Built as an entry to the Rockler Plywood Challenge, this DIY coffee table is made from a single sheet of plywood. Inspired by the Pixel wooden lounger by the Croatian woodworking specialist Lignum, it is built by a self-taught Oklahoma woodworker Jonny Lambert – the man behind Johny Builds YouTube channel. This DIY plywood coffee table is designed to look like it has been pulled apart in a pixilated way.
You may find several examples where DIY’ers have created beautiful furniture from a single sheet of plywood but this one is unique due to its amazing design that displays skills of its creator. Unlike most coffee tables, it consists of two halves featuring pixilated patterns on inner sides, completed with an acrylic top.
For the project, Jonny used a sheet of birch plywood cut into thin slats of different sizes. After drawing a rough sketch, he started gluing these plywood slats together in 16 layers, which formed one side of the table. He repeated the process to prepare a similar plywood base for the other side. Then he marked both bases to create a curved back using a cardboard template, and neatly power carved using an angle grinder and sanding tools.
Now every portion of the table is powder carved and belt sanded for a smoother look and finished with spray-on satin Polycrylic. Lastly, he put rubber bumps on both the bases to place the acrylic top which collectively serves as a beautiful and functional wood slat coffee table. The floating ends of plywood slats under the transparent tabletop give it an unusual appearance of the unfinished Death Star.
Also Read: 20 Best Coffee Tables You can Buy for Under $1000
The idea of creating a coffee table with thin plywood slats is surely inspiring but cutting, joining and carving wood slats to make an aesthetically appealing object is certainly not an easy task. If you have a crafty nature, you can try making something smaller first.
