How to make a serving table on wheels with your own hands

A large, spacious kitchen and living room are the dream of every housewife.
Spacious cabinets with space for all the necessary products, dishes, as well as long and wide kitchen countertops, a large dining table - this is what makes the daily bustle easier, and family dinners and receptions even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, most of us have to make do with small kitchens and living rooms that double as dining rooms. In such rooms, every centimeter of space is worth its weight in gold. Then we are forced to take advantage of all the opportunities to gain additional space when serving food and drinks. In this situation, it is worth buying an inexpensive folding serving table on wheels, wooden, metal or glass. What is it, which model is better to choose - this will be discussed in this article.

Design options

There are a huge variety of models and designs of serving tables. They can be two or three-tier, folding, with additional drawers or shelves for bottles. The stylistic decision depends on the interior design in which the table will be used.

Based on the functions assigned to serving tables on wheels, the design of such tables usually includes two shelves so that not only several dishes can fit on the table, but also drinks, serving sets and more.

Metal, glass or wood are perfect for this design. If you decide to assemble this piece of furniture yourself, it will be most convenient to use natural and environmentally friendly wood or MDF. The presence of furniture wheels will make the serving table comfortable. A handle attached to one side will help guide it while moving. And all kinds of hooks, shelves or cutting boards will add functionality.

Today you can find a huge number of different designs of serving tables, for example, with three shelves, with a stand for bottles, folding and many others.

Advantages

This amazing furniture attribute performs a variety of functions:

• An auxiliary surface during cooking and serving;
• Temporary workplace;
• Surface for placing decorative interior items.

Important! A convenient ergonomic design, equipped with wheels and comfortable lifting tabletops, will help get rid of the annoying running from the living room to the kitchen and back. It is enough to load everything you need onto the table once and bring it where you need it.

Design advantages:

• Anything that a regular dining table can't accommodate can be displayed on the compact serving hybrid. This is made possible by the fact that the table has additional opening parts and universal compartments in which you can put bottles or smaller household utensils.
• The lower shelves often have additional protective sides, mesh shelves and removable compartments.
• The structure usually weighs a little - up to 9 kg. Typically, this indicator depends on the material of the countertop.
• Minimal storage space required. And if the model is equipped with folding legs, the table instantly turns into a tray on which you can store food and drinks.

Important! The main advantage of a folding serving table is its ergonomic design details.

What you need to make it yourself

The simplest one to make would be a table made of wood. It doesn't take a lot of time or special skills to assemble it.

Almost every housewife dreams of having comfortable furniture that can be used to ensure a comfortable stay in the kitchen, living room or even bedroom.

Knowing the required list of materials and tools, having a clear drawing and a step-by-step description of the process, it is quite easy to make a table on wheels with your own hands.

The main advantages of the furniture are that it is multifunctional, ergonomic, and highly mobile.

Wooden tables

The classic version of a serving table is wooden. It is not fragile, but at the same time it is not as heavy as, for example, glass.

Most often it is made in golden or chocolate shades using noble fittings.

There are options for using painted or carved patterns that give the table additional chic.

The only drawback of such a table is the need for regular maintenance, since wood is many times more capricious than, for example, glass.

When choosing a serving table for your home, it is important to take your time and evaluate as many different options as possible so that the final choice will please you for many years.

Drawing up drawings

Initially, a detailed drawing of the future product is drawn up. At this stage, you can let your imagination run wild, or you can use ready-made schemes.

The diagram is applied to a sheet of paper indicating all the sizes of the elements, places of their attachment, and finishing materials.

Having decided on the model, it is necessary to draw a drawing on paper, indicating the dimensions, dimensions of the parts, and the places where they are fixed to each other. All these parameters must be strictly controlled in the future.

The serving table consists of an upper and lower base, connected to each other by vertical posts.

When you decide to assemble such a table for the first time, it is better to opt for a simpler model. The best option is a two-tier serving table on 4 wheels.

Dimensions:

• height 78 cm;
• length 93 cm;
• width 42 cm.

Schematic drawing of the product:

Preparing countertops

The second step in assembling a serving table with your own hands is preparing the upper and lower tabletops. In total, we will need 20 planks 10 cm wide, 18 of which should be 42 cm long and 2 planks 32 cm long. Thus, it turns out that the bases will be recessed 5 cm relative to the table tops along the long side of the table.

Assembling table tops for a table on wheels

To level the tabletop planks as evenly as possible, using clamps, temporarily secure a board of the same thickness between the table legs.

Aligning tabletop planks

Attach the first 10 pieces to the top base using finishing nails or screws.

Fastening the tabletop with finishing nails

Similarly, we fix 8 pieces in the middle of the second base and fasten two shorter boards on the sides.

Assembling the lower table top

The final step in preparing the countertops is to attach the edging along the long sides of the countertops. The length of the slats should be 93 cm.

Decorative framing of tabletops

We also do fastening with finishing nails.

Installation of flange

Materials and consumables

Billets and other lumber to be used in a project must be planed or sanded.
When the table is assembled, leveling the surface in some places will be very problematic. The next step after choosing a model and drawing up a drawing will be the preparation of the materials necessary for the work. So, you will need the following:

• boards for the frame (size 50mm x 100mm);
• boards for the table top (size 25 mm x 100 mm);
• slats for edging (size 25 mm x 50 mm);
• sandpaper;
• primer, paint;
• drills, screws, nails.

When connecting boards with screws, you should first drill holes of a slightly smaller diameter with a drill.
This will help prevent the lumber from splitting. You can get all this at a regular hardware store.

Practical and aesthetic furniture

A serving table is an extremely practical solution that allows you to collect the most necessary foods, drinks or dishes in one place. It can be equipped with a cabinet, drawers, side shelves and wheels, allowing you to move it freely around the kitchen, dining room or living room.

On sale you can find both small and quite large mobile tables on wheels, which are usually much larger and often serve as an additional tabletop. Folding tables help us save space in the apartment when they are not in use. And if necessary, they provide additional countertops for serving the necessary dishes, drinks, and products.

Folding wooden serving table with shelves on wheels, photo

Required Tools

For convenience, while fastening the frame with screws, you can secure it with clamps.
From the tools you need to make sure you have:

• circular saw;
• drills;
• screwdriver;
• hammer, preferably pneumatic;
• grinding machine;
• office supplies.

Carpentry tools will be indispensable in your work.
On a note! When preparing for work, it is important not to forget about safety. Protective equipment such as goggles, a respirator, and gloves will be useful here.

For edging, slats are cut and fixed on the sides.

Mini bar

A very useful model is a minibar on wheels. There are models on sale in different sizes and functions. A bar can usually hold up to 18-25 glasses, as well as a number of bottles. The design allows the stand to be used as a serving table.

Such a serving table - a bar on wheels made of glass, wood or metal will be a wonderful addition to the holiday table.

A mobile alcohol bar is a real pride of every home owner who wants to receive guests. This furniture is designed for storing and presenting drinks. Larger homes often have full, built-in bars that hide a large collection of alcoholic beverages.

Most often it consists of two levels. The upper level serves as a place where mostly open bottles and glasses are kept. In turn, the lower level is nothing more than a small “reserve”, used in case the party lasted a little longer than planned.

Step-by-step instructions for making a serving table on wheels

It is easier to divide the whole process into several stages. The first will be the manufacture of the frame:

1. saw 12 blanks with a circular saw (4 32 mm long, 4 860 mm long, 4 780 mm long);
2. sand the sawn boards with sandpaper or a grinder;
3. assemble 2 frames from the resulting blanks, securing each with a self-tapping screw;
4. connect the rectangles with 780 mm long posts, securing everything with self-tapping screws.

Use a circular saw to cut pieces for the serving table.
Important! To prevent the bars from cracking at the attachment points, it is better to first make holes for the screws.

First prepare the holes for the screws. Widen it at the base so that the screw heads do not protrude above the surface of the part.

The next stage is assembling the tabletop:

1. cut boards (18 pcs. 420 mm long, 2 pcs. 320 mm long);
2. cut slats (4 pieces, 930 mm long);
3. fix the board (5 mm thick) on one side for leveling, because the tabletop is 10 mm larger than the base;
4. connect all the workpieces one by one, recessing the heads of nails or screws;
5. attach the slats to the sides - this is the edging of the table.

To ensure strong connections and the parts fit tightly together, fasten them with clamps until the glue dries.
Product painting:

1. fill small cracks, uneven areas, places where screws are screwed in or nails are driven in;
2. apply a layer of primer to increase the service life of the product (2 layers);
3. paint the almost finished table with a brush or spray can.

Apply the substance to a dry surface.
To achieve an even and rich color, paint in two or three steps. At the last stage, the wheels (optimal diameter 80 mm) and the handle are fixed; it is better to buy them in a regular furniture or accessories store.

Today, in specialized stores you can find a huge assortment of different swivel wheels for furniture, differing in design, diameter, material, fastening design, as well as the presence of a brake.

Organizational stage of work

We will make the serving table from pine wood panels 18 and 28 mm thick. You will also need 5mm plywood for the bottoms of the drawers. We cut the lumber according to the presented drawing, observing the parameters of the workpieces indicated below.

Serving table detailing

1. Bottom shelf dimensions 28x459x782 mm.
2. Stationary table cover – 28x450x800 mm.
3. The hinged part of the lid is 28x300x450 mm.
4. Side wall – 18x430x500 mm.
5. Side wall – 18x450x528 mm.
6. Rotary stop – 18x120x120 mm.
7. Side walls of drawers – 18x90x393 mm – 4 pcs.
8. Front and back sides of drawers – 18x90x300 mm – 4 pcs.
9. Rollers – 18x140x140 mm – 2 pcs.
10. Racks with a diameter of 20x90 mm – 2 pcs.
11. Plywood box bottoms 5x280x385 mm – 2 pcs.

Consumables

• Guides for drawers, length 400 mm – 4 pcs.
• Piano hinge dimensions 32x445 mm.
• Furniture roller 65 mm high.
• Wooden dowels with a diameter of 6x30 and 6x40 mm.
• Round wooden block ∅15x160 mm (you can use a rolling pin).
• 4 mm rail 18x40 mm.
• Duralumin tube ∅ 8, length 1770 mm.
• Rubber rings (for plastic sewer pipes, ∅ 100 mm) – 2 pcs.
• Carpenter's glue.

Tools required for work

• Milling machine.
• Electric jigsaw.
• Meter ruler, compass, pencil.

Serving table decor ideas

There are many options for decorating a finished serving table on wheels made by yourself. It all depends on the person’s imagination.

The choice of color for your DIY serving table is yours.

It could be:

• original painting (stripes, circles or triangles);
• the use of decoupage techniques (decorating the surface with various drawings, photographs or images prepared on special decoupage napkins);
• craquelure (creating an aging effect by applying a special varnish made from egg white or PVA glue);
• applying the ornament using self-adhesive film.

The serving table will become an indispensable assistant when relaxing in the company of friends or relatives, or watching a movie after a tiring day at work.
Which one to choose is a matter of taste and preference, as well as the interior design of the room in which the table will be located.

It should be said that tables on wheels can be both compact and large in size. It all depends only on the dimensions of the room in which it is planned to be used.

Such a convenient piece of furniture as a serving table on wheels, made with your own hands, will be useful to everyone. To do this, you will need a list of materials and tools needed for the work, a drawing, a step-by-step description of the assembly, but the main thing is desire, a little effort and effort, as well as soul.

Serving tables become necessary for carrying dishes and food when there is a need to serve customers away from the kitchen, such as in a restaurant or at an event.

What to consider when buying rollers

Furniture casters are wheels that are attached to the legs or table top, allowing the table to roll freely in any direction. There are several design points to pay attention to:

• how wheels are attached to a piece of furniture;
• what type and weight of the table;
• what is the desired type of movement on wheels (linear or directional);
• what kind of flooring;
• Are special functions required (locking rollers);
• what kind of table appearance do you need? There are two types of fastening, in one case the socket or cylinder is inserted into a piece of furniture, then screwed on. The second type is a flat piece of metal that holds casters and is attached to the bottom of a piece of furniture.

The important question is how to make the calculation. When calculating, take into account the weight of the table. Once the rollers are found that fit in appearance and shape, find out how much weight they can withstand. The weight of the furniture is divided by this indicator, obtaining the number of wheels that will be attached to the table. If the table weighs more, you need to choose different wheels. When selecting casters, it is much safer to overestimate the weight by purchasing casters with a higher maximum total load capacity.

Example: The rollers you like have a rating of 50 kg. You attach 4 pieces to your kitchen table. This means that its possible weight is 200 kg (50 x 4). If the table weighs 65 kg, then these casters are suitable. It is important to consider whether the weight of the furniture is evenly distributed on the sides. If not, attach more rollers to the heavy side.

In addition to weight, consider the type of piece of furniture. Different types are treated differently. In some cases, the weight may only be transferred to the front 2 or rear 2 rollers. Think about how a piece of furniture should move. 360 degrees or in a straight line? Select rollers that support the desired type of movement. The type of flooring also affects which wheels to use. If the house has wooden or smooth floors (laminate or ceramic) that need to be protected from marks, scratches, and other damage, you need to use soft rollers made of polyurethane or rubber. If the apartment has carpet, choose hard rollers that do not interfere with movement on the surface every time. The thicker the carpet, the larger the wheels.

Tip: If the floors are uneven, to ensure that the table remains stable, purchase wheels with a locking mechanism. The furniture moves only when needed. In addition, such a choice is required if children and pets live in the apartment.

There are many types of casters: lockable, shock-absorbing, antibacterial, etc. Choose those that best suit your individual space. If the rollers are visible, then their shape is important. You may need a bright decorative design, or, conversely, one that does not give the piece of furniture any industrial or utilitarian look.

Photo gallery: DIY designer tables on wheels

Kitchenette

A mobile bar can be useful not only in the living room or dining room, but also when preparing food outdoors. This is an excellent solution for use on a balcony, terrace or garden. There are even mobile tables that resemble a mini-kitchen: they are equipped not only with a place to work, but also with a small sink, refrigerator or stove.

This solution is another way to make life easier and speed up work in the kitchen, serving dishes, drinks, and dishes to guests. The bar or cart can be used for different needs, thanks to which we can successfully adapt this furniture to our needs.