Making Tops for Your Game Table
Once you get your table built, you gottah have something to put in it right!? Well this article goes over how to build 2 table tops, a playing area and a record keeping area - these will most likely be the tops you use most.
What you need:
- 6 2×2″x8′ boards (8 to be safe)
- 2 sheets of lauan underlayment. Have the guy at the lumber yard cut it to 2 2×4′ pieces and 2 6×4′ pieces.
- a bunch of small flat head wood nails.
- 24 1″ 90* metal corner brackets
- 48 1″ wood screws up to 96 can be used, the more the better
After you get the lumber home, cut the 2×2s with a miter or circular saw into the following:
- 4 4′ boards
- 3 1′9″ boards
- 3 3′9″ boards
- 2 5′9″ boards
After cutting, you should have something like this sitting on your work-area floor:
Set the 3′9″ pieces to the side and assemble two frames using 2 4′ pieces with 2 1′9″ pieces, and 2 4′ pieces the 5′9″ pieces. To connect the boards, use the corner brackets and 1″ wood screws. You should get something like this:
Next, insert the three 3′9″ pieces evenly into the larger frame, attaching them with the corner brackets on each side of the supports. Insert the last 1′9″ piece into the middle of the smaller frame in the opposite direction the same way. You should get something like this:
Lastly, using the smaller wood nails, tack on the pieces of lauan underlayment to the respective frames. This will give you a solid surface on both sides of the table top, allowing you if you wish to put a different surface on each side. ie : grass on one side, space-scape on the other.
Once completed, and surfaced, these table tops will slip right into the table you just built. Whats so cool about this system is that you can have mounds of table tops and modular terrain, but you’ll only ever have to build the one table.
Our main toppers are a 6×4 playing area with a classic green gamescape and a record keeping area topped with easy-stick floor tiles. You can get them at home depot, they come in a wide variety of colors and styles in 1×1′ sheets. And they only cost about a buck each. They make a great writing surface and the area is great for keeping books, lists, and casualties off the battlefield.
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DEACON
