Portable Craft Table

These simple instructions will help you build an adjustable height, portable craft table for your craft booth or your craft room.

When I went looking for a portable craft table that was appropriate for my craft show booth, I couldn't find exactly what I wanted anywhere, so I ended up making my own.

Here's how you can, too using inexpensive supplies from Ikea.

Easy Portable Craft Table Instructions

The table you see pictured on this page is made using Ikea Vika Byske legs, which adjust from 27 1/2 inches to 48 1/2 inches, and a Vika series table top.

Adjustable height table using Ikea legs

I don't acutally use this table for my craft booth. Although I could. (You can find information about the tables I made for my booth here.)

This table functions as an island in my kitchen. However, when I was putting this table together, I realized it would be perfect for use as a craft display table.

• The legs can be adjusted to the perfect height for a craft display table.

• The legs screw on and off very easily, which makes the table easy to transport.

• The legs can be attached to any size table top, so you can create any table size that meets your needs.

• The entire table is quite light weight.

• The entire table was quite inexpensive. With a 2x4 foot Vika system table top and 4 Vika Byske legs from Ikea, a portable craft table like this would cost about $140.

What You'll Need

• Four adjustable height table legs

  Vika Byske legs from Ikea are ideal for this project.

  The Ikea website states that these legs should only be used with wall mounted tables. However, I have used 4 of these legs set at 36 inches high and attached to a free standing table top in my kitchen for 2 years. The table gets a lot of use and abuse. I have two little kids, and we eat at the table every day, and I have had no problems with the legs being attached to a free standing table.

  

  Adjustable legs allow you to vary the table
  height from 27 1/2 to 48 1/8 inches.

• Table top cut to your preferred size

  Ikea does sell table tops under the Vika collection that are only 24 inches deep. These table tops may suit your needs, and using an Ikea table top would make this project slightly simpler because there have pre-drilled holes in the table tops for attaching the legs.

  If the Ikea table tops aren't the exact size you need, simply go to your local building supply store, where they will cut a piece of wood to the exact size you want (usually) free of charge.

  When you're choosing your table top material, you don't have to worry about what it looks like if you intend to cover the tables. Do consider the weight of the material so your portable craft table will not be too heavy to move.

• Assuming you're not using an Ikea tabletop, you'll need a drill, and you might need some screws.

Assembly Instructions

If you are using a table top from Ikea with your Ikea legs, simply follow the assembly instructions that come with them. The assembly instructions below assume you are using a custom sized piece of wood as a table top. NOT a table top from Ikea.

1. Ensure the screws that come with your adjustable table legs are not too long (i.e. make sure the screws you use are shorter than the thickness of your table top), so they don't go through your table top. If they are too long, you'll need to buy shorter screws.

Mounting bracket screws into the bottom of the table,
then the legs screw into the mounting bracket.
The legs can be unscrewed from the mounting bracket
to make the table flat and easy to transport.
2. The Ikea Vika Byske legs come with a round mounting bracket that you screw onto the bottom of the table base (and the legs then screw into the mounting bracket). If you're using your own table top (not one from Ikea) lay the table top flat with the under-side of the table facing up.
3. Place a round mounting bracket at each of the four corners of the table top (an inch or two in from the edge of the table - measure so each mounting bracket is placed the same distance from the edge of the table).
4. You'll see several holes in the brackets. That's where the screws will go. Hold one of the brackets in place (check the instructions that come with the leg to ensure you're installing the bracket right side up) and, using your drill, screw the bracket in place (you may need to drill pilot holes first). Repeat for the other brackets on each corner.
5. Screw each leg into the brackets, and carefully adjust the length of the leg to suit your needs. The Ikea Vika Byske legs adjust from 27 1/2 to 42 1/8 inches, which is ideal for use as a portable craft table. Because the legs are adjustable, you'll be able to experiment a bit with your table height.

One huge advantage of using the Ikea table legs, is that the legs easily screw into and out of the mounting bracket that is attached to your table top. That means you can easily remove the legs to make your portable craft table more compact for transporting and storing.