DIY transformer table: drawings, dimensions and assembly diagrams, a butterfly for a small kitchen, how to make a folding coffee table
Many owners of small kitchens prefer to use them only for their intended purpose – for cooking and storing food. A place for family meals has to be found in the living room. Not the most convenient and hygienic option. The exit lies on the surface. Rather, on the countertop of the transforming kitchen table. Its compactness and functionality allow you to no longer run around the apartment with plates, have breakfast and lunch in the kitchen. Their popularity and demand are growing. The range includes premium models and budget products made from different materials.
Small table big possibilities
Compared to a bulky dining table with a limited set of functions, a folding table has a lot of advantages.
- Compactness. The ability to change the size of the tabletop and the height of the table, depending on the currently selected function and the area of the room;
- Ergonomic and easy to adjust, which even a child can do;
- Safety in use;
- Height adjustment allows it to be used by a person of any height;
- Saving room space;
- Multifunctionality.
Transformer magazine-lunch
A coffee and dining table can turn a cozy living room into a dining room in a few seconds.
The purchase of a folding table and sofa will save on the purchase of at least one item. When folded, it takes up a minimum of space and functions as a compact coffee table, and a folding sofa-couch in the unfolded state also serves as a bed. By adjusting the size of the tabletop, you can get a full-fledged dining table for the whole family or a small company. The table can be equipped with shelves and wheels, made of different materials: wood, metal, glass, and other materials.
Folding tabletop
A folding tabletop can change its proportions in the blink of an eye and almost double in size. This is due to the retractable side panels. The design may consist of a base (or be frameless), a tabletop (lid), supporting elements, synchronized or non-synchronized mechanisms. Saving space when folded, it allows you to host guests, organize children’s games, holidays, and other wonderful events without the slightest effort.
The size of this table can be adjusted depending on the number of people.
Robust construction designed for repeated deployment. It is worth paying attention to the material from which the frame is made. The best option is metal or wood. Such a table should not be too cheap. Excessive cheapness indicates the unreliability of the mechanisms.
The plastic frame is not very strong. This means that the table will not last long.
wall
Very compact and belong to the console segment. The reliability of such models not least depends on the quality of the fittings, since the design provides for fastening the back of the countertop to the wall. Structurally resembles a bar counter. A movable bracket can be used for fastening.
Butterfly
An interesting solution for a small kitchen. When folded, it takes no more than 30-32 cm in length. The design allows you to increase its size by more than 5 times. The main advantages are compactness and versatility. This is perhaps one of the most successful solutions for arranging a dining area in a small kitchen.
The stability of the model in the unfolded state is provided by supports with constrictions that move when folded.
Another option is a folding table with a cabinet. When folded, it is a small cabinet that can be placed in any convenient place.
Other options
- Transformable models designed for children are very beneficial. As the little person grows up, the table changes its parameters and the angle of inclination. It can be adjusted in length and height according to the size of the child;
- Countertops built on the edges, the central part of which is removed from the under-table space;
- Folding tables. Items that are not needed at the moment are removed or pushed under the shelf.
Extendable table materials
The range of transformable tables and materials used for their manufacture is quite extensive.
- The most budget – made of plastic . Main advantages: low price, high mobility, ease of maintenance.
- The most popular – from chipboard or MDF . Main advantages: attractive appearance, democratic cost, high degree of reliability;
- glass models . Lightness, presentability, strength;
- Natural tree. The noble appearance of oak tabletops is status, unconditional strength and a rather high price.
The presence of holes on poorly finished edges can cause the table top to swell after a while.
Glass (glass transformers)
Glass tops, perceived at first with apprehension, are gaining more and more popularity. Tempered, extra-strong glass can withstand significant loads and is heavyweight. Has anti-shock properties.
It is still not worth testing glass for strength by striking blows of inhuman strength. Even a tree cannot withstand such loads. You will need a table.
The shape of the countertops can be different: oval, round, square, rectangular. During transformation, it can change. Support parts are made of metal or wood. Such designs decorate the kitchen very much, giving it airiness. They can be decorated with a film of a pleasant shade for you.
The main advantages include ease of maintenance, environmental friendliness, visual appeal, reliability.
If the table still managed to break, you can not be afraid of wounds or cuts. Thanks to the technology used, the tabletop in this case is crushed into non-sharp tiny elements.
Wooden set
Wooden tables are the most durable, environmentally friendly, and durable option. They look dignified and appropriate in any interior – not only in the kitchen but also in the living room. The main thing to pay attention to is the reliability of the mechanism and the quality of the wood. To them, you can pick up folding chairs with a wooden back. Find out how to choose kitchen tables and chairs for a small kitchen here.
Metal for the kitchen
Similar models, often combined with wooden elements, are purchased mainly for use in the country, in the park, and in the gazebo. Multifunctionality allows them to be used not only for their intended purpose but also for cooking grilled products on an open flame. A very good option for picnics, which guarantees not only comfort but a spectacular spectacle in the dark. Compact when folded. How to transform an ordinary table by decorating it with ceramic tiles, find out in this material.
Plastic
Lightweight, easy-to-care products made of decorative plastic also have their fans. The elements of the sliding mechanism are usually made of metal, which guarantees the reliability of the design. These models of tables and plastic chairs are used in country houses.
Do-it-yourself transforming kitchen table, drawings, diagrams
Buying furniture is easy. But high-quality transformers are not so cheap. In addition, commercially available furniture may not fully meet your taste and wishes in terms of functionality. Making a transformer is within the power of any person who not only knows the names of different tools but also knows how to handle them. Skills in this field are desirable. For manufacturing, even leftovers and trimmings of the right size and tools are suitable:
- Saw;
- Electric drill, socket and other keys, drills;
- Fasteners, screws, nails;
- Sandpaper, paint;
- Long brass hinges;
- Wooden blocks, corners or pipe trimmings for table legs;
- Details for load-bearing rails made of wood.
Before starting work, you will need to make an accurate drawing of the furniture on a reduced scale. Make it more correct on graph paper. The main details of the table: tabletop, legs (height-adjustable furniture legs can be used), frame.
If you used a drawing from the Internet, it is better to make sure that it is accurate and that there are no errors before starting work.
Sandwich toaster? And what an idea how to cook a delicious breakfast.
Check out the Italian style kitchen design in this article.
The order of work, how to make a compact transformer
When making a transformer yourself, it is very important to observe all the parameters. A discrepancy of a few millimeters can deprive you of such a desired product.
Work algorithm:
- Prepare all the elements of the future design, making sure that they fully comply with the desired dimensions. Details for the legs must be absolutely identical to ensure the stability of the table;
- After drawing a line on the inside of the tabletop exactly in the center, cut it into two identical parts. On each of them, attach support tires;
- To connect the legs through each pair, drill holes of the desired diameter. Attach loops parallel to each other;
- Assemble the product.
There are many options for making a transformer. The principle is the same everywhere. Availability of skills, dexterity, the right tools. The main thing is not to be afraid and follow the schemes and all sizes.
A transforming table (sliding table, butterfly table) is a great option for a small kitchen. It takes up minimal space, is portable, easy to fold, and expands to the right size when you need it. Also, read about how to choose the right inexpensive bar table for the kitchen.