how to make it yourself

If your child loves trains, this is an incredible gift to give him/her – a custom-made train table. You can surprise your child with this awesome gift, or let him/her help you build it. It is easy to build and kids absolutely love it. As my son’s fixation on trains lasted for more than two years (and still going strong), I decided to look online to either purchase a train table for him or find a good plan that I could do myself. I looked around and did not find anything appealing – all the tables I saw that offered plans online were small, awkward looking and seemed difficult to build. The train table plans I saw online were also expensive – to purchase both the plan and the materials.

So, I knew what I wanted and asked for a generous family member to help me – teach me how to create the table and later create a plan out of it. He is a skilled builder and I wanted the plan to be something that anyone could afford and anyone could put together, in just hours for less than $30 (more or less, depending on where you buy materials). So, I hope you enjoy this free train table plan. I want to say, the full plan is also available in PDF format and I sell it on my train table plan website if you want to get the full version (with more visual graphic guidance and photos) – it is only $5.97.

Parts List:

• One 6 ft. by 4 ft. piece of plywood 5/8 in. thick, finished on one side
• Four 2 x 6 x 24 in. lumber for the legs
• Two 2 x 6 x 36 in. lumber for the leg cross-members
• One quart of paint, your color choice (we used Cilantro Green Satin Finish)
• One 1 pound box #6 by 2 ½ in. deck screws (or 24 screws total)

Tools List:

• Jigsaw
• Battery Drill Driver
• Sanding Block
• Tac Cloth

Notes:

Building the train table can be extremely inexpensive and simple for beginners. The entire project should cost about $30 (more or less, depending on the store you purchase the parts from). The table in the plan is quite large and can be used for many years and for other purposes (ie: car setups, an art table). It is also possible to use this plan to create your train table in a smaller size. The size and color you choose depend on your preferences. This project can be done in one day.

Step 1. Cut Hole In Center

Cut one 20 in. diameter hole in the center of the plywood. The table created in the image above had a 22 in. diameter hole, and is large enough for two children to play in the center. You can create the hole larger or smaller, according to your preferences.

• If unsure how to create a perfect hole in the center of the plywood, then start by putting a nail in the center of the plywood. Then, take a pencil and tie a string around it (we used thick fishing line).
• Wrap the string around the nail so the string is 10 inches long. Then take that pencil which is connected to the string and the nail in the center, and pull around while drawing a line to create a perfect circle in the center.

Drill a hole somewhere along the circle, so that you can easily insert the saw blade in to cut the circle. Then follow your pencil lines to cut the circle out.

Step 2. Cut Rounded Corners

Use a one-gallon paint can (or whatever you have available, ie: plate) to create an arc at the corners of the plywood. Use a fine wood-cutting blade to cut the corners.

Step 3. Build the Legs

Take your cross-member (2 x 6 x 36 in.) and the two legs (both 2 x 6 x 24 in.). Place the cross-member on the ground, with the two legs placed on the outside of it. Center the cross-member at half the distance of the legs (one foot).

Screw the cross-member into the legs with three 2 ½ inch deck screws on each side. Repeat this for the other side’s legs and cross-member.

Step 4. Assemble All Pieces

Set the assembled legs with cross-members under the table. Space it so that the legs are about 5 ½ inches from the center hole. Then drill in three 2 ½ inch deck screws to secure each leg into place. (Photos with full train table plan are available for $5.97 here)

• Fill in any imperfections on the wood with wood filler, and also fill in the indentations above the screws.
• Sand all edges, and the areas that the wood filler was used on, and then wipe it down with a tac cloth (or towel).
• Paint the table and legs with your choice of paint. Let it dry for a few hours and add another coat of paint, if you like.

Your train table is now finished!  Enjoy!