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Kid’s Pull Down Table

Get both style and function with this amazing Kid’s Pull Down Table!

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Difficulty
Intermediate
Time
6.3–12.3 hours
Cost
$$$

About this build

Get both style and function with this amazing Kid’s Pull Down Table! Enjoy the look of a beautiful mid-century style credenza, and in only a few seconds transform it into the perfect place for the kids to eat or play. Use it in any room in your home, perfect for dining, art, legos, and more!

Tools

Essential

  • Brad Nailer
  • Circular Saw
  • Drill / Driver
  • Impact Driver
  • Jigsaw
  • Miter Saw
  • Pocket Hole Jig
  • Random Orbit Sander

Optional / nice to have

  • Bar / Pipe Clamps
  • Tape Measure

Materials

ItemQty
Plywood, 3/4" Thick Full Sheet1 board
Board, 1x3 96"2 board
Board, 2x2 96"2 board
Plywood, 1/4" Thick 48"1 board
Regular Hinges4 each
90 degree surface mount hidden spring hinges2 each
Latch1 each
Legs @ 14 1/4''4 each

Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.

Cut list

PartQtyT × W × L
Stiles for frames61" × 1" × 16"
Rails for frames61" × 1" × 11"
Rails for face frame23/4" × 2" × 43"
Stiles for face frame23/4" × 2" × 21"
Table top13/4" × 18" × 46"
Top and bottom of cabinet23/4" × 16" × 48"
Sides23/4" × 16" × 20"
Dividers23/4" × 15" × 20"
Shelves33/4" × 15" × 15"
Back11/4" × 21" × 48"

What to buy

Buy 9 boards at 8 ft.

1" × 1"

2 boards

3/4" × 18"

1 board

3/4" × 16"

2 boards

3/4" × 15"

1 board

3/4" × 2"

2 boards

1/4" × 21"

1 board

Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →

Start building →

Instructions

  1. 1Attach sides and dividers

    Attach the side and dividers as shown to the top and bottom boards. Use wood glue and 3/4'' pocket holes and 1 1/4'' pocket hole screws. Make sure to inset the dividers back 3/4''.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 2

  2. 2Add shelves

    Add the shelves at your desired height with 1 1/4'' pocket hole screws and wood glue. If you want your shelves adjustable use the Kreg shelf pin jig.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 3

  3. 3Attach the back

    Attach the 1/4'' plywood to the back of the cabinet with 1/2'' screws, pre-drill and drill into the sides, dividers, top and bottom.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 4

  4. 4Build the face frame

    Build the face frame as shown.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 5

  5. 5Build the front three frames

    Build the front three frames as shown. Be sure to use 2 1/2'' pocket holes and screws.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 6

  6. 6Notch out area for hinges

    Notch out the area on your outside frames which will become the table legs, for the hinge to sit so it lays flat on the frame. See photos for details.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 7

  7. 7Stain and Paint

    Stain and paint your pieces as desired up to this point. Of course you can wait until it is all built, but for me it is better to do it now and do touch ups later if needed. When my cabinet was finished and built, I added the legs to the bottom of the cabinet. This is important to do before you add your table top and face frames, because you will need the cabinet at the correct height for adding your face frame and table top.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 8

  8. 8Attach outside frames to face frame

    Add the hinges to the outside frames, then attach them to the face frame as shown.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 9

  9. 9Add spring hinges

    Attach the spring hinges to the face frame and the inside of the cabinet following the package directions. Close to see if it fits, and adjust accordingly.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 10

  10. 10Notch out table top

    You will need to notch out the table top around the spring hinges. Measure and mark where to notch, then cut with a jigsaw. Make sure you are aware that you do not notch too high or you will go past the face frame and cause a gap. Note the reference to the other notch in the photo, it will be covered in the next step.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 11

  11. 11Add the latch

    Add the latch and hook to the face frame and side of the cabinet.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 12

  12. 12Notch for closed spring hinge

    Once you have notched out the area around the hinge you will need to notch an area for the hinge when it closes, I went just over half the width of the board. I used a multi-tool to cut the wood, then used a chisel and a hammer to notch out the area.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 13

  13. 13Attach table top to face frame

    With all the notches done now you can attach the table top to the face frame. I countersunk 1 1/4'' screws through the table top into the face frame. It is helpful to use a clamp to avoid shifting. Then I filled in the holes.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 14

  14. 14Add middle frame to front

    • Now you can add the middle frame to the front. Use wood glue on the back of the frame and center it between the side frames, use shims to help.
    • Then secure with 2'' finish nails.
    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 15

  15. 15Cut wood

    Use the diagram for your plywood cuts to get all of them in one sheet.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 16

  16. 16Read through plans

    Make sure to read through the plans before beginning.

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 17

  17. 17Finish as desired

    Because it was for the kids I did some fun teepee stencils on the front. Get creative with your finish! For more photos and tips and tricks on this build check out my blog post. http://www.mylove2create.com/2017/10/kids-pull-down-table.html

    Kid’s Pull Down Table — step photo 18

Tags

  • Arts and Crafts
  • Intermediate

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