DIY Plywood Table Extension

[jimmywease]

I was much amused by the price (CHF 285) of the Califamily table and @Amarillo said that it was basically just an expensive piece of plywood, so here is my cheap piece of plywood!

 

[Shuftie]

Plans please!

 

[Multi1100]

And where do you store it? In the back?

 

[jimmywease]

Plans please!

Ah... glad you asked me that...

In the true spirit of organic design philosophy, I won’t have an actual as-built until I measure again tomorrow, but I will take you through the initial brain-smashing process (if you lack an engineering degree, please excuse the complexity of the drawings).

“This VW table is a bit small (in plan)”


“My (3-bench) multiflex is a funny shape but a table-top could be made to slide onto it”


“If I only use the multiflex area, I won’t gain very much table, for a family of four”

 

[jimmywease]

“I’ll just use the whole 18mm plywood off-cut from the shed, then see how it looks”


“Rout, rout, rout, chisel”

“Much too big & heavy”

 

[jimmywease]

“Okay - I’ll trim it down to the multiflex minimum width and utilise the full depth of my boot in camping mode. It needs yet more routing though, because the multiflex ain’t flat - the metal bit is high”


“For someone who moans about the greyness of his Cali, I have a lot of grey paint in the shed”

 

[jimmywease]

And where do you store it? In the back?

Yes. I made it to fit on top of the (3 bench) multiflex board, under the mattress. The depth dimension is set to use the full boot depth, when I position the bench seat for travelling in camping mode. For day-tripping, I have the bench back against the full multiflex, hence the table-top will have to stay at home.

I’ve yet to check whether the table-top will fit vertically inside the tailgate, but I suspect not, without interfering with my boot contents.

 

[Dr-Snickers]

That looks great!

Does it just rest on top of the table or do you have something to keep it in place?

 

[jimmywease]

That looks great!

Does it just rest on top of the table or do you have something to keep it in place?

Thanks. No, the 8mm recess in the underside of the 18mm plywood receives the VW table quite snugly, so it is very stable, once in place. More so after painting, as the painted surface offers more friction than the bare plywood surface.

 

[Calimatt88]

Get an Etsy shop setup and get flogging these. They look great, well done!

 

[jimmywease]

Plans please!

As requested...

 

[subthree]

As requested...

View attachment 78968

You have even put a list of PPE

 

[jimmywease]

Get an Etsy shop setup and get flogging these. They look great, well done

Thanks! CHF 284 per item sound fair?

 

[Shuftie]

Thanks so much, off to B&Q soon then!

Guidance about not chopping off one's fingers noted.

 

[Amarillo]

As requested...

View attachment 78968

I wonder if an IKEA table can be hacked to sit on top of the picnic table.

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www.ikea.com

95cm by 95cm is a perfect size for four, and birch is fairly light.

 

[jimmywease]

I wonder if an IKEA table can be hacked to sit on top of the picnic table.

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Browse our full range of products from dressing tables to complete modern kitchens. Click here to find the right IKEA product for you. Shop online and in store today.

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95cm by 95cm is a perfect size for four, and birch is fairly light.

Will this withstand outdoor use? I would throw in a concern over condensation, but wouldn’t want to provoke Mr Hyde!

I was in B&Q just now and had a twang of the 6 and 9mm hardwood ply... pretty stiff... I reckon a layer each of 6mm would be strong enough. As long as you have the inevitable initial cupping/warping of the plywood going upwards when you bond them and fully seal it with paint/varnish.

 

[Amarillo]

Will this withstand outdoor use? I would throw in a concern over condensation, but wouldn’t want to provoke Mr Hyde!

I was in B&Q just now and had a twang of the 6 and 9mm hardwood ply... pretty stiff... I reckon a layer each of 6mm would be strong enough. As long as you have the inevitable initial cupping/warping of the plywood going upwards when you bond them and fully seal it with paint/varnish.

Maybe I’d have to bin the external windscreen cover and start using curtains again so the condensation forms on the inside of the windscreen not the new and bigger table top.

I reckon the IKEA table top will be properly sealed to cope with the ravages of family use, and so fine for occasional outdoor use. We have an IKEA within cycling distance so I might pop down there to take a look. All that would be needed is four wooden battens fixed to the underside to hold it in place on the picnic table.

My main concern is justifying £150 for a table I’m going to adapt.

 

[jimmywease]

Maybe I’d have to bin the external windscreen cover and start using curtains again so the condensation forms on the inside of the windscreen not the new and bigger table top.

I reckon the IKEA table top will be properly sealed to cope with the ravages of family use, and so fine for occasional outdoor use. We have an IKEA within cycling distance so I might pop down there to take a look. All that would be needed is four wooden battens fixed to the underside to hold it in place on the picnic table.

My main concern is justifying £150 for a table I’m going to adapt.

Yes, it is one of IKEA’s nicer tables. Nearly bought one once, but they were out of stock. At £150, I’d start to consider the CHF285 Califamily table less of a rip-off, as I briefly did, during my lengthy session with the router.

 

[OGII]

I wonder if an IKEA table can be hacked to sit on top of the picnic table.

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Browse our full range of products from dressing tables to complete modern kitchens. Click here to find the right IKEA product for you. Shop online and in store today.

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95cm by 95cm is a perfect size for four, and birch is fairly light.

We just keep one of these behind our bench and before our multflex alternative.

FOLDING CAMPING TABLE – 2 TO 4 PEOPLE QUECHUA | Decathlon

Our motivation? To create a folding table that takes up a small space in the boot of a car. It seats up to 4 people.

www.decathlon.co.uk

Only 80x60 but at £15 it's a no brainer, surprisingly robust and unmarked 3 years in.

 

[jimmywease]

We just keep one of these behind our bench and before our multflex alternative.

FOLDING CAMPING TABLE – 2 TO 4 PEOPLE QUECHUA | Decathlon

Our motivation? To create a folding table that takes up a small space in the boot of a car. It seats up to 4 people.

www.decathlon.co.uk

Only 80x60 but at £15 it's a no brainer, surprisingly robust and unmarked 3 years in.

We have one of these too, but I don’t find it robust enough. I use it for cooking mostly. My motivation for extending the VW sliding door table was that it is more stable and just feels more civilised. Particularly important when you consider its users and neighbours:
Tall clumsy man on the sauce; sulky tweenage girl surrounded by wires & laptops; ‘special’ boy prone to lashing out; 30kg highly-excitable Springador on a diet; passionate Sprocker puppy; beautiful but tired woman tasked with keeping order!

 

[Amarillo]

We just keep one of these behind our bench and before our multflex alternative.

FOLDING CAMPING TABLE – 2 TO 4 PEOPLE QUECHUA | Decathlon

Our motivation? To create a folding table that takes up a small space in the boot of a car. It seats up to 4 people.

www.decathlon.co.uk

Only 80x60 but at £15 it's a no brainer, surprisingly robust and unmarked 3 years in.

That is more or less what we use for the boys - a cheap folding table. Clare and I use the picnic table. What we want is one table sufficiently large for four with room for plates, drinks and serving bowls.

 

[WelshGas]

Maybe I’d have to bin the external windscreen cover and start using curtains again so the condensation forms on the inside of the windscreen not the new and bigger table top.

I reckon the IKEA table top will be properly sealed to cope with the ravages of family use, and so fine for occasional outdoor use. We have an IKEA within cycling distance so I might pop down there to take a look. All that would be needed is four wooden battens fixed to the underside to hold it in place on the picnic table.

My main concern is justifying £150 for a table I’m going to adapt.

Why not Marine Ply. Waterproof so should be fine in your wet and humid Beach.

 

[Amarillo]

The picnic table


Stowage option #1 of the table top.


Stowage option #2 of the table top.



Table top upside down


Table top fitted

Method:-
1. Find a friend who happens to be a kitchen fitter and has a woodworking workshop in his garage.
2. Invite the friend and his children over for a walk and BBQ.
3. After a very happy walk with four children getting muddy and splashing in a woodland stream, return home for the BBQ.
4. Ply friend and his children with sausages, salads and scintillating conversation, and discuss plans for a table top.
5. Give friend and his children a parting gift of six freshly laid eggs.
6. Hey presto! Three days later the table top is delivered.

Cost:-
£24 for a single sheet of 6mm plywood
£2 for a pack of Toulouse sausages
£FREE for half a dozen freshly laid eggs

Notes:-
The table top is made from two pieces of 1.0m x 965mm x 6mm ply.
The maximum width to fit the Beach boot would be 1.25m, but, in practice, 1.22m for a standard size plywood sheet.
The table top is about 2.2 times larger than the original.

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 80775
The picnic table

View attachment 80776
Stowage option #1 of the table top.

View attachment 80779
Stowage option #2 of the table top.


View attachment 80777
Table top upside down

View attachment 80778
Table top fitted

Method:-
1. Find a friend who happens to be a kitchen fitter and has a woodworking workshop in his garage.
2. Invite the friend and his children over for a walk and BBQ.
3. After a very happy walk with four children getting muddy and splashing in a woodland stream, return home for the BBQ.
4. Ply friend and his children with sausages, salads and scintillating conversation, and discuss plans for a table top.
5. Give friend and his children a parting gift of six freshly laid eggs.
6. Hey presto! Three days later the table top is delivered.

Cost:-
£24 for a single sheet of 6mm plywood
£2 for a pack of Toulouse sausages
£FREE for half a dozen freshly laid eggs

Notes:-
The table top is made from two pieces of 1.0m x 965mm x 6mm ply.
The maximum width to fit the Beach boot would be 1.25m, but, in practice, 1.22m for a standard size plywood sheet.
The table top is about 2.2 times larger than the original.

How stable is the top if someone inadvertently leans on 1 edge?

 

[jimmywease]

View attachment 80775
The picnic table

View attachment 80776
Stowage option #1 of the table top.

View attachment 80779
Stowage option #2 of the table top.


View attachment 80777
Table top upside down

View attachment 80778
Table top fitted

Method:-
1. Find a friend who happens to be a kitchen fitter and has a woodworking workshop in his garage.
2. Invite the friend and his children over for a walk and BBQ.
3. After a very happy walk with four children getting muddy and splashing in a woodland stream, return home for the BBQ.
4. Ply friend and his children with sausages, salads and scintillating conversation, and discuss plans for a table top.
5. Give friend and his children a parting gift of six freshly laid eggs.
6. Hey presto! Three days later the table top is delivered.

Cost:-
£24 for a single sheet of 6mm plywood
£2 for a pack of Toulouse sausages
£FREE for half a dozen freshly laid eggs

Notes:-
The table top is made from two pieces of 1.0m x 965mm x 6mm ply.
The maximum width to fit the Beach boot would be 1.25m, but, in practice, 1.22m for a standard size plywood sheet.
The table top is about 2.2 times larger than the original.

That method is certainly what my father-in-law would describe as the ‘right way’. Are you going to paint or varnish? And will you be applying the VW logo with a heated brand, or marquetry for a professional job?