If you live in a smaller space, or have smaller rooms in your house, you may be looking for pieces that can serve multiple purposes and that take up less floor space. These drop leaf side table plans welcome back a design I remember from my childhood. The lower shelves allow for storage of everyday items while the top acts as a small side table and can be opened for games, puzzles, etc…

Materials

• 2 – 2×2 at 6’ (legs)
• 2 – 1×3 at 8′ (shelf sides)
• 1 – 1×4 at 8’ (skirt)
• 1 – 4×4 sheet of 3/4″ plywood or mdf
• 4 – 2×12 at 4′ (table top)
• 4 basic 3″ hinges
• 4 – drop leaf table supports
• 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws
• Wood glue
• 10 z clips to attach the top

Tools

• Circular or miter saw
• Router (or jigsaw) with a large circle cutting jig (at least 42″)
• Drill/Driver combo
• Kreg Jig
• Sander and sandpaper
• Painters tape (use a good quality brand to avoid residue)
• Square
• Tape measure
• Quik Clamps

Step 1: Build the leg assemblies

For these drop leaf side table plans we are going to start with the leg assemblies. You will need to build two of these, and they are identical. Cut the 2x2s to 26 1/4″ in length, the 1×3 and 1x4s are all cut to 15 3/4″ and should have pocket holes drilled on both ends of what will be the inside. All three of these boards are mounted flush with the inside of the 2×2 legs, with the lowest one raised 1 1/2″ from the bottom. The middle board can be adjusted to the spacing of your preference, I tend to center it between the top and bottom boards.

Step 2: Use the shelves to join the legs

Now that you have the leg assemblies created, we’re going to use the shelves to join the two together. You can use 3/4″ MDF or plywood for the shelves in these drop leaf side table plans. I prefer and recommend the plywood, but if you’re going to paint the piece MDF will do just fine. Cut the pieces to size (28″ x 15 3/4″) and then drill pocket holes on each side of the underside of each shelf. The pocket holes are what you will use to attach the shelves to the 1x3s. Use wood glue and 1 1/4″ screws to attach the shelves to the leg assemblies.

Step 3: Add the side rails

Next we’re going to attach the long side pieces. Cut four 1×3 pieces and two 1×4 pieces to 28″ in length. The 1x3s are going to be attached to the shelves using wood glue and pocket hole screws which you drilled in the bottom of the shelves.

For the 1×4 board you’re also going to need to cut a 1/4″ deep groove, 1/8″ wide 1/2″ down from the top edge. This groove will be for the z clips you’ll use to attach the top. You could use pocket hole screws here too, but the z clips allow for wood movement in the top boards and will help prevent cracking in the future. You will use 3 pocket hole screws on each end of the 1×4 to attach to the leg assemblies, flush to both the top and inside of the legs.

Step 4: Layout, cut, and attach the top

The last, and arguably most difficult, part of these drop leaf side table plans is the round top. However, if you take your time and lay everything out, it is not that hard. I think the easiest way to cut this circle is to do it before you start to attach it to the legs.

Since the middle two boards are going to be fixed in position, use wood glue and pocket screws from the bottom side to join these two together. Next, I like to use blue or green painters tape to hold the outer two boards in place next to the middle boards. Use 12″ strips every 4″ to secure the boards together so you now have a 48″ x 48″ square. With the top side down, find the center of the joined boards (which should be 24″ in from all sides, and in the middle seem) and make a mark. Use a router or jig saw attached to a circle cutting jig set for a radius of 21″. Take your time and let the tool do the work.

Once your circle is cut, lay your leg assembly on top of the circle (don’t remove the tape yet). Attach the middle boards to the leg assembly using the z clips. Use three on each long side, and two on each short side. It’s okay if the leg assembly covers some of the tape, you can loosen the z clips later to give room to pull the tape out when you are sanding. Once the middle boards are secure, attach the hinges to the inner and outer boards, spaced evenly from the edges. Then attach your drop leaf table supports. At this point you should be able to flip the table back over and test out the functionality. Your new drop leaf side table should be ready to go!

Now that your drop leaf table is completely assembled it is time for sanding and finishing with stain or paint. Once the finish dries, it is time to bring it inside and enjoy!

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