Making an acrylic side table: two ideas

Giving old furniture a new look is a top trend for interior designers and DIYers alike. And it’s easy when the furniture is partly made of acrylic. This plastic sheet material offers endless possibilities: it’s available in such a wide range of colours that projects made with acrylic sheets or perspex sheets are never dull! This blog brings you two inspirational ideas for side tables to make yourself. One uses an existing table frame, and the other is based on a pedestal plant stand.

DIY side table #1 you’ll need:

Tip: choose acrylic in matte finish as scratches will be less noticeable.

Step 1: Remove the old tabletop from your side table

The first step is to remove the old top from the folding table. Remove the screws with a screwdriver and save them for attaching the new top later.

Step 2: Paint the frame of your new side table

Spray the frame of the side table in the colour of your choice. Use aerosol paint for this and let it dry thoroughly.

Step 3: Mark the drill holes on your acrylic sheet

Lie the base of the table on your acrylic sheet to mark the drill holes. Leave the protective film in place and stick a piece of masking tape where you will be marking. This will protect the sheet from scratches.

Step 4: Drill a hole in your acrylic sheet

Next, drill the holes in the correct place in the acrylic sheet. Place the perspex on a flat surface that supports it well. It’s important not to drill through the sheet but just make holes at the base. Read our blog: “Drilling acrylic” for more tips.

Step 5: Attach the acrylic sheet to the folding table

Remove the protective film from the underside of the acrylic sheet and screw it to the frame using a screwdriver. Then remove the top foil from the acrylic.

Step 6: Add the finishing touches to your clear acrylic side table

Stick the studs on the surface of the acrylic sheet at the height of the screws so that they are no longer visible. If necessary, treat the tabletop with Burnus anti-static cleaner. This cleaning agent makes the acrylic anti-static and protects the surface so that your new side table stays beautiful and dust-free for longer. Your new acrylic side table is now ready to use.

Step 1: Measure the diameter of the side table

Do you have an attractive nice plant stand that you’d like to transform into a side table? First, measure the diameter carefully to make sure that the new tabletop fits the plant stand well. You also need to determine what thickness of acrylic sheet to order for your circle shape. In our demo, we used a rattan planter with a 4 mm thick acrylic circle.

Step 2: Order your acrylic shape cut to size

Now you know the stand’s diameter and have determined the thickness, you can order your acrylic circle. We saw all shapes to size to the millimetre. Choose your shape in our shape configurator on the page of the product you want to order. In this example, we’re using crystal clear acrylic. Naturally, you could also use coloured or tinted acrylic if this suits your decor better.