Easy DIY Console Table

When it comes to making small spaces functional, creativity is key—which is just a fancy way of saying you’re going to have to do some weird stuff.

When you have a small space, you need to make every inch count…which sometimes means pushing your sofa into a corner and still not having space for end tables. Enter: a plywood console table crammed between your couch and the wall. The pinnacle of sophistication, and the perfect place for drinks, books, phones, lamps, plants, and hidden outlets.

How To Make Built In a Console Table

This tutorial is simple but not one-size-fits-all. You might need to get creative to make it work for your space, but it’ll give you a solid starting point to add functionality without breaking the bank.

Materials and Tools Needed

• Materials:
  • Maple plywood (or any type of plywood/lumber of your choice, roughly 10 inches wide and as long as your sofa).
  • Stain (I used Dark Walnut) or paint
  • Sealer (I used a semigloss oil based sealer, but you can use whatever. See this post for more information about sealer options and which you should choose).
  • Wall brackets (you won’t see them, they don’t have to be nice. We used these).
  • Pop up/hidden outlet. This is optional, but highly recommended as it makes your table so much more useful. I used this one, which has a wireless charger, four outlets, two USB-A and two USB-C connections.
• Tools:
  • Saw of your choice for cutting the wood (Home Depot will also cut it for you when you purchase it.)
  • Sandpaper (400 grit or higher)
  • Staining brush/rag
  • Brush or roller for applying sealer
  • Drill for installing brackets and outlet
  • Studfinder
  • Level (two foot or longer)
  • Brad nailer
• Optional
  • Wood Glue
  • Hole saw or drill and jigsaw for adding the hidden outlet

Building the Console Table

Before we dive in, let’s set expectations: this is as simple as DIY furniture building gets. At its core, it’s just a shelf with a leg. It’s not heritage furniture, and it’s definitely not winning any beauty contests if you ever move the couch. But when it’s tucked behind your sofa? It’s functional, affordable, and great for maximizing small spaces.

Step 1: Measure and Plan

Here’s what you need to figure out before getting started:

• Length: The table should stretch about as long as your sofa (more on this further down in the post).
• Width: I went with 10 inches, which is think enough to still be space saving and wide enough to fit lamps and books.
• Height: Ideally, it should sit about half and inch below the top of your sofa, so the raw edge stays hidden.
• Type of joint: For the corners, I went with a waterfall edge to hide the raw plywood and keep things sleek and modern. If that feels intimidating, you can stick with a simple perpendicular joint and cover the edges with banding. If you are using solid wood you have more options.

Step 2: Cut the Wood

For a waterfall edge, you are going to make two 45 degree cuts, lining them up to create a continuous 90 degree angle. Here is what that looks like –

Yes, it’s ugly in this picture, but looks great from the top when the edge is hidden by the sofa.

Measure from the outer edge of the boards—the part that will show when assembled—and mark your cuts carefully. The cuts must mirror each other, so pay attention to the angle direction:

• For the top board, the 45-degree angle slopes inward toward the underside.
• For the side board, flip it so the angle slopes inward toward the inside face.

Also, you need to decide where to end the table. This was the most debated part of the project. At first, it seems logical to take the table all the way to the end of the sofa. But if you do that, you’ll end up with an awkward piece of plywood sticking out under the couch, looking – let’s be honest – cheesy and dumb.

Instead, we decided to pull the table back so it aligns with the sofa legs. This way, the plywood leg is mostly hidden, and the whole thing looks more intentional.

Step 3: Stain and Seal

After you boards are cut to the correct dimensions, it’s time to stain and seal them. This is much easier to do this before you install the table…trust me on this. You don’t think you’ll get stain on your wall…but you will.

To stain, I always recommend using pre-stain first, it will give you a more even finish. When that is dry (about 10 minutes) add the stain of your choice. When you reach your desired color, let it dry and then seal it.

Applying the sealer will likely be the most time consuming part of this project. I used oil-based sealer, which has a long dry time, so this step took me about two days. Water based sealer will go quicker. I did three layers of sealer, sanding with 400 grit sandpaper between each coat for a super smooth finish.

Step 4: Assemble the Table

1.Install the top: First, grab your stud finder and locate the studs in your wall. Ideally your brackets should hit at least two studs, so your table doesn’t come crashing down when your kid decides to use it as stadium seating. If that’s not possible you can use drywall anchors, but try to avoid relying solely on them if you can help it.

Next, measure from the floor to your desired table height (ours is 25″) to mark where each bracket will go. Use a level to make sure everything lines up perfectly—this is not the time to eyeball things.

Here’s the one and only progress photo I took during this part of the process. As you can see, you’re essentially just hanging a shelf at this point – simple, right?

And there you have it. Like I said, this isn’t heritage furniture, and it’s not winning any beauty contests if you move the sofa. But in place? It’s budget-friendly, functional, and easy to DIY. The trifecta of a good project if you ask me.