Breakdown Table (Mk.3)

This portable table is part of our glamping setup. It’s made from a single sheet of plywood and uses zero hardware to hold it together. It breaks down flat for storage & transport.

The first version of the table came from these plans, but my woodworking skills were not good enough. The table top was a good size for drinks, and possibly a card game, but not enough to deal with feeding two little ones.

I also found that while it was stable on my concrete driveway, when we set it up on a grassy field we could never get the eight points of contact with the ground. My wife also didn’t like that the seats were fixed to the table, she’s got long legs and couldn’t get comfortable.

So that led to Mk.2.

I deleted the seats & seat support beams from the plans and used that space to expand the table top. I may have made the legs taller, as this version’s top sits at 30 inches, which is a standard dining table height.

If you’re curious about the artwork, it’s a old Norse board game called Hnefetafl. The knotwork border was done by me. The boars on the table legs are a stencil that my wife cut out using her Cricuit machine.

The table size was perfect. The height was perfect for our folding chairs.

And then my mom came camping with us. Have you ever tried to seat five people at a square table? ¡No bueño! The best solution we came up with was to have one adult feed the babies, and then send the wee ones off to play while the grown folks eat in peace.

Another issue with both of the first two versions was how the table was attached to the legs. I routed a 3/4” slot in the underside of the table top and put the legs into the slot. To do this, you have to get under the table, which is fine if the weather is good. When the field is muddy, I hate getting under the table to line everything up. Mk.3 has tenons from the legs that come through holes in the tabletop. The advantage here is that I can see through the holes to line things up. The tops of the tenons are flush with the table surface.

A round table for four typically has a 36” diameter, while a table for six has a 54” diameter. The largest I can squeeze out of a sheet of plywood is 48”, so five will be roomy, but I bet we can squeeze in a sixth person (it’s camping, not thanksgiving dinner).

I used my table saw to cut out the round table top with this jig, if you feel the need for a side quest. If you don’t want the side quest, or don’t have a table saw, cut the circle with your jigsaw. Stay just outside the line with the jigsaw, then use a belt sander to get right up to the line.

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