We made an 8 foot long sofa table!!! A DIY Sofa Table! Can you believe it? I still can’t, but this experience has changed my outlook on those {relatively} expensive {yet cheaply made} mdf bookcase/shelves/whatever that I normally buy…

Since our sectional takes up much of the wall space in our family room, there was no space for functional side tables. Sure, we have an ottoman with a tray, but anyone with kids knows that it quickly becomes their own personal couch. And really, although super cute, ottomans and trays won’t always work with large groups. There was also the issue of lighting… I desperately want two amazing table lamps to flank the back wall and without a sofa table they would have no where to sit. After looking at expensive option, I decided to make a DIY sofa table. It was easier than I thought!

DIY Sofa Table

Custom-made 8 foot long sofa tables cost a mini fortune, and a standard sized sofa table seemed to get lost in the space. So, we made one. Ha! This is the first time I’ve taken on a project like this, but it definitely will not be the last…

I searched the internet for tutorials on how to design and construct a very stable table from a few slabs of wood, and found great information out there. I wanted the table to run exactly the length of couch, be roughly 14″ wide {to fit the base of large lamps} and have solid sides to prevent curious little brains from crawling behind  the couch. This is how we did it! Before I begin, I want to show you guys the “hammer” I own. Seriously friends, if this sad little guy can build a table, I am positive yours can too. We also used my Sister’s power drill, but that’s it in terms of tools. Other than elbow grease, of course.

I won’t bore you with specific measurements {because your table will be specific to your space}, but basically you need a piece of mdf for the top and two sides. Depending on the length, you should consider adding a third piece in the center for support and additional 1×2’s along the bottom. Since my couch’s base was more than an inch lower than the top of its cushions, I designed the table with an apron {horizontal piece underneath the top} to hide the inner workings of the table if by chance the cushion was pushed down. *Edit: It’s been several months of use, and I wish I had made the table the same height as the couch instead of the cushions. I also chose to have an overhang instead of making the sides flush with the top for esthetic reasons. Each piece of wood was connected with nails and then reinforced with L Brackets. Those things are amazing.

Props out to the awesome Home Depot guy who reviewed our plans, assisted and cut ALL of our wood for us! That’s right! The Home Depot will cut your wood… for free!

Hi Sister!