Games table

Being a big fan of board games, I've always wanted a special room for long, fun evenings with friends. But since space is an issue for most of us, I decided to build a two-in-one table. On one side it could be a normal dinner table, and on the other side it could be transformed into a table dedicated to game lovers.

I started searching online for board game tables for inspiration and easily drew up an outline for what was feasible for me.

Since most games are played with six people and my table had to offer at least that many seats. So the final size of the table was 1400x800x750 mm.

Lacking a sufficient quantity of materials from a single species of wood, its construction was carried out as follows: the legs and the platform were designed from oak; and the frame, planks (representing the table top) and accessories made of frasin.

Knowing it would be a busy piece of furniture, the joints had to be made to measure to give strength. So we opted for a classic joint - log and mortise. This type of joint can be done in several ways, but that may be the subject of another article.

For the finishing part we chose tung oil, diluted with turpentine in the first layer. The next two were pure oil with sanding between layers. And finally, for protection, I used safflower wax.

Table specifications

Countertop

The tabletop consists of a fixed frame and seven removable ash wood planks. Removing the planks transforms the furniture from a dining area to a play area, which is done with the help of two neodymium magnets.

The gaming top is 80mm deep in front of the frame and consists of MDF board, foam sheet and canvas.

An advantage of the multi-piece countertop is that it can be easily moved and the table can be customised according to the number of people. If there are fewer people at the table, it can be divided into two variable areas: one part for games and the other part can be used as a normal table.

With this system you can take a break from the game at any time without worrying about disturbing the pieces or the game diagram, all covered by the plank countertop. In the past, we used to worry about this every time we wanted to eat and ran out of room.

Fair

The most important feature of the table is the modular design. It is composed of two sections, the fusion of which results in a rectangular trapezoidal profile. It can be fitted with various accessories, depending on the need.

Accessories

There are three types, designed to meet the needs of a person at a game table. At any time, if another need arises, another type of accessory can be made.

• Wine glass accessory;
• Accessory with a stainless steel container as a holder. It can hold bottles of beer, juice, water, etc.;
• Shelf for cards/game pieces.

The next table will bring some changes:

• Wider frame to provide greater forearm support;
• The countertop for the playing surface will be removable so that it can be easily changed;
• An electrical system so that every table seat has a USB socket to allow for charging phones;
• Inside the table introduced an rgb led strip to make each game more interesting.
• Place for 8 persons

It was a project very dear to me, wishing since I was a child for a special table for games. And the greatest joy is when the table is full of friends and loved ones.