How to Build a Lego Table

Family HandymanFamily HandymanUpdated: Jun. 03, 2020

Keep your child’s (or grandchild’s) Lego pieces from wandering.

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Introduction

Lego blocks are the favorite toys of children worldwide. And most 5- to 10-year-olds have approximately 83 million tiny Lego pieces that find their ways to the most remote corners and crannies of your home. This Lego table is just the right height and offers a perfect place for bright young builders to hone their craft and keep sharp plastic toys out from underfoot.

Tools Required

  • Drill
  • Hammer
  • Miter box or mitre saw
  • Nail set
  • Pilot and countersink (9/64-in.)
  • Rasp
  • Round-over bit (3/16-in.)
  • Screwdriver

Materials Required

  • 1-5/8-in. drywall screws
  • 1x2 x 6 ft. (1)
  • 1x4 x 6 ft. (4)
  • 20-in. x 20-in. piece of plywood (1)
  • 6d finish nails
  • Enamel paint (red & yellow & blue)
  • hot glue
  • Lego base plates
  • Sandpaper
  • Surfacing compound
  • Wood glue

Note: Wood and paint for this table cost us $45. The four Lego baseplates for the top cost an additional $22.

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Project step-by-step (11)

Step 1

Cut the Table Top

  • Cut a piece of plywood 20-in. x 20-in. (B);
    • Pro tip: Your local home store can usually cut the plywood to size for you.
Step 2

Build the Legs Together

  • Cut each of the four 1-in. x 4-in. pieces to 34 inches;
  • Glue them together to create a long box (A) that is 3-1/2 in. x 32 in.;
  • Cut the box into four 8-in. legs.
Step 3

Set Nail Heads

  • Set nails below the wood surface;
    • This ensures they don’t catch on clothes or tiny fingers!
Step 4

Prepare the Surface

  • Sand the joints flush;
  • Fill nail holes, imperfections and the porous end grain with surfacing compound;
  • Sand one more time;
  • Round over the sharp edges slightly with 100-grit sandpaper.
Step 5

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Detail the Legs

  • Saw the shallow grooves that outline the different segments of the legs.
    • Pro tip: If you choose to cut these by hand, use a guide block to get a straight cut.
Step 6

Smooth Out the Edges

  • Round over the edges of the material you will be using for the edging strips (C).
    • Pro tip: You can use a router for this, a Surform tool, a rasp or just sandpaper.
Step 7

Cut Edging Strips

  • Cut the edging strips one piece at a time;
  • Cut one miter, then hold the piece up to the table edge and mark where the opposite miter cut will be;
    • Pro tip: Glue and nail the first piece on, then proceed with the other three pieces.
Step 8

Match the Edges

  • Round over the mitered corners of the top to match the top edges.
Step 9

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Paint the Legs and Edging

  • Use masking tape to mask off the areas you don’t want to paint;
  • Spray or brush on enamel;
    • Pro tip: Aerosol paints are thin, so be prepared to spray on quite a few coats to cover the wood grain. Let the paint harden for several hours after each coat.
Step 10

Detail the Legs

  • Paint the grooves on the legs with black enamel, using a fine artist’s brush.
Step 11

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Attach the Legs

  • Pre-drill pilot holes in the top and legs;
  • Screw the legs to the tabletop;
  • Use a hot-melt glue to attach Lego baseplates.
Originally Published: May 14, 2020