Create a Murphy Table

Create Temporary Extra Counter Space

Apr 27, 2008 Mary Welling-Bonney

Do you ever wish you had more counter space?

Are there times when you could use an extra table but you don't have the extra storage space for the times it isn't needed? Here is the answer.

This project will guide you through making a table that when not in use will look like a mirror on the wall.

Materials Needed:

  • 3' x 2' two foot mirror
  • Two 3' x 2' pieces of plywood
  • Two 2' pieces of a 1" x 3" inch board with corners mitered
  • Two 3' pieces of a 1" x 3" inch board with corners mitered
  • Two 2' pieces of a 1" x 3" trim with corners mitered
  • Two 3' pieces of a 1" x 3" trim with corners mitered
  • One 2' piano hinge
  • Two locking hinges (similar to the hinges on a card table)
  • Liquid nails
  • One latch
  • Stain
  • Brush
  • Measure tape
  • 4 screws
  • Drill
  • Screwdrlver

Instructions:

  1. Using the liquid nails, glue the mirror to one of the 2' x 3' pieces of plywood. Stain all of the pieces of wood. Allow them to dry.
  2. Sandwich the two 3' x 2' boards together with the mirror on the outside. Attach the piano hinge along the bottom connecting both boards. Make sure the two boards will be able to open at a 90-degree angle.
  3. Glue the 2' 1" x 3" mitered boards to the top and bottom. Glue the 2' pieces of trim on top of the boards.
  4. Connect the 3' boards to the top of the plywood with the hinges. Glue the 3' trim on top of the boards. Do not glue the sides to the mirror.
  5. Attach the latch to the top of the plywood with one side on each piece of plywood.
  6. Measure three feet up the wall from the floor. Mark this spot. This is where the bottom of the piece will rest when hung on the wall. Measure six feet up the wall from the floor. Mark this spot. This is where the top of the piece will rest.
  7. The whole piece is going to be heavy. Find the studs in the wall. You will need someone to help with the next part. Open the latch. Place the back piece of plywood on the wall at the measured marks. While one person holds the piece in place on the wall the other person needs to drill two holes on each side through the plywood and into the wall stud.
  8. Screw the four screws into the plywood to secure it into the wall. Lift the other plywood piece and latch it. When all latched up it will look like a framed mirror on the wall. When you unlatch the top pull out the side pieces to use as legs. It only needs two legs because the other side of the table is connected to the wall.
  9. If you want one higher up on the wall, just make the whole larger so that the legs are longer.

The copyright of the article Create a Murphy Table in Crafts is owned by Mary Welling-Bonney. Permission to republish Create a Murphy Table in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Comments

Feb 11, 2009 8:50 AM
Guest :
huh? its really confusing without a picture but I feel like you have the knowledge to help me through my latest project. I just replaced my kitchen countertops and we have 3 foot wide walkway that leads into our eat in kitchen from our kitchen, I bought a 3 foot wide matching piece of counter top to extend from the wall to the countertop, assuming we would leave it down most of the time but want the ability to push it up to allow us to get into the eat in kitchen and allow pets and to walk under freely. How do i make this work? How do I attach to the wall since its fairly heavy? How do i attach to countertop-flush? Use a piece of wood under it for the counter top to rest on right? How to make it look nice? I can't find any pictures online to follow, cawn you help?
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