While the 80s was a great era with the big hair, rock music and neon bright colors, (they are making a comeback!) one thing that wasn’t was the furniture.
It was like a time traveler from the future got lost and ended up decorating our homes with relics from a cyberpunk movie set. But despite its questionable aesthetics, those pieces have a certain charm to them now. They remind us of the days when everything was a little more tubular and a lot more totally rad.
The parquet insets and rounded corners – ugh! The smoke glass inset tables – no thanks!
So before you toss that old piece of furniture out, why not try giving it a makeover? You never know, it might just surprise you and become the centerpiece of your home.
Those rounded corners come in handy when you are trying to make a Lego table and looking for something with soft corners for a rambunctious boy.
Transforming an Old Table into A Lego table
I found this smoke glass inset table on Craigslist for a steal. It was skanky and the neighborhood was sketchville but it was just the piece I was looking for to make a Lego table.
After we fixed the shelf underneath by adding new screws we were ready to begin the transformation.
How Do You Make a simple Lego table?
There are many ideas you’ll find online, Ikea Lego tables (I made this one too), coffee tables and anything you can stick Lego plates on really. I even made a Lego lamp!
But let’s stick to the repurposing of this oldie, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised. Promise.
Supplies:
- Ghetto fab 1980’s parquet table with glass insets
- Liquid Nails
- Air nailer
- Saw
- 2″ x 4″ x 1/2″ piece of MDF
- Paint
- Primer
- 6 LEGO Baseplate
- Sharp scissors
- Tape measure
- Paintbrush
- Minwax Polycrylic
- Sandpaper
How To Make The Lego Table
1. Cut the 1/2″ MDF to cover the inside of the table.
I chose 1/2″ because I needed that size for the insets to be flush with the table.
You want to create a lip so that the MDF insets will sit flush with the bottom ridge of the table when you put them in from the top of the table.
Use Liquid Nails and an air nailer to set it in place.
2. Cut the MDF to the size of the insets.
Mine were a bit rounded so we took some sandpaper to round the corners so that the pieces would fit in.
You can see how the Lego bases fit on top of that.
3. Prime and paint everything.
I used Stonewall Jackson from Dutch Boy which was leftover from my striped painted curtains.
I also gave it 3 coats of Minwax Polycrylic (sanding with a fine grit in between coats) just to give it some extra protection.
4. The Lego baseplates.
We cut with some sharp scissors to fit the MDF. Then I used some Liquid Nails to adhere those. Â
What is great about is now Isaac has 6 different stations to build.
And the insets are still removable so he can move them if he wants to -although I threaten encourage that the Lego mess stay in his room.
My son is pretty proud of his Angry Birds Lego creation that he thought of all by himself.
And lets show a good before and after!
Have a child obsessed with Legos?
Here is another option for a lego table that is a bit thinner and easier to tuck on a wall.
Check out this Lego Ninjago Birthday Party
or this DIY Lego Lamp
What a FABULOUS idea! Tucking this away for the future…
Truely awesome. I was laughing at your description of the table and neighborhood. Let’s just assume (and hope) these were not the type of people to have you on their blog list! Very, very cool idea–sooo many parents need this for their boys and girls! My 10 and 13 year old daughters have even been caught playing with Legos in the past year. CREATIVITY baby!
Thanks for the love, Nicole. I can’t tell you how happy I am to get those Legos under control! 😉
Hey, Kristin! Hehe… I have a feeling they will not be reading this post. 😉 Legos are one toy that I really do enjoy playing with my kids. I guess they foster my need to create. Ha!
Very cool, my daughters would love this! Pinning 🙂
What a great use for the table. And I love that the inserts are removable. And your sons Angry Birds are pretty impressive too! Creative family 🙂
Crazy creative! LOVE this! Kinda makes me wish I had boys! Girls can play with legos too, right?!
This is such a great idea! I will be on the look out for one of these tables. I had one about 15 years ago and gave it away. Who knew?
Brilliant! Sharing!
🙂
Lisa
Interesting. did you try hanging baskets from the six insets?
WOW!! Seriously WOW! I wonder if my teen son will mind if I put one in his room? 🙂
This is great Beckie! ~Sonya
Really great job! I pinned it to show my daughter. Her son is three, and just getting into the Lego stage.
Beckie, I so wish I had a table like this 10 years ago. With 4 boys, everyone of them loved their Legos. We have kept all of the Legos, and I have plastic bins full of Legos, stored under the beds. Legos is one of the classic toys that young, old and no gender play with! Awesome job on the table!
Becky, truly awesome. I still hear that scraping-hand-through-the-Lego-bucket sound coming from my high school son’s room sometimes.
Thanks for the pin, Lindsey!
Isaac is quite the Lego master! 🙂
Definitely! You can see Kayla in the pic getting in on the action too. They actually make Lego sets that are geared toward girls – pink boxes and all. 😉
I know… right?!? 😉
Thanks, Lisa!
Ha! Thanks so much, Sonya!
My son LOVES Legos! They really are so great for little boys, as soon as they’re old enough not to eat them that is. 😉
Thanks, Dede! And you are so right! They are a toy that I really enjoy playing with too. Maybe one day your grandkids will play with all those Legos and you can make them their own table for Grandma’s house. 😉
Haha! I am sure my son will still love them when he’s a teenager too!
Oh my goodness, what a great idea! Thanks for sharing!!
Karen @ annumography
hey!
i was wondering where you got the lego head image?
thanks!
and love the table! we are in the middle of making one for my 7 year old and 5 year old!
Two words: Awe. Some. Or just one word: awesome. Really. Bravo, Mom!!
This is amazing!! I also love your description of the Craigslist neighborhood you picked it up from- why IS that always the case?? 😉
Thank you, Laurel! I love how the table came out and can barely tear my son away from it. As far as the shady neighborhood… at least it makes for a good story later on. HA!
Hehe! Thanks much, Richella!
Thank you, Karen! 🙂
I just googled Lego head and found one I could convert to black and white easily enough. I would love to see the table once you finish it!
Love your Lego bins! Where did you get them??
They are actually just clearance bins from Lowes. I added the Lego Head. You can read more about it here.
WHOA! Awesome project. I scored some ugly side tables on the side of the road and have been considering making them into Lego stations. My girls are really into Lego Friends, and it would be fun to make a girly version of your idea!
Oooo, I’d love to see it if you do!
Thank you so much!!! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!! I have a table similar to this only difference is mine is square with 4 glass centers. I found it at a yards over a year ago and just knew I had to get. It wasn’t until just now I knew why lol!! Thank you soooo much this will be built before this next week!! My kids will absolutely love it and maybe just maybe my feet will be a little happier and not manage to find the one stray Lego that hasn’t made it into the container. Thank you again. I’m so excited to make this!!
Yay!!! Please let me know how it comes out!
This is one of the best ideas EVER!!
Thanks so much, Faye. It’s been one of my favorite projects and works beautifully for our kiddos.
I am going to have to remember this! My son is in his early 20s but I have saved all his legos, 2 large 33 gallon bins full, knowing one day there will be grand kids to play with them.