Now that our table top is complete we need to add a skirt. We will drill into that board but do not need a pocket hole.Īfter your holes are drilled screw them together using 1-1/4” pocket hole screws. Do this for all of your boards except the middle 1×2. I believe that this creates a strong connection between boards. I like to have a pocket hole every 6-8” and I like to drill them in alternating directions and alternating boards (see above). I start by creating a drilling template by drawing arrows on each board with a pencil. We will drill the pocket holes into the underside of the table so you will not see these connections. Make sure to have your boards with the top “nice side” facing down. To make our table top we need to adhere our boards together and I love using Pocket Holes to create a strong bond. See my recent blog post on nominal lumber vs actual lumber for more information. Thus needing to add a 1×2 (3/4” x -1-1/2”) to the center. Using a 1×8 (actual dimension) is actually 3/4” x 7-1/4” (actual dimensions). Using 6 foot boards there will be NO MAJOR CUTTING!!! You will need a width of 30” plus a little wiggle room and a length of 6’. Like I mentioned before, I am using a Lifetime Folding Table that is 30” wide by 6’ long (all measurements in this tutorial will coordinate with that size only but adjustment can be easily made for a different size table). The best way to start is by placing your boards directly on our folding table. I chose to use common boards and sealed it. I chose NOT to use pressure treated wood because I did not want the chemicals on our eating surface and cedar was not an option. I used what was readily available to me, most cost effective, and what was best for this project. Lumber choices are abundant but can be costly. This tutorial will share how I built a removable table top for a Lifetime Folding Table measuring 30” x 6’. This will save space, it will allow us the flexibility of being able to move the table around, and it has the look of a nice wooden patio table. This table top can be easily removed and stored away when not in use. We all have an old folding table from that one thanksgiving or the last tailgate that just collects dust in the shed. So, I had the idea to create a removable wood table top for a plastic folding table. I want the flexibility of having a nice table to entertain on and to store it away when we are done. I have wanted a new patio table but I don’t want it to take up space all year around. Spring is here and summer is around the corner and I can’t wait for the first BBQ of the season.

Patio plastic table detachable