Man Transforms Wood Dowels Into A Floating Table With An Impressive DIY
A unique, artful table will transform a drab room into a chic and modern space. If sculpture-like furniture is out of your price range, this DIY table looks like a store-bought find. With just a few square wood dowels and chains, TikToker Grow with Zain built a stunning table with an optical illusion. This middle of this DIY table appears to be floating, creating functional art. Though this fascinating end table looks like it's held together by magic, this design relies on the principle of tension integrity or tensegrity, which is also known as floating compression. By connecting the dowels with tight chains, the tension of the strings will hold the wooden pieces together without them touching.
For this project, the DIYer used 2 inch square dowels, cut to different lengths. You'll also need sandpaper, screws, wood glue, wood stain, eye hooks, and metal chains. A basic square board is necessary to create a flat tabletop. This small table is beautiful as a plant stand, and could hold decorative items like candles. Otherwise, use it as a functional end table. Though Grow with Zain utilized the floating compression method for a side table, using larger, thicker dowels and sturdier chains could help you DIY a stylish coffee table on a budget. Keep in mind that the tabletop may wiggle slightly when you push on it, as it's suspended with chains. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars on a designer table, this hack lets you construct a more affordable version.
Steps for building a tensegrity table with wood dowels
Cut your dowels into six longer boards and four shorter planks, customizing the dimensions. Sand and stain the wood before constructing the table. Grow with Zain built two identical structures from the dowels. Create a U shape with two long dowels for the sides and a short piece for the bottom. Now, make an L shape with one long and one short dowel. Flip it upside down and attach the L piece perpendicularly onto the U piece, securing it in the center of the smaller connecting dowel. Glue and screw the parts together to ensure they're sturdy, and repeat to make the other half of the table.
@growithzain Build an amazing floating tensegrity table with simple materials and basic woodworking tools. A unique DIY project that's strong, modern, and guaranteed to impress. #WoodArt #DIY #Woodworking #floatingtable #fyp
Attaching the chains properly to achieve the floating effect will likely be the most difficult part of this project. Screw an eye hook into each of the four corners of both U shapes. Add another eye hook onto the short end of each L shape. Set one dowel structure on your work surface and hold the other in front of it, upside down. The two halves should be facing each other. Install a short length of chain between the small center dowels. This will support the weight of your table. Now, run longer chains vertically to connect the four corners of the base and the top pieces. Adjust the chains' tension to make your table level and stable. Finally, glue the thin, square board on top to complete this chic DIY side table.