Making a Headboard Table

So one of my bedrooms is too small for side tables. It isn't really super important, I won't be sleeping in there...but you might and you might want a place to put your phone/drink/book while you are visiting. So I decided to build a headboard that doubles as a table behind the bed. Similar to the behind the couch tables, but for the bed.

I should warn you that I am NO woodworker and that since I knew that the table wouldn't be holding a significant amount of weight I wasn't concerned with my construction plan that I had. DO NOT use this method if you are making a dining table or anything that will hold valuables that have some weight to them. That being said, this thing is perfect for what I need it for.

This is a very specific sized table. I needed something that would fit the wall space that I had. The room in question has a cutout that houses the furnace on the other side and I thought I would fit the table to the nook it created in order to optimize the room's space.

First, I created the legs. A weird beginning, I know. It was fairly easy. (it should be said that Home Depot sells legs pre-made for regular table height, but since I needed mine a little higher I needed to make my own) First I picked on the wood that would work for legs. The guys at the home depot helped me and then also cut the wood to be the height I wanted.

Next, I needed the lag screws that would screw into the brackets.

I drilled a hole in a sunk my lag screws in.

According to the Home Depot guy you need to really get the holes straight in so that the screws go in straight to the legs and are also in straight to the brackets on the table top. Turns out he's right...I didn't really get it perfect, but the tiniest angle variation was visible to me. So this is why (if you can) buy the legs already made.

After that I applied the brackets to the underside of the table top.

For the top I just used a 2 pieces of leftover ply wood from another project. One is  for the legs and I cut another to the size that fits right in that nook.

Then I screwed the legs into the brackets and it started to look like a table,

but it was shaky, so I added support braces between the legs.

To make this more like a headboard, it needed a front. Yet another piece of ply wood. This is held on by L-brackets and screws through the legs.

After that I painted it. You will see the finish in the reveal of the full room.