How to Build a Wood Tabletop for a Sewing Machine Table

We will show you how we built a wood tabletop for my sewing machine base.

Background

Neal and I found this Singer sewing machine base at an antique mall several years ago. We love old things and knew this would be perfect to use as a base for a sewing machine table. So, we got right to work adding a wooden tabletop.

On a personal note…

I love to sew and am thankful my mother taught me. Now that I am semi-retired and have a grandson, I sew a lot for him, especially outfits for special occasions. We converted the loft into my office and craft room. I wanted a place to keep my sewing machine so I could use it anytime without the hassle of getting it out and setting it up. Because Neal and I have moved around so much for my career, I was finally thankful to have a craft room/closet to leave my sewing machine out and use it as needed without having to unpack/pack up each time. I also have more time now that I am semi-retired.

Back to making my sewing table…and how to build a wooden tabletop

Powder Coated the Base

First, we had it powder-coated. We opted for this over spray painting so it would be more durable. I chose a black satin so it is not too shiny but hides imperfections. Also, black blends with everything.

Building the Wood Tabletop

Adding the Plywood

The next step was creating the tabletop. Neal had a leftover piece of plywood. We put the frame upside down on the plywood to get a feel for the size I wanted.

My craft room is quite small, so I did not want it to be too big but wanted it to be big enough to hold my sewing machine and have a little extra space for sewing supplies (scissors, pin cushion, etc.) as I am sewing.

We decided to attach the plywood (under the actual wood top) directly to the sewing machine base. We cut the plywood 12.75 x 22.5 inches. (Note: The finished wood top will be 18×26 inches. More on this below.)

Neal used his table saw as a working surface and his level as a straight edge. He used his circular saw to cut the plywood.

After Neal cut the plywood, I sanded the top, bottom, and all the edges. It would not be seen, but I did not want any rough edges to snag fabric or to get any splinters while I used it.

Heart Pine Wood for Tabletop

Now it was time to work on the actual wood top. This is leftover heart pine flooring that we had milled and installed throughout the main level of our lake house. (Side note: Our flooring was milled from large floor beams in an old yarn factory in Columbus, Georgia.)

We determined that we would need two pieces of wood for the top. Neal used his circular saw to cut the first piece of heart pine. To ensure a straight line, he used a square. (Neal typically does not wear flip-flops when we use tools, but he was working in his office and I interrupted him to make my tabletop. Our joke is that my projects sometimes become his projects.

Neal used the first cut board as his template by placing it on the second board (remember that it takes two pieces to make the top) and marked where to cut. He also made sure that both pieces (all four ends) were perfectly square.

Here is another view as he is getting ready to cut the second board. This wood is so beautiful!

The finished wood top is 18×26 inches.

I sanded both boards  (top, bottom, and edges of each) with fine sandpaper.

Neal used a belt sander to round out the corners so they would not be so pointed/sharp. Here is a closeup of one of the corners.

Installing Tabletop

Now it was time to bolt the plywood to the sewing machine base. Neal drilled slightly smaller holes in each corner before he inserted the bolts, washers, and nuts.

Now for the fun part where it all really comes together (and Neal can get back to his appraisal work).  Neal put screws from the underside in several locations to attach the heart pine wood to the plywood.

NOTE OF CAUTION: Be sure that your screws are not too long! You do not want them to come through and be visible from the top. Neal was very cautious to ensure that was not the case before he added several screws. We also added wood glue (on the bottom of the heart pine and on the top of the plywood) before screwing down this board.

So the first board is installed. And then we screwed the second board. Also, we used wood glue on the underside of the second board.

In addition, we added wood glue to the seam where the two pieces of heart pine touched. Then we clamped it (pulling it tight) and gave it time to dry.

Here is a picture of the underside so you can see the screws. Also, notice the heart pine wood (actual top) overhangs from the plywood.

The next step was waiting for it to dry overnight. Waiting is one of the hardest things for me. When I start a project, I want to keep working on it until it is completed!

The next day I removed the clamps and sanded the tabletop with fine sandpaper. This helped to further blend the two pieces of wood.

Polyurathaning the Top

Neal moved it to my craft room and there I put three coats of wipe-on poly on the tabletop. I did not stain it. Be sure to wait between each coat for it to completely dry.

The Final Result

Voila! Here is the final product! Doesn’t it look GREAT!

Thank you for reading this blog post. Let me know what you think or if you have any questions about how to build a wooden tabletop by commenting below.

Happy sewing!