2X4 Coffee Table

The idea was to create a large wooden box that appeared to float in the room. All of the surfaces would have a multi-tiered stepping stone look. There would even be hidden storage that took advantage of the stepping stones. It was challenging, but I think I managed to mostly pull it off.

I ended up using 2X4 dimensional lumber to create the different tiers. I first squared the boards up by running them through the table saw, joint, and planer, making sure that all boards were 3″ wide and 1.5″ thick. I then cut a bunch at two different lengths (3″, 1.5″). This gave me the option of standing the block on end or laying them flat. This also gave me more material than I could ever use for sawdust paintings.

I then assembled a carcass using 3/4″ birch plywood. This serves as the structural support of the table as well as provides a third tier (0″) by simply leaving the substrate exposed.

The blocks were then arranged to look random and wrap around the side so that the whole think looked like a giant block. A 3/4″ thick sheet of glass (custom made by a local shop) was placed on top and supported by 6 blocks that were just a bit taller than all the others, giving it a nice stable plane to sit on. There are two large drawers on one side of the table that are hidden when closed. This was achieved by continuing the random block pattern  random across the front of the doors, but paying careful attention to which surface the blocks were glued to. There are two hidden handles captured in the block pattern as well. The box is sitting on four legs that are set back so you really can’t see them. Their height is just tall enough to provide clearance for the drawers to open. The end effect is the box appears to be floating.

This was a fun, but difficult, project. Of most of things I have created in my house, this is the one that makes people stop and ask questions the most.

What I Would Do Differently If I Was Crazy Enough To Do It Again

• This thing is HEAVY, even with the glass removed, so I would try to lighten the load a bit. I think you could get away with 1/2″ plywood to improve things, as well as reducing the total block height (instead of 3″ for the tall blocks, 1.5″ for the medium blocks,  go with 1.5″ and  3/4″). You could also consider splitting the box into two and designing it so that they could be linked together or placed separately. That would be a fun direction to try out.
• I took the time to rip everything through the table saw so ensure that everything was straight and to get rid of the rounded corners of the dimensional lumber. I should also have taken the time to pre-finish the block before attaching to the base/substrate. I was worried that the glue would not adhere to a clear coat finish and would be a pain. However, the real pain was in trying to do a final sand and finish once everything was glued together. Let’s just say that some of the blocks are bit rough.
• The floating nature of the table also means that small things get sucked under it as if some sort of force was attracting it. I remedied this later by moving this to a wood floored room and putting furniture pads on the legs so I could at least move it out of the way to clean, but I think I would spend more time thinking about how to get to zero clearance underneath.