Shopping list
Furniture
- Two MDF boards 180 x 40 cm (for a bed 160 cm wide)
- Two MDF boards 75 x 40 cm
- Four slats 40 x 5 x 5 cm
- Clamps
- Bison Super Wood Glue
- 4 swivel wheels incl. screws
Decoration
- Bison Wallpaper Paste Special
- Fleece roller
- Recipes, cuttings, poems, wallpaper samples
Tips
- For the best and strongest MDF joint, use a white glue, such as Bison Super Wood Glue.
- Clamping or compressing the joint is necessary. Based on the choice of materials (slightly or non-porous) you should take account of long drying times. White wood glue contains a lot of water that has to evaporate through the material surface.
- Apply the glue thinly and evenly with a brush or similar tool on both sides. Allow the glue to soak in for a couple of minutes, then either clamp or press both sides together within eight minutes. The desired pressure is 2-5 kg/cm².
- Compression time: 15 minutes (longer if under pressure).
- Stains/residue: Remove glue residues immediately with water. Dry glue residue can only be removed mechanically.
Step-by-step plan
Step 1
Cut the MDF into two 180 x 40 cm parts and two 75 x 40 cm parts.
Please note: these are ideal measurements for a 160 cm wide bed. Always measure your own bed first. 40 cm is the width of the table top. Of course you can always make it broader or narrower.
Bond the two long pieces of wood with Bison Super Wood Glue. This provides extra strength for the top of your bed table. It is best to apply the glue to one piece of wood and spread it with a little brush. Lay the other piece of wood on top and clamp everything properly for 15 minutes by putting a heavy weight on it.
Step 2
You need two of the slats (40 x 5 x 5 cm) to make a strong corner joint between the table top and the side of the bed table.
Bond the 75 x 40 cm piece of wood to the 180 x 40 cm table top and then fit the corner slat to the inside.
Step 3
Apply the clamps so that the corner slat is properly clamped against the table top, and also the other side so that it is properly clamped to the side of the bed table. Let this dry properly for about three hours.
Step 4
Simultaneously apply glue to the two other slats (40 x 5 x 5 cm) on the inside of the underside of the bed table. This is where the two wheels are later fitted.
Step 5
Clamp these slats properly for at least 15 minutes.
Step 6
Bore two holes on the bottom of the slats on both sides for the wheels.
Step 7
The basic bed table is now ready. You can now finish it in your preferred style.
You could paint the table, but it might be more attractive if you spread Bison Wallpaper Paste Special and stick on pictures from travel brochures or recipes from newspapers. Newspaper articles, poems or a nice patterned paper are also possibilities.
Step 8
Allow the glue to dry completely. The cuttings will then be completely smooth when you apply them. You can also put a coat of varnish over the cuttings to protect them against ‘breakfast-in-bed’ stains.
Step 9
Your bed table is now ready for use!
