you a PM.

That side hinge could work.

Thanks Bodhan!

Russ - yes it looks promising, I was wrong and it needs a mortise but I think it should be reasonably easy to cut?

Townsend Card Table Table Top Hinge Step 29 - YouTube

Originally Posted by TinyUmbrellas

I’ve also come across this kind of hinge: https://livesandlegaciesblog.files.w...ble.jpg?w=1040

It’s Side mounted, would allow the table to fold on top of itself so no weight hanging off any chipboard screws, mounted into the side so no mortise and a perfectly smooth top… could just unfold it and pop a trestle underneath to prop up the leaf. What do y’all think? anything I’m missing?

Hi TinyU .
That sort of hinge on the antique Tea table is supported by its base. The top usually spins 90 degrees and the top flips out to be supported on the rectangular section underneath. So yes you supporting it with a trestle is the go .
BTW , its labeled card table by who ever put it on the net. If the top is lined with felt or leather its a card table . Polished and its a tea table . Exactly the same in every other way.
Those hinges a little tricky to fit. Not great in chipboard , worse in MDF . Forget to place the trestle for support once and they will probably split there way free and break the top at hinge location . The sort of thing a visitor not aware that the trestle needs to be in place can do. Its a common repair in antique restoration business when people forget to pull the lopers ( Antique pull out desk top support rail) out to support a top on furniture that uses that type of hinge or similar.

My suggestion would be to keep it simple and build or buy a top the size you need to add on. Or could you buy another Ikea table and just use the top ? Make one or two folding trestle bases to hold it level with your top and use a basic piece of wood fitted under the extension to hold the two tops level . If the new top is held just a tiny amount higher than the original top the original will be resting on that piece of wood and sit level on top. If you make some locating pins ( cut up some nails ) that go through the piece of support wood and only partially go into the underside of the original top it cant pull away .

With that you have another piece that has to be kept somewhere else when not in use . Simple to make though .


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