Guide to DIY tables

Building your own table gives you a sense of accomplishment and looks great in your home or office. It also gives you freedom in designing your own unique set up and the ability to maximise the use of your space. However, with a large range of choices in design and materials, making your own DIY table can be a fun but daunting task. 

With TubeClamp, you can get a head start with a durable and long living table kit to brighten up your room.

Types of tables:

Standing tables (K945)

Standing tables are ergonomically proven to be good for your heatlh. With a standing table, you have the freedom to decide if you want to stand or sit (in a high chair!). You can also add more shelves to different levels of the table if you wish.

Computer tables (K942, K943, K944)

Computer tables are similar to standard tables, however they include a side shelf for you to place your desktop on, freeing up working space on your tabletop. These are ideal for workplaces or your personal study room.

Corner tables (K947, K953)

Corner tables take up those empty corners of your house or office and transforms them into a useful display piece or workspace. You almost won't feel the difference in floor space, but you will definitely notice the difference in table space.

Coffee tables (K951, K959)

Coffee tables are low height tables, not as high as a standard dining or working table and generally perfect for people sitting at a sofa and need a table to place their drinks and snacks. 

Wall mounted table (K949)

If you would like a table which takes up less space in your shop and you have an empty wall, wall mounted tables are for you. These are also usable at home as a kitchen bar table or in an office as a standing work space table. It all depends on you.

Garden picnic tables (K956, K957)

Picnic tables come with built in seats on either side of the table. If you're looking for something which you don't need to purchase additional chairs, this may be for  you.

Office workstations (K954, K955)

Workstations provide some privacy per cubicle and offer a generous amount of table room for a computer and any work documents. It can be useful in an office or at home where multiple family members do their desk work together.

Tables with shelves (K940.2, K940.3, K941.2, K941.3)

Shelves offer a place for you to place more useful items, making it easier to work. These shelves can be used as a standard shelf or be modified to better house tools for your task. The number and spacing of shelves you add can be modified too!

Table tops

While TubeClamp does not include timber in our kits, you can order pre-cut timber panels through a quote or drop by Bunnings after determining the size of table top you need to fit your table structure.

Finding your ideal table height

If you are creating a DIY worktable, it is advisable that you find a table height that is perfect for you. Using a table too high or too low, especially for long hours can cause strain to your neck, back and arms. It won't be comfortable and it will cost you in medical bills! Here's how you can find your ideal height:

The standard height for a table in Australia is 75-80cm and the standard chair height is 45cm. This caters to people of average height (165 - 185cm).

To find your ideal height, adjust your chair to where you feel comfortable and your feet should touch the ground at a 90 degree or greater angle (as long as they aren't dangling). Measure the distance from the floor to your elbow. This will give you the ideal height for your sitting desk. If you would like to find the ideal height for a standing desk, stand up and measure the distance from the floor to your elbow. 

Alternatively, you can find an ergonomic calculator online.  

To find the right height for your DIY table, subtract the width of your table top from your measurement. For example, if your wood table top is 2.5cm thick, and your ideal table height is 80cm, subtract 2.5cm from 80cm, and you will get a DIY table height of 77.5cm. 

Assembling your table

Tools you'll need:

 - Hex key

 - TubeClamp DIY Table Kit

 - Drill and/or screwdriver (for attaching your table top)

 - Your table top

Don't forget to prepare work gloves and safety goggles for operating the drill (Safety first).

Assembly (K940.1):

1 - Count your parts, make sure you have all the parts in your kit and check where they go by looking at the drawing of the table (you can find this on our website on the kit page). For example, in the K940.1 there are:

2 - Start from the bottom up, for table K940.1 (pictured above), start with the TC131B Wall Round Flange, and attach the four 700mm tubes to them, tightening the grub screw with a hex key. You can view videos of how to tighten the grub screws in the description of the relevant fittings page.

3 - After attaching the TC131B, add the two 550mm tubes to bottom of the 700mm tubes with the TC116B Corner Middle Cross and TC101B Short Tee as shown in the picture. Connect the two sides with the TC116B Corner Middle Cross and 1750mm tube. 

4 - Attach the remaining 4 TC131B Wall Round Flange to the top of the structure. 

5 - Prepare your table top, mark and drill holes where the table will be connected to the TC131B Wall Round Flange at the top. Screw your table top securely to the frame. 

6 - Take a picture and share it on our facebook page! Congratulations, you've finished!

Customising your table

When ordering your table, you can choose from a standard design from our website and customise it to the sizes you need or design your own table with sketches. Email us at: sales@tubeclamp.com.au for your quote. 

You can change the overall size, shape, number of shelves, add flanges to fix your table to the ground or add castor wheels for mobility. Don't forget to let us know your requirements either in a sketch or the email.