Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Pick one of the 20-inch sides on each of the wooden boards, and measure from the end. Mark 4 inches, 8 inches, 12 inches and 16 inches on each board. These will be the points where the holes will be drilled for the dowels.
Drill holes 1/2 inch each into the eight points you have marked on the two boards. Make sure the holes are not so big that your dowels fall out. Start with a smaller bit than you think you need, and expand the holes if needed.
After making certain the dowels will fit, sand the boards. The edges will likely require the most sanding.
Apply a small amount of wood glue to one end of each of the four dowels. This table is made to be taken apart, so you want to make sure the dowel is only glued into one side of the board. Lining up the holes on the boards, insert the four dowels in holes, alternating boards with each dowel. In other words, when looking down at the boards with the holes facing each other, the first dowel should be in the first hole on one board, the second dowel in the second hole on the other board, the third in the third hole on the board with the first dowel, and the fourth dowel in the fourth hole on the board with the second dowel.
Measure the boards to put the squares on. For this table, the squares are going to be 2 1/2 inches. Measure lengths in 2 1/2-inch increments along all four top sides of each of your boards. Make small pencil marks on the top of the 1/2-inch-thick sides of your boards so that you keep the top clean.
Use a straight edge, beginning in the left-hand corner opposite the side with the dowels, to lay the straight edge connecting the first mark on the 10-inch side to the mark parallel in the adjacent corner. Carefully apply painter's tape along the line made by the straight edge. Make certain the tape is applied securely so that the paint or stain will not run.
Continue on the 20-inch side. Lay the straight edge on the next mark and its parallel mark. This time, make sure the painter's tape goes into the same square as the previous piece of tape. Move the straight edge to the next mark and its parallel, and use the painter's tape again. This time making sure to it goes away from the previous piece of tape. This should have created two full squares with no tape inside and one square with tape inside. Continue this process until you reach the end of the board.
Paint or stain the squares in the first row with no tape in them. Typical paint color is black. You may need to let these dry for a bit before moving on to the next step.
Flip the painter's tape so that it is in the opposite column of squares before painting the next row. Remove all the previous tape. Replace the first piece of tape connecting the marks on the 10-inch sides, only this time, place the tape so that it hangs over the first row, leaving the second row open. Use the straight edge to connect the second mark on the 10-inch side to the parallel mark on the other 10-inch side. Place the painter's tape along the straight edge so that the second row is open.
Use your straight edge to re-tape the marks on the 20-inch side. This time, make sure that the first piece hangs over the first square and that the second square is open to be painted. Continue the same process for the rest of the tape in this row. Paint the open squares you have created. They should be alternate of what the first row was. Wait for this row to dry sufficiently before moving on to third row.
Remove all of the tape and repeat the same process for the third row. Make sure that the tape connecting the marks on the 10-inch sides hangs over to the outsides of the third row and that the tape connecting the marks on the 20-inch sides hangs into alternate squares of the previous row. Repeat this process for the fourth row.
Prepare the other board. For this board, start with the dowels facing you. This will enable to continue alternating the color of squares more easily. Repeat the same process used on the first board.
Connect the two boards by inserting the dowel ends into the corresponding holes on the other board. When you are done, pull them apart and store them together.
Make sure the ends you insert in the holes are the ends with the glue. You may need to use a rubber mallet to make sure the dowels are all the way in. After the glue dries, sand away any excess glue around the holes.
Take the straight edge, and moving around the corner from the first mark, connect the first mark on the 20-inch side to the first mark parallel to it. Once again, use the painter's tape to mark the line, making sure the tape goes to the outside of the first square you have created.