Material and Tools

I designed everything around 1/2″ PVC piping. It is sturdy and easy to cut. Speaking of cutting, use a ratcheting PVC pipe cutter (not a saw). This is a handy tool that does its job well.

• 1/2″ PVC Schedule 40 Pipe (5 sections of 1/2″ x 24″)
• 1/2″ PVC Side Outlet 90-Degree S x S x S Elbow Fitting (x4)
• 1/2″ PVC Schedule 40 Socket Cap
• Tape Measure
• Marker
• PVC Pipe Cutter

Size the TV

The idea is that you are going to frame the backside of a TV so it sits off the table. This allows access to the buttons, power connecting, and HDMI. Each TV will have a different back, so adjust the sizing accordingly. My TV is 32″ on the screen side, but on the back, it had a bump out that I can frame in PVC. This turned out to be 22″ x 16″. Use the marker to mark the cuts. The fittings allow for about 1″ of the pipe so you need to account for that. But I would not worry about everything being exact. There is a lot of play. Oversize now and trim later.

Frame the TV

Take one of the 1/2″ PVC Side Outlet Elbow Fittings and place it in the corner of the TV. Put the pipe into the side that does not face down. Repeat this around the TV.

Use the marker to decide where you want to make some cuts. I personally like the Milwaukee Inkzall Point Markers. They write on any material that I make stuff with.

Use the ratcheting PVC pipe cutter to cut each pipe segment.

Put each segment together. Do not glue it together. There is enough friction to lock everything in place. Plus, you might want to make adjustments in the future or switch out the TV.

Add Height as Needed

With the remaining pieces of PVC, you can make some legs for the PVC frame. This depends on how much clearance you need for the back of the TV and what the best viewing angle for people sitting around the table is. Put on the caps on the end of the PVC for a finished look.

Maps and Software

People have been using TVs for RPG gaming quite a bit. There’s a whole ecosystem of software, tools, and maps available to you.

• Arkenforge: It has everything that you would want for a low price tag: tools, pre-made assets, and a strong community. You can make maps, animate, and add audio for in-person only play. Arkenforge comes with a 30-day trial. Give it a try.
• MapTool: Free, open-source tool. This software also supports network collaboration.

Next Steps

If I keep this going, I am imagining some next steps and where to take this. I would paint the PVC black to help blend into the table and not look so DIY. I would create different sizes of the legs to adjust the height for other types of games. The biggest upgrade I would make is reconfiguring the riser for a much better TV. I used an old TV that only looked “good” from one angle. So, if I end up using this TV for gaming, I might make some upgrades.

What would you do?

In most cases, a game table is just a dedicated surface for playing all manner of tabletop games. They usually include a spongy surface for being able to pick up cards and tokens easily, a wide frame to place your cards or area to write, and cup holders.

I decided to make my own gaming table.

The decision to make my own versus buying was helped by the fact that I had an attic filled with two-by-four pieces of wood and a giant 6’x3′ sheet of subflooring. The previous homeowner was in the middle of some unfinished woodworking projects. Since the sub-flooring sheet was 6’x3′, I made the dimensions of the game table the same. This also means that many gaming mats will fit perfectly. Gaming mats are like giant mouse pads with a print and made of a spongy backing.

Design

My design was simple. Build a 6’x’3 frame out of the two-by-fours. Add table legs. Put 6’x3′ subflooring panel on top. And, finally frame the whole thing to give the table a small ledge. I used 6″ oak panels from Lowes to build the ledge. The ledge is a separate piece so I can swap out the gaming mat if needed or clean up spills without ruining the whole thing.

Tools and Things

I didn’t have any woodworking tools. So, I assembled a short list of tools and things needed to build this table…

1. Snacks
2. Beverages
3. Friend with tools
   1. Miter saw
   2. Power drill and screwdriver
   3. Power sander
4. Screws
5. Corner brackets
6. Sandpaper
7. Pre-stain
8. Stain
9. Polycrylic sealer

To keep the costs down, I bribed a friend to help me. They get a lifetime pass for gaming action on a cool DIY game table… and, snacks and beverages. The main tool needed was a miter saw. This was used to make nice straight cuts. Other tools needed: a power drill to drill holes for screws and a screwdriver to screw the screws into the holes.

Table Frame

I was only trying to make sure that the outside dimensions were 6’x3′. I made up the configuration on the spot.

Table Ledge

The ledge acts as a frame around the sub-flooring panel. This gives you a nice place to hold cards or write notes. I used corner brackets to square up the ledge and used the sub-flooring panel as my guide.

Table Assembly

The table is three separate parts: frame, subflooring surface, and ledge. Obligatory selfie. First Game = Arkham Horror: The Card Game.

Finishing

For a while, I tried to talk myself out of sanding and staining the wood. The wood had sharp edges and rough spots. It took some convincing, but I decided to finish this off and it made a huge difference. The finishing process took way longer than the assembly.

My Process

• Sanding – so much sanding – this creates a lot of dust – wear a mask – be prepared to clean up dust for months – use 80 grit first, 120 second, and 220 third – be patient
• Pre-staining – apply pre-stain to the wood and let dry – this really helps with staining or so YouTube says
• Staining – apply stain within 2 hours of the pre-stain and repeat
• Sealing – use a water-based polyacrylic sealer to seal the ledge – this will help with spills and cup rings and protect the wood or so YouTube says – let dry for 30 minutes – lightly sand with 220 grit and repeat two more times – it’s worth doing this as many times as you can fit into a weekend

Going Next Level

Deep-Cut Studio creates custom gaming mats for any size surface. I uploaded a custom piece of art to enhance my Arkham Horror: The Card Game campaign. Deep-Cut is based in England and it took less than two weeks to get my custom gaming mat. More on that at a later date.