• Home
  • About
    • France
  • Published
  • Contact
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

So Much Better With Age

  • Seasonal
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • Spring
    • Mother’s Day
    • Outdoor
    • Summer
    • Fall
    • Halloween
    • Christmas
    • Winter
    • Parties
  • Organization
    • Organization
    • Printables
  • DIY
    • Crafts/DIY
    • Home Repair
    • Paint/Wax/Stain
    • Sewing
  • Decorating 101
    • Color
    • Decorating
  • Baking Recipes
  • House Tours
    • My House Source List
    • My Current House
    • My Previous House
    • The Old, Old House
  • Shop
    • Instagram Friends
    • My House Source List

April 23, 2018 · 13 Comments

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table

Crafts/DIY

297shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Do you have an vintage extendable table that you don’t use anymore? I’ll show you how to make a desk from an extendable table and how easy it is to do.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table - So Much Better With Age

I was given this table from a family member a few months ago for a book project and I knew I wasn’t going to use it as a table but just as a desk. I was going to leave it as is and even started to prime it with paint but the legs in the middle just seemed too funny, especially I knew it was never going to be used as a long table again.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/before antique table - So Much Better With Age

Here is the table fully extended. It came with many leaves and you can see by the size it could seat a lot of people. I just don’t have a need for another long table.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/vintage table extended - So Much Better With Age

Determine What Will Be Your Desk Top

The very top of this table, when it’s in compact mode, is one large piece that lays over two cut pieces (you can see in the photo above). It flips up and over and lays flat on extended arms that pull out.

Not all tables are like this though. Some extendable tables have a top that is basically split into two so that when it is extended, the leaves just lay in between them those two top pieces. If yours is like the latter, you can make a desk top by screwing the two pieces together from underneath with brackets. Then use wood fill to fill in the seam, let dry, and and paint.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/fully extended old table - So Much Better With Age

How to Turn the Extendable Table into a Desk

  1. You first want to start by flipping over the table and unscrew the legs from the top. The legs should come out easily and the centre legs and pieces of wood can be recycled.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/take apart table - So Much Better With Age

2. Mock up how the legs with be spaced out.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/unscrew table legs - So Much Better With Age

3. Determine which piece(s) of wood will be your new desk top.

The top on this table was quite damaged and scratched so we flipped it over to become the underside of the new desk.

4. Make sure to keep decorative elements facing out.

You can see in the photo below that the two corners on the right side are bull-nosed but the other two on the left are straight. You can put the straight side against a wall so you won’t notice the different corners. Make sure that the best looking legs are facing the front of the desk.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/screw table legs on - So Much Better With Age

5. Measure each leg using a square onto the desk top, mark and pre-drill holes. Screw the legs back in their new home.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/wooden desk - So Much Better With Age

6. Fill any cracks or leave gaps facing the back.

Not every piece will match up together so if there’s an open space, make sure it’s at the back of the desk and you don’t need to fix it. If it bothers you, you can glue and screw in a piece of wood in that space. Make sure to fill any cracks/seams with wood fill. Leave to dry, sand until smooth then prime and paint.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/fixing desk - So Much Better With Age

7. If there are any decorative touches you don’t like, be sure to remove them before painting.

I cut off the decorative scrolly-wood pieces underneath in each corner as some of them were broken and it looked cleaner without them.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/charcoal grey painted desk - So Much Better With Age

8. Prime and paint your new desk.

Painting your new desk will also hide any filled seams and no one will know it was ever an extendable table.

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/grey painted table, roses - So Much Better With Age

9. Add drawer handles to make it look like a desk drawer.

I love how this extendable table already looked like a desk with the original drawer handles. You can pre-drill holes for handles on each side of the front to make a faux drawer. It will definitely make your extendable table look more like a real desk!

How to Make a Desk from an Extendable Table/grey desk, brass handles - So Much Better With Age

This painted desk is a project in my new book, French Vintage Decor. Be sure to order your copy! I’m so appreciative of all pre-orders so thank you in advance.

Click to Order Your Copy of French Vintage Decor

French Vintage Decor

How to Decide Whether or Not to Give Antique Furniture a Makeover

Antique Furniture - Makeover or Not?

Make a Desk from an Extendable Table - So Much Better With Age

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSaveSaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

More from my site

  • How to Use Dark Wax on Furniture + VideosHow to Use Dark Wax on Furniture + Videos
  • Romantic Homes Jan 2019 – High Tea PartyRomantic Homes Jan 2019 – High Tea Party
  • Home Style Saturday No. 97Home Style Saturday No. 97
  • 14 French Wood and Upholstered Beds14 French Wood and Upholstered Beds
  • Organize Kids’ ArtworkOrganize Kids’ Artwork

Subscribe to get the latest

free goodies straight to your inbox

Previous Post: « Home Style Saturday No. 82
Next Post: The Best Banana Muffins With Fresh Bananas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julie says

    April 24, 2018 at 6:47 am

    Wow, looks great Jamie!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2018 at 9:57 pm

      Thanks Julie!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  2. laurie cordeniz says

    April 24, 2018 at 10:24 am

    That looks great! Any thoughts on what to do to a gate leg table. Love your blog and thanks for all the great ideas!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2018 at 9:58 pm

      Thanks so much, Laurie! You’ll have to email me a photo of that table you’re talking about.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  3. Mari says

    April 24, 2018 at 10:44 am

    It looks great! What color and what type of paint is this?

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 4, 2018 at 10:01 am

      Hi Mari,
      I believe I used Ash from Fusion Mineral Paint, it’s a charcoal grey color. I explain this paint tutorial in my book and I never specified which paint I used but that’s the only charcoal grey I see on my paint shelf. Graphite from Annie Sloan is also very similar. I used a dark wax over top to get the deep textured look.
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  4. Michele (Finch Rest) says

    April 24, 2018 at 2:05 pm

    Oh, my word, that is truly stunning. What a gorgeous piece – very well done, Jamie!

    ♥ it!!!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      April 24, 2018 at 9:59 pm

      Thank you so much, Michele!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
  5. Kathleen says

    April 28, 2018 at 12:20 pm

    I just pre-ordered your book on Amazon.
    I love your style and how your have made you home over to its current amazing space. When I first went to your blog I thought “…better with age” was also about being a more “seasoned, advanced adult” which is me. I was totally delighted with your style and fresh, honest, and sincere approach to design and life! Being a “seasoned, advanced adult” does not take me out of the mix of enjoying new ideas and approaches to living a better life.
    Thank you –

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 1, 2018 at 4:59 pm

      Aww, thank you much, Kathleen! You are definitely not out of the mix, never 😉 I’m so glad you’re here. I’m sending subscribers who pre-order my book a signed bookplate. Let me know if you’d like me to email you one!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply
      • Kathleen says

        May 6, 2018 at 1:30 am

        Thank you! And, yes, a bookplate for your book would be lovely, it is pre-ordered from Amazon so as soon as it is available they will ship it to me.
        Kathleen

        Reply
  6. Kerryanne says

    May 3, 2018 at 8:07 pm

    Another fabulous project Jamie. I love how you saw past the big table to create this very chic desk. The colour is absolutely perfect too…. love it!!
    Thank you for sharing at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I’m delighted to be featuring your beautiful desk at tonight’s party and pinning too!
    Hugs ~ Kerryanne

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      May 4, 2018 at 10:01 am

      Hi Kerryanne,
      Thank you so much for the feature, my friend!
      Hugs, Jamie

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




 

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Search

Categories

My YouTube Videos

“somuchbetterwithage”

My Book, French Vintage Decor

“somuchbetterwithage”

Footer

Copyright

All images and text on this site are property of So Much Better With Age. Please contact [email protected] to ask for all photo requests. Please do not take my images without first obtaining written permission from me. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated.

Copyright 2010-2018

Categories

Archives

Let’s Connect

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for something?

House is clean, sun is shining, life is good. Hope House is clean, sun is shining, life is good. Hope you’re having a good Saturday💚 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #idcoathome #greigestyle #interiordesign #neutralhome #neutraldecor #lonnyliving #sodomino #whitekitchen #kitcheninspo #kitchengoals #mydecorlove #vancouverinfluencer #yvrinfluencer #canadiandesigner
Do you know what all these beautiful rooms have in Do you know what all these beautiful rooms have in common! They are all painted in the same paint color - White Dove OC-17 by @benjaminmoore. 💚 White is one of the hardest colors to pick for your home. It can pick up different surrounding colors which is why you can’t just Google a paint color and paint it on your walls. 💚 For my home, Simply White has worked the best. And White Dove is very similar. Swipe to see  some of these gorgeous rooms. 💚➡️ Check my blog post for tips on the best way to pick any paint colors for your home. Link is in stories and in highlights. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #whitepaint #whitewallcolor #howidwell #howwedwell #idcoathome #greigestyle #homewithrue #howtopickpaintcolors #whitedovepaint #benjaminmoore #designblogger #diyblogger
Last year I totally organized my kitchen pantry an Last year I totally organized my kitchen pantry and tea/coffee/vitamin station and I’m happy to say it still looks the same! Having a spot for each item that you use regularly is so important. Start by checking out my blog post and reading all the tips I have on how to easily measure your cupboards and buy only the organization items that you need. Happy organizing! 💚➡️ Check stories or my highlights for the direct blog post link. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #imsomartha #homeorganizer #homeorganization #homeorganizationtips #konmari #konmarimethod #kitchendesign #kitchenorganization #pantryorganization  #organizedhome #organizationhacks #organizingideas #designblogger #diyblogger #yvrinfluencer #vancouverblogger
I love green! The color and greenery. Although I k I love green! The color and greenery. Although I kill most plants so they don’t last long here. I know spring is far far away but this year is really dragging on so far 😂💚🌿🌱
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #jungalowstyle #mydomaine #apartmenttherapy #ruedaily #myplantaesthetic #greigestyle #idcoathome #howidwell #howeedwell #simplystyleyourspace #neutraldecor #instahomedecor #homewithrue #designblogger #diyblogger #vancouverinfluencer #yvrinfluencer
Making your own pillow covers is easier than you t Making your own pillow covers is easier than you think! I love changing out my throw cushions on my couch and just being able to store pillow covers is far easier than the whole pillow. 💚 I can only sew straight lines so if I can sew these, you can! It’s an envelope pillow pattern so no zippers or buttons involved. Swipe to see the back of the pillow (chair photo) ➡️ Check stories for the direct blog link and I’ll save it in highlights in my profile. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #pillowtutorial #sewingpattern #diyhomeproject #diyhomeprojects #diyhome #showemyourdiy #diysewing #diysewingpattern #diysewingproject #diysewing #envelopepillow #livingroominspo #yvrinfluencer #vancouverinfluencer #diyblogger #designblogger
Did you know how much of a difference trim, basebo Did you know how much of a difference trim, baseboards, doors, doorknobs and stair railings make? Like a huge difference! I’m talking all about it on my blog today. Lots of before and photos and details! 💚➡️ Check stories for the direct blog link and in a highlight in my profile. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #baseboards #doortrim #doors #stairrailing #stairrailings #homerenovations #neutraldecor #neutralstyle #neutraldecorating #idcoathome #greigestyle #howidwell #howwedwell #ruedaily #interiordesign #interiordecorating #vancouverdesigner #yvrinfluencer #designblogger
Our basement is the perfect place to store seasona Our basement is the perfect place to store seasonal / holiday / decor items. I’ve had plenty of it over the years (too much!) as I’ve been blogging for 10 years! I went through all my Christmas decor this year before I packed it all away and got rid of so much! It felt so good. 💚 Next, I’ll do the same for the other holidays coming up (like Easter, I have 2 bins just for Easter!). Decluttering is easier when it’s done in stages. I’m also really into minimal seasonal decor lately so I think it will be much easier to say goodbye to the extra ‘stuff’. 💚➡️ What about you? Do you have lots of seasonal / holiday / decor items in your home? ➡️ Check out my blog posts on how to organize these items in IG stories. .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #organization #homeorganization #homedecluttering #imsomartha #idcoathome #homeorganizer #organizingtips #organizingideas #konmari #knomarimethod #yvrinfluencer #vancouverinfluencer
Sometimes it helps to look at your home in terms o Sometimes it helps to look at your home in terms of square footage not how the builder or the previous owner used it. My dining room was once a family room but with our small main floor already having a living room and a very small dining room, we thought this room would be better suited for a bigger dining room (swipe to see the before with the cabinet, the before before when we first bought it and the reno) 💚 It pays to look at your home differently especially during this pandemic. I think we’re all going to look at how we use our homes differently going forward. 💚➡️ What about you? Do you use a room for a different purpose than what it was intended for? .
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #diningroomdecor #diningroomdesign #diningroomgoals #gooduseofspace #idcoathome #currentdesignsituation #simplystyleyourspace #neutraldecorstyles #neutraldecorating #mydecorlove #fromhousetohaven #vancouverinfluencer #yvrunfluencer #designblogger #diyblogger
Oh man, I am so sentimental. It really makes it ha Oh man, I am so sentimental. It really makes it hard to also be a person that is organized and hates clutter! I’m a sentimental purger! 😂 I feel most happy when everything has its place and I’ve kept a few meaningful things, but not too many. Just the right amount. It’s a very fine balance, isn’t it? Do you have a hard time with letting go of sentimental items? I have lots of tips of in my blog post ➡️ Check stories for the link and I’ll keep it in my organization highlight in my profile. Also, I share how to organize and store kids school memories and artwork with free printables!
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #sentimental #declutteryourlife #decluttering #declutteringtips #konmari #konmarimethod #mariekondo #imsomartha #homeorganization #homeorganizationtips #organizationhacks #howtodeclutter
The mini transformation in our dining room is now The mini transformation in our dining room is now complete! I took some black frames from IKEA and using Rub n Buff made them look vintage gold. 💪🏻 I’ve used Rub n Buff many times before but never over black! (Thanks for the tip @jennasuedesign 💚) ➡️ Check stories or my profile for a link to my blog post. 
.
.
.
.
#somuchbetterwithage #diycrafts #howwehaven #howihaven #homewithrue #howwedwell #idcoathome #ssmakelifebeautiful #vintagedecor #showmeyourdiy #showemyourdiy #frenchvintage #cornerofmyhome #cottagehomedecor #frenchvintagestyle #yvrinfluencer #vancouverblogger #diyblogger #canadiandesigner

Copyright © 2021 · captivating theme by Restored 316
· Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more