Wall to wall table from a hollow core door

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At the beginning of this sewing room adventure, several years ago, this was my cutting/work table. A hollow core door blank (no holes cut for knobs) resting on various closetmaid organizers. It was a good plan and made a nice table for not a lot of money.

The only problem, I like to be able to access the table from either side and couldn't do that. Also, this is a big table, so the back corner ended up being wasted realestate, as it was too far to reach.

So, I moved the table away from the wall.

This was a better working layout and I actually had no problems with this, other than the fact that it's large and left very little floor space. The computer also felt cramped in the corner and while I was using what I had for furniture, it was just too much. Too many pieces.  Those clever curtains beneath the cutting table? A mistake. Don't create a space for hiding things. If you hide them, you forget about them and then when you aren't looking they get all crazy and messy.

I didn't really need a cutting table that was that big (nearly seven feet long and 36 wide).  I don't do that much large scale sewing and usually only needed about 36" of cutting space. I started searching pinterest. I had in mind what I wanted. Something rustic and industrial looking. I wanted a wood top with galvanized pipes for legs, like this. Then I went to Lowe's and priced the hardware. It was going to cost somewhere around $150 dollars just for the metal pipes and fittings for the frame and legs, wood not included. I had to let that dream go. I started discussing options with Mitch and said what if I use the door I already have, cut down the center. It would be exactly the size I need and would be free. He likes free, he was all for that plan. He also priced the pipe for me at a plumbing suply store, instead of Lowes. It was cheaper, but still too much to make a whole frame for the base.

A little side story about my convo with the plumbing supply guy.  So, Mitch calls up the guy and tells him what I want. He says no problem, I'll pull what you need and call you back with the price. About an hour later he calls me back to tell me what he's come up with and the price of each part. He says you'll need six flanges and three nipples. Right then and there I realized living with a man with a middle schooler's sense of humor for 25 years has affected me negatively.  I nearly snickered when  the guy said nipple. Like Beavis and Butthead or something. I'm a forty-three year old grandmother, and I almost snickered at some guy saying nipple to me on the phone. Geeze.

It turns out, he was talking about the pipe.  It's galvanized plumbing pipe, why call it a nipple?

Where was I before I revealed how immature I really am? The door. Right, the door. Mitch cut it down the center.

Here is the door cut in half. Hollow inside except for some cardboard support pieces. I have seen folks make floating shelves with hollow core doors by mounting the door on a board, the hollow part just slides over a board that is mounted to the wall. My table top was going to be too wide for that to work, plus it needs to hold quite a bit of weight, so we wanted something sturdier.

Mitch put some extra support into the hollowed out places, just some scrap wood cut to fit and wedged in place.

I wasn't home when he did this, and that sweetie had the forethought to get a picture for me. He's officially a blog husband.

The above picture shows support pieces he attached for attaching the flange and nipples. I mean legs.

Next he mounted 2x2s along the length of the wall and the side walls screwing it into the studs.

Since the door was in two pieces, he created a brace to go under the seam and to attach the center leg.

You can see it looked a little rough before all the finish work was done. I filled in the screw holes and the center seam with spackle and gave it a couple coats of primer.

I used this inside corner trim to hide the gap at the wall.  It worked perfectly for this. I caulked all the seams and gave it three coats of white paint followed by three coats of  water based poly. I wanted it to be very smooth and easily to keep clean. 

I used a hole saw to make holes for all my cords to go through. I just have to come up with a method for concealing them underneath. I hate a mess of jumbled cords.

Everything but the materials for the legs (six flanges and three nipples) we already had. So this table cost less than fifty dollars. All the storage underneath was already here, just being used differently. You don't always have to use things as intended. This whole thing just sort of evolved. I didn't have a definite plan, other than the measurements for the table top and height requirements for the shelves I had to fit.  I didn't give much thought to all the computer stuff that would need a place to live. I was about to move the desk out and started taking the desk apart to see if I could reuse any of it. It was too tall to fit under the new table as is, so I took the top off and removed the feet. It was built by my friend Kelli's husband, Norman and was put together mostly with screws. That made disassembling it very easy. I wish I had pictures, but I really had no idea it would work, it just sort of happened.

Here's a photo of the desk before.

You can kind of see it there in the corner. I pretty much removed everything that was screwed on and put some of it back in different places. There was a pull out tray for the printer, I moved that to use for the keyboard.

The keyboard is too wide to fit on the tray with it pushed in, so I just sit it on top when not in use and pull it down to the tray when needed.

I put two of the closetmaid bookshelves on either side. One houses more computer stuff the other has sewing machine paraphernalia. One last one was turned on its side to hold the printer. The large IKEA boxes hide yet more computer stuff, discs, extra cables, manuals...

I know the little shelf my Silhouette is sitting on isn't much, but I made it, start to finish, alone. So, I'm proud. I finally got my Kreg jig out of the box and used it. I see a new addiction hobby  in my future.

I left a blank spot on the table top, so I could use the Silhouette without clearing a bunch of stuff out of the way. There's a basket up there now, but it's mobile. It has my nebulizer inside for breathing treatments. I like having it out of site but easily accessible.

The other end I wanted to keep a bit clearer underneath for sewing. I have a few things down there temporarily, until I can come up with a better solution. Rome wasn't built in a day, right? Overall, I'm thrilled. I know, I have said that before, and I was thrilled then too, but I believe each time I've learned more about what did and did not work. I hope this time I've gotten it right.

Here's a collage of the before and after.You can see it's the same stuff, just different.

Comments

[Nancy L.]

You crack me up! Beavis & Butthead. *giggle*

I'm still trying to figure out how to eek out a little more space in my uber-narrow laundry room for some sewing space. I shoved a desk in there (literally shoved - I broke the cord on my freezer when I shoved it over.) Oops! Sadly, the desk is at the carport-entrance to our house and is the dumping ground for all things coming through that entrance.

[Jen]

Your post made me laugh. I was telling my hubby who does Electrical-Estimating and he said he order nipples and they have many types.... Oh my I never knew.lol I love your craft room... I have been working on my craft room as well-it's neat to see what other people do on a budget. I have been on your blog for a long time and just love it. Thanks for being real in all your posts.

[Bridgette]

I don't know Autum, if you and Mitch put your heads together I'll bet you could remodel Rome!
You have such great ideas, and you actually do them. Unlike some of us?

[Denise]

My husband and I own a hardware store, and in addition to nipples, there are the more common screws & nuts. I once asked a man if he wanted a bag for his nuts. His friend laughed so hard he started to choke. I was dying of embarrassment.

Great job on you sewing room redo. Thanks for the behind the scenes info.

[Autum]

Denise, I was drinking my coffee as I read this and nearly spilled it on myself laughing. This is one I have to share with my husband, he'll love it.

xo Autum

[Autum]

Nancy, I bet you could find something on pinterest that would work for your laundry room. Or, do you have a closet you could sacrifice for a sewing nook. I've been seeing lots of neat closet transformations into small office or crafting spaces. I've got a couple I'm thinking of using differently.
I hope you didn't lose everything in your freezer when you broke the cord. Oops!

Have a wonderful day!

xo Autum

[Autum]

Thank you Jen! I'm glad you enjoyed my ramblings about the sewing room. I love to see what other people do too. Have you seen seen this one? She has some of the best ideas for a sewing room.

Have a wonderful day!
xo Autum

[Autum]

Thank you so much Bridgette. I'm sure Mitch wishes we could get our heads together on something besides house projects : ) He's got a car he's wanted to restore for about ten years and he's finally working on it a little. That's why I did as much in the sewing myself as I could. The poor guy needs a break.

Have a wonderful Thursday!
xo Autum

[Mary Sarah]

Your sewing room renovation is amazing! Well, your whole house is amazing. I love seeing everything you do. Your post made me laugh. I grew up with 6 brothers and I don't think their senses of humor have changed one bit! :)

[Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails}]

Oh wow, I love this transformation! Can I come sit and sew with you?:)

[Kristie]

I am months away from being an "empty nester" and was getting sad, angry & depressed that my "baby" ( who's 17) wants to move out as soon as she turns 18. But a friend of mine pointed out that I could turn her bedroom into a craft room and we started looking at furniture around the house to repurpose, you have given me a ton of ideas that now I can't wait to use! Oh and darling daughter got a crash course in economics so can't move out as soon as she wants, but my crafting room plans are being drafted more each day! :) So many hobbies, so little room ( for now) Thanks again, great inspiration for ideas in all these comments. :-)

[plumbing fitting]

Although holes can be more efficiently cut with a boring bit, boring bits can be expensive and difficult to find. Hole saws can be purchased for as little as a few US Dollars. They also work with standard drills and are easily found at most hardware stores.