42 Free DIY Router Table Plans You Can Build Yourself
Using a router table in your wood shop can really improve your quality of work. A router table helps you to work faster and with more precision. It gives you better control of the work than a hand-held router.
Router tables are not cheap though, so DIY enthusiasts often decide to build it and not buy it. In case you are wondering how easy it is to build your own router table, we have put together a list of different DIY router table plans below.
They will help you by providing a plan to follow, thereby making it easier for you to build your router table.
Ready for your next project? Here are some plans that I recommend for you to read such as workbench plan, table saw fence, miter saw stand, lathe stand, router dado jig, woodworking project for beginners, scrap wood project, woodworking plan, homemade log splitter.
1. Elegant Router Table with Shelves DIY Plans
It's your choice to decide how elegant you want your table to appear. This one looks great and includes plenty of shelf space for your tools.
The price is not given though, but it should cost around $100 if you don't plan to make it too fancy. There are 7 steps in this tutorial, including electric wiring and plumbing for dust and debris management.
Unless you plan on making those fancy tabletop cuts, you won't need a miter saw for this project. You will need other standard woodworking tools though.
2. $50 DIY Router Table Plans for 3 Different Designs
Here comes a PDF file from PopularWoodWorking, which has 3 plans for 3 different DIY router tables. All three designs are simple and should cost $50 at most.
They serve different purposes though, with 2 being vertical router tables and one being a horizontal table. The first table includes dust collection, while the second one works great as a joint maker.
The third plan is for a lightweight tabletop, which stores easily and can even be vice-mounted. It includes dust collection and a neat fence. You can also easily build it using a saw, wood glue, and a nail gun.
3. Bob's Router Table DIY Plans
Few woodworking plans are as detailed as Bob's plans. It covers 23 pages of a downloadable PDF file and includes detailed diagrams and measurements.
The countertop was made from MDF or any other suitable material. It measures 22 x 16 inches and is thick enough to handle the job.
You will need to make pocket holes in this project, so a Kreg Jig, a table saw, a drill and a miter saw are all required tools. Bob doesn't give a cost estimate, but you can spend between $50 and $100 in materials for this one.
4. Simple & Nice Router Table DIY Guide
Ethan built this one from plywood, melamine, and some 2x4s. It is a simple but functional router table. He begins with the legs, then adds the rest of the frame, and finally, the tabletop.
He presents this tutorial in 6 steps and includes T-tracks on the tabletop to guide the fence. Ethan also warns about working with melamine, which he used in building the fence.
The tabletop is 32 x 18 inches and constructed from 1/2-inch plywood. He also includes a paddle switch on the side to make working with the table safer. You will at least need a nail gun, a drill and a Kreg Jig for this project.
5. Free Compact Router Table Top DIY Guide
This router tabletop is simple and compact, making it easy to use and to store. The tutorial is for the tabletop, which can then sit on top of a foldable Workmate bench.
It includes dust collection, offers height adjustment, and includes a long and easy to adjust fence. Best of all, it will only cost about $50 in materials if you already have a Workmate.
6. Combination Table Saw & Router Fence Guide
Okay, this one is not exactly a router table, but it is worth taking a look at. It is a design and construction guide for a fence that serves both a table saw and a router table.
This is an interesting, time and money-saving idea, but it requires that both tables stand next to each other. In this tutorial, the router table is to the right of the circular saw.
It is probably not a project for everyone, but if such a fence interests you, then you'll get all the help and inspiration you need, from this guide.
7. Minimalist Router Table Free DIY Guide
Some folks love everything minimalistic, and that includes this router table. It is very simple and straight to the point. Just a simple table that you have to clamp to your workbench and that's it.
It includes a pivoting fence though, which you adjust using a c-clamp. Plywood was used to make this table, while the fence is a 1 x 4.
In addition to costing less than $20 to build, this minimalist router table also needs less than an hour to complete.
8. Scott's DIY Elegant Free Router Table Plans
Scott's guide shows you how to make a router table that is elegant and which you will be proud of. He uses a Rockler router tabletop and then just builds the rest of the table by himself.
The table is 36 inches high, 24 inches wide, and 18 inches deep. 2x4's, 1x3's, plywood, and poplar boards were used in making it.
If you want to build your own tabletop, then you can look up many tabletop designs in this list. You will need clamps, a circular saw, a drill, orbital sander, and a pocket hole jig for this job.
9. Bench-Mounted DIY Router Table Top Plans
Here we have DIY router table top plans to create a really simple and easy to use router tabletop. It comes with a laminated top and includes T-tracks and a miter-track for precision.
There are 11 steps in this tutorial, and they all include tagged pictures, which help with understanding the tutorial because you can move your mouse over the objects in the picture for more detailed explanations.
You will need a drill, a jigsaw, clamps, and lots of glue for this project.
10. Chalk-Board Top DIY Router Table Tutorial
Here's a 15-step DIY tutorial from DjPolyMath on Instructables. It uses a chalkboard to laminate an MDF before turning it into a beautiful router tabletop.
Tools used include a miter saw for building the fence, a hole drill, clamps for laminating the tabletop, and a router.
This project should cost under $50, although buying a router base plate will increase costs.
11. Almost Free Homemade Router Table Plans
What if you have enough wood scraps lying around your home? Then you can copy this almost free homemade router table. It was built from different scrap woods, and which came together beautifully.
You will need bolts, screws, and glue, as well as a miter saw, a screwdriver, and a router. This tutorial includes detailed diagrams and pictures, which show you how much you can achieve with scrap wood.
12. Trash Can Router Table Base Guide
Here's an ingenious way to manage the limited space in your shop: Just use a trash can as a stand for your router table.
This guide does not show you how to build the router table, you can get that from this list. What it does is to give you a little inspiration of how to keep your router at a comfortable height and collect chips while working.
13. Easy Benchtop Router Table Plans
Building a router table must not be a big or complex exercise, you can also do it with a sheet of plywood or MDF, plus a piece of solid scrap wood.
The tutorial is as simple and sweet as this router table. You will need a screwdriver, a drill, a hammer, and some clamps.
You will need to clamp this router tabletop to your workbench when you want to use it, and you will also have to clamp its fence.
If it sounds a little too much, well, that's the price for simplicity.
14. DIY Mini Router Table Tutorial
It doesn't include a fence, neither does it have dust collection, but this router table is so small, you can clamp it anywhere. It's a measly 6.5 inches high and 9.5 inches wide.
Unlike this table though, yours might be a little larger or smaller, soo it can accommodate your router. The tutorial shows you how to build 2 clamp blocks that will hold your router in place.
You will need just simple woodworking tools for this project. But if you want all those curves, then add a jigsaw and a router to the list. Price should be less than $20.
15. Elegant Router Table DIY Guide
Contained in 19 colorful pages, you could call this the ultimate router table guide and be correct. This is because very few bases are as detailed as this one.
You get to choose between an open and an enclosed base though, then it takes you through the process of construction, including the tabletop and its elegant fence.
All kinds of tools are needed for this project, including a drill, a router, a jigsaw, clamps, and a miter saw for bevel cuts.
16. Full Cabinet Body DIY Router Table Plans
Measuring 86 inches high, 60 inches deep, and 82 inches wide, this router table aims to offer as much storage space as possible. It includes 6 drawers which are 12 inches high, plus 4 drawers which are 17 inches high.
The plans include everything from detailed fence drawings, to an exploded view of every part of this table. On the other hand, there is no step by step tutorial, so this is not a job for beginners.
If you do take it up, then why not go out of your way to make it a truly special piece? By giving it, for example, a custom decoration.
17. Garbage Can DIY Router Table Top Plan
This tutorial uses a store-bought router table and sits it on top of a garbage can to make a garbage can router table. It might not be the best router table plan here, but it does offer some interesting ideas.
The 8-step guide shows you a clever method of attaching a router beneath the table, including doing some electrical work.
Although the clamp system was designed for a specific tool, you can easily adapt it to another tool, if you study this construction well.
18. Fancy Router Table DIY Tutorial
Yes, there is such a thing as a fancy router table and this is it, right here. It's stylish, it's colorful, it's affordable, and it's got wheels.
There are 3 drawers plus lots of shelf space. This 11-page tutorial goes in detail and touches every aspect of the build, including a materials list, an exploded view of the entire table, and detailed measurements.
A foldable flap makes it possible to use larger pieces with the fence, as well as letting the fence fold away when not needed. Our fancy router table here even features a fancy dust collection system.
19. Portable DIY 3-in-1 Bench / Saw / Router Table Guide
If you want to build your own router table with extra features such as a fence and a table saw, then you might want to try this tutorial.
Being 3-in-1, it also provides space as a workbench. This bench is 44 inches wide, 30 inches high, and 24 inches deep.
Asides from the router and the saw, it cost about $70 to make, which is a bargain, considering the functions it provides. You could even attach a jigsaw to create a band-saw station on this table.
20. Simple DIY Router Table From Reclaimed Desk Guide
If you have access to old furniture that can be reclaimed and you would like to build a router table, then why not use this guide for some inspiration?
It shows you in 5 steps how to transform an old desk into a really valuable piece of furniture for your shop. You should understand though, that you will need slightly different steps, depending on the exact desk that you have.
Once your desk is okay, then all you need is to drill holes for the router and for its cabling.
21. Free DIY 21-Page Router Table Tutorial
What we have here are well made and detailed router table plans. The table is 38 inches high, 32 inches wide, and 18 deep.
You will need a table saw with triple chip and 60-tooth blades, as well as a pocket hole jig, a drill, a jigsaw, and a miter saw, for this project. The table includes an adjustable fence, a paddle switch, a dust collection port, and caster wheels.
Most of the parts's materials are plywood and melamine, but if you include hardware costs, then this project will cost you over $50.
22. Free DIY Horizontal Router Table Guide
Most of the router tables in this guide are vertical. So, here are plans for a horizontal router table, if that's what you want.
It measures 11.8 in height and is 17.7 inches wide. It also includes a fence, which has dimensions of 17.7 x 3 inches. Most of its parts come from MDF and this tutorial includes 24 steps.
23. Elegant 4-Drawer DIY Router Table Tutorial
Ana White posted this one. Her friend Patrick built it, and it is as functional as it looks elegant. Its tabletop is store-bought though, but it includes a paddle switch, casters, and a special drawer for router bits.
The entire construction is 28 inches high, which is a perfect height for most folks. It also measures 28 inches across and is 19.7 inches deep.
Needed tools for this project include a brad nailer, a circular saw, drill, Kreg Jig, and a sander. The tutorial comes in 13 steps and includes lots of pictures and diagrams, making it easier to understand.
24. Wall-Mounted Router Table DIY Guide
This guide is proof that most people are only limited by their imaginations. As you can see, a wall-mounted router table is very doable and practical too.
The setup includes a paddle switch for safety, a dust collection port, which connects to a free-standing vacuum below, a cute fence, and the ability to lock-up the table and keep up a clean shop.
You'll need clamps, a drill, and a router to get it done. This guide explains all the steps in detail and in a very friendly way. It also has lots of pictures for visual orientation.
25. Free Router Table Cabinet DIY Tutorial
What we have here is a tutorial from Sommerfeld Tools to build a cabinet for its aluminum router tabletop. If you have their aluminum tabletop, then great, else, you can still benefit from this guide.
The cabinet features 10 drawers and feels really good to look at. You get detailed plans for the frame and all the different drawer sizes.
You should keep in mind though, that drawer slides can increase costs since there are so many of them here. In simple terms, this is probably not the right project for you if you are on a budget.
26. Compact & Portable DIY Router Table Plans
Using a half sheet of plywood, plus some solid lumber, you can build this lightweight and portable router table for less than $100, including the cost of hardware and a router mounting plate, which cost $60.
This guide comes with downloadable plans with detailed measurements. The aim is to have a router table that is easy to fold up and store away or transport, but which is also very sturdy when set up for work.
27. 14-Page DIY Router Table Tutorial
Delivered in a 14-page PDF file, this tutorial includes a cutting diagram, exploded views and plenty of detailed step by step guides for the table's parts.
You will need lots of clamps and glue for this project. The tabletop comprises a plastic laminate and a store-bought mounting plate.
An interesting part of this tutorial is its ending with its list of recommended accessories. These include an aluminum T-track, a paddle switch, a nice fence, and feather-boards.
28. Up-Cycled Spool Rolling router Table DIY Guide
Up-cycling is a fun and useful activity. If you have a spool lying around, then consider using it for this thoughtful project, else, you can still get creative with a different kind of waste furniture.
You will need a jigsaw for cutting out the area for the mounting plate, a circular saw for shaping the spool, and a router as well.
This guide is easy to read and understand. It also includes 8 pictures of the build process.
29. How to Build a Router Table The Quick & Easy Way
Using just a single sheet of a 5 x 5 inches Baltic birch 1/2 inch plywood, you can build this sleek but very functional table router with tabletop dimensions of 20 x 32 inches.
It is portable and even includes a fence and a drawer for your different tools. A cutting diagram shows you how to cut out all the needed parts from the single sheet.
You should note that this is not a full-sized table. You will need to either attach it to a workbench or mount it on sawhorses.
30. Clean & Solid DIY Router Table Tutorial
There's a difference between learning how to build a router table and learning how to build a good and solid router table. This guide promises to show you how to build the good one.
The entire construction will cost you anywhere between $100 and $500, depending on how exactly you choose to build it. There is dust collection, a bit holder, a fully adjustable fence, and a safe paddle switch.
You also get to learn how to make a beautiful and solid tabletop in this guide. You will need clamps, a drill, a jigsaw, glue, and a table saw.
31. DIY Router Table Using Dowels Tutorial
Although originally designed for Dowelmax users, you can still learn how to build a lovely homemade router table using dowel joints.
There are 8 steps in the tutorial, plus 3 videos for video lovers. Some woodworkers love dowels, while others don't care. So, you should understand that this project is more of a hobby.
Tools you'll need include a Dowelmax or similar tool for making the dowel joints, a drill, clamps, glue, and lots of patience.
32. American Woodworker DIY Router Table
Coming from the American Woodworker, here is a high-quality router table, which looks and handles like a professional equipment. This tutorial comes in 15-steps.
The table features an easy to adjust and to use fence, a fence-mounted T-track, a dust port, a plastic laminate tabletop, and plenty of shelf space.
This tutorial is straight to the point and includes labeled photos to make it easy to understand. It also includes an exploded view and a cutting diagram to make things easier for you.
33. Creston Wood DIY Designer router Table Plans
When you compare this router table with most other tables and tabletops in this guide, then you'll agree that it's indeed a designer router table.
Everything here is fancy, from the color combination to its style, choice of handles and overall look. The DIY plan drawings for this table comes in a 42-page PDF file, created with love from Dan Phalen.
The router gets a clear plastic door with holes for ventilation. There are bit drawers for safely storing your valuable bits, a custom dust port, and a sliding fence that requires plenty of work with a miter saw.
34. Simple DIY Router Table with Split Fence Tutorial
This is a simple and small router table that sits on a workmate or any other platform you can think of. The tutorial is also simple but includes the basics, like length of the parts and basic plan drawings.
Having a split fence allows you to also use this router with a straight bit as a jointer to straighten boards. This guide shows you how best to make this split fence and then goes on with dust collection.
This is such a simple project that you can complete with just a drill and a circular saw. It is also affordable, with its highest cost factor being router plates.
35. Clever & Free DIY Fold-Away Router Table Plans
If you are tight on space, then you might need to get a little more creative. This fold-away table was born out of such admirable creativity.
This plan uses 2 pieces of 1x3's with a crossbar supporting them, to create legs that can hold the table during work, as well as fold away with the table when not needed.
You will need some woodworking skills to pull off this one because the plans have neither a step by step guide nor detailed instructions that could be helpful to a beginner.
36. Easy to Build $100 Router Table Tutorial
Unlike most other tutorials in this list, this router table does not use a router mounting plate, and this makes it both cheaper and easier to build at a cost of just $100.
It comes with one shelf space and a fence, which includes dust collection. The tutorial shows you everything in a step by step guide using both pictures and detailed instructions.
You will need lots of clamps, a hammer, drill, and screwdrivers for this project. As a free tutorial, this one is short and condensed, but you can also buy its longer and more detailed version.
37. Deluxe Router Table DIY Tutorial
Presented here is a top-quality router table with all the nice features you can expect from a shop furniture. It looks great, features lots of multi-functional drawers, and it is sturdy and durable.
This tutorial is 27 pages long and uses a step by step picture guide, which presents each of the steps as a picture and adds explanations to it.
There is plenty of shelf and drawer space, plus exploded and well-labeled diagrams of this router table. You will also learn how to build a router carriage, which you can also adapt to any shape of router that you have.
38. ShopNotes Quick & Easy Router Table Plans
If you are a beginner, then this one might not be for you, since it neither features a step by step tutorial, nor pictures.
You are simply presented with the cut list and diagrams, plus a picture of the finished product, and that's it.
The finished product looks good anyway. So if you like it and if the little information provided is enough for you, then feel free to build it.
We are at the end of this long list of router table plans and it's now your turn to take action. If you found one or more inspiring designs here, then this list has achieved its purpose.
Don't forget to bookmark or share, so you can come back later on. You are also free to pin any image that interests you.
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Last Updated on August 7, 2020 by