Firming up a 48 inch round table (1 Viewer)

[Wils]

Hi folks. I have a mass-produced 48 inch round poker table. A common issue with these tables is that the sides not above the legs (and therefore not as well supported) tend to bow/dip/bend.

I've tried fixing two lengths of wood along the middle out to the sides, and also fixing two lengths of wood equidistant from the middle, but these have not resolved the issue.

Anyone got any advice? I'm a bit thick when it comes to stuff like this...

Attached are photos of the underside.

One shows the "all the way down the middle" approach and one shows (in red) the "two either side of the middle) approach.View attachment 95228

ETA just realised one of my photos was wrong (the two either side one) - now corrected.

 

[pedrofisk]

Your idea is going in the right direction but the wood is wrong. You want to create vertical "rails" so the height of the board is greater then the width. Look at the underside of a decent dining room table with extending ends to get the idea.

The other option would be popping in triangular gussets with loose pin hinges after you set up the table.

 

[Wils]

The other option would be popping in triangular gussets with loose pin hinges after you set up the table.

Err....

 

[pedrofisk]

Err....

View attachment 95235

Ha, ha. Google videos are your friend. I'll try to find something relevant.

 

[Wils]

Your idea is going in the right direction but the wood is wrong. You want to create vertical "rails" so the height of the board is greater then the width. Look at the underside of a decent dining room table with extending ends to get the idea.

The other option would be popping in triangular gussets with loose pin hinges after you set up the table.

Just going to add I've corrected one of the photos as the lines were in the wrong place... If that makes any difference.

 

[pedrofisk]

Ok, to keep it simple I think you have two options with out getting complex.

One - take off the leg assembly and just add a sheet of 1/4" plywood cut to a circle to the underside and then re attach the legs to that. It will add 1/4" of height and make the table heavier but will provide ALOT of strength.

Second - add 1x2 boards (.75x135 nominal) as you are suggesting BUT they should radius from the center point of the table to provide the stability. Due to knee busting that probably means behind the cup holders, not where you drew them. You can use little L brackets to attache the boards. OR you could get shorter sections of metal L channel. (http://www.acehardware.com/product/..._clickid=0ac2c014-a45a-e629-aaef-00006c17aa67)

Either way make super sure your screws are no loner than needed to go through the ply or bracket and not all the way through the table top. One too long screw will mess up the felt on top.

I doubt the wood you are showing in the photo would do much becasue the cross section ratio is 1:1 so it has no lateral strength. You really want at least 1:2 meaning it is twice as high as it is wide.

 

[BGinGA]

Easiest fix is removing the legs, adding an additional layer of 1/4" plywood/MDF, and reattaching the legs. Not optimal if the table is portable and routinely moved from location to location..... in which case using radial spines for support makes more sense.

A single 2x4 running between the leg mounts (in the center) from edge to edge may do the trick. A single long piece across the table diameter will provide more support than several shorter ones that start in the center and branch outwards.

 

[lnlver]

What @BGinGA said, except once the base has been beefed up, get yourself a decent pedestal and ditch the legs. I have the impression they are really wobbly. I think you could even go with 1/2" thickness.

 

[Wils]

The legs are actually very stable. That said, we have a 2.5 ft wide round kitchen table with a pedestal base. I was thinking of somehow using the legs or the top (which unfortunately isn't wood, it's a marble-like material) but I'd have to get the wife's buy in first. Won't happen

 

[upNdown]

What @BGinGA said, except once the base has been beefed up, get yourself a decent pedestal and ditch the legs. I have the impression they are really wobbly. I think you could even go with 1/2" thickness.

At some point it's probably worth starting over.

 

[Wils]

I live in the UK, so before anyone mentions a certain Mr Chan, don't.

 

[chipjoker]

Just take the legs off and put rubber (non-sliding) pads on the bottom and set it on your kitchen table..Maybe you wife will buy-in on that?

 

[Wils]

Just take the legs off and put rubber (non-sliding) pads on the bottom and set it on your kitchen table..Maybe you wife will buy-in on that?

I think she'd rather have a troupe of drunken monkeys in there than my regs.

 

[Wils]

Thanks for all the advice so far, much appreciated. Quick question re adding "another" plywood base - would you folks suggest cutting holes out for the cup holders or is it good enough to just make the "underboard" (for want of a better word) a smaller diameter so it doesn't come out that far?

Obviously that way's easier but puts added pressure on the relatively unsupported areas around the cup holders....

 

[BGinGA]

I'd drill out the holes. And install deeper cup-holders, if those existing ones are the cheap shallow kind.

 

[Wils]

Thanks. They're "jumbo" sized (haven't got exact measurements at hand).

I'm not saying my craft skills are lacking, but I can see a future entry in the "fugly table thread" taking shape... Somehow this comes to mind (ignore the duff subtitles and bad image quality):

 

[Mental Nomad]

would you folks suggest cutting holes out for the cup holders or is it good enough to just make the "underboard" (for want of a better word) a smaller diameter so it doesn't come out that far?

The further out the "underboard" goes, the better it will support the edges... the edges will be the most important part, for your purpose.

If you're that bad with measuring and cutting holes, you can actually cut out notches, instead. There's no law that the outside of the underboard has to still be a circle.

Also, for stiffness, use construction adhesive as well as screws, or else use a lot of screws. Two flexible sheets aren't much stiffer than one flexible sheet, until they adhere together - then they're suddenly much stiffer.