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.
-
DEACON
How thick is the lauan sheet you used?
Hello Dave - I’m working from memory here but I want to say that it is 5.2mm thick. But for all practical purposes you can call it 1/8″.
I got a question about the measurements. If you have a 5′ 9″ long board, and you add two 2″ boards to each end. Doesn’t that make the board 6′ 1″ long.
nilus - Good question. In lumber and woodworking all lumber yards list dimensional lumber in nice clean numbers like 2″x2″; 2″x8″; 4″x4″. What those dimensions are referncing is the rough-cut of the board. The rough-cut is the initial cut out of the full log but is looks exactly as it is named which is rough. A finished board, which is what you’ll see in all lumber yards, has gone through one extra process which is to plane the boards down which ends up taking more material off. So your actual dimenions are a bit smaller, which in the case of a 2″x2″ the actual measurements are 1-1/2″x1-1/2″. A 2″x4″ is actually 1-5/8 (or 1-3/4″) x 3-1/2″. Each pass through the plane cuts about 1/4″ off the board per side.
More than likely more info than you needed, but the short answer is, after milling, the actual dimenions of lumber are smaller than what they are commonally called.
When you say you used “green turf” do you mean the stuff in the tubs at modeling stores? that’s a lot of area for those tubs.. expensive??
You also mention space-scape, recommendations?
I’m looking to do a table like this and need to put all the details together so I can budget for it.
No not that stuff, check these guys out - they make an excellent product. Mine has lasted nearly 10 years now with no tears and minimal wear:
http://www.mondayknight.com/MKP-Mats-Plain.htm
They come in a variety of finishes - even different sizes and markings if you need squares, hexes, etc.
http://www.mondayknight.com/MKP-Mats.htm
Awesome work guys. I’ve been mulling over how to build a new table and stopped beating myself up with tedious amounts of thought and planning after finding your site. Really simple and effective design that does everything I want it to do - except make the wife happy with the amount of space it takes up
ah, but the cool thing about the table is that you can take it apart and stow it!
Shhhh!!!
If she sees that, she’ll make me take it apart after every game!
Finished my build over the weekend and it’s beautiful. My only touch was to add two shelves below the top. Great design guys. Thanks so much for sharing it online.
Great looking design. Was looking for a solid simple sturdy (alliteration much?) table plan and I think this fits the bill. I think I might also attempt designing some shelving into it. Thank you! Also great site overall. Glad I found it!
No problem DJ - if you make a table, send in some pics!