You can see the support it sits on in step 5 (second picture).įor the sliding question, we just didn't attach the plywood to anything so all we have to do is pull the light table away from the wall, pull the plywood straight back, and it comes right out.
So there is a support on the bottom for the plywood to sit on. Great questions! We only have the 2x4 on the front because if you recall, we left the back open. Sides: 30" L (so same length as the acrylic) x 14 10/16" H x 10/16" W.The dimensions of the boards are as follows: This lower brace will be used to hold the base and lights of the table up. The lower brace is just slightly off the ground. One brace is level with the top of all the sides. They worked perfectly! As you'll notice in the picture below, we did not use a solid piece for the back of the table. We used MDF pieces that were once the sides of the entertainment center. This brace will just add extra support to the acrylic in the event a child climbs on top because you know that's bound to happen! Both of my boys have been found sitting on the light table, so I'm so glad we added this support brace in.ģ. We used a piece of MDF from the entertainment center. Make sure it is level with what would be the top of the frame so that the acrylic will be level when it is set on top. Using another piece of 2x4 or a thin piece of MDF, add a brace in the middle of the frame. So our acrylic was 28" x 30", which means the outside dimensions of the frame were also 28" x 30".Ģ. The outside of the frame should be the exact same width and length as your piece of acrylic. Make a frame for the acrylic to sit on using 2x4s. You are now done! Hahaha.that is really all we did, but here's the more detailed step by step.ġ. Various power tools - We used a compound miter saw, a jigsaw, and a drill.įor those of you who like simple instruction: build a box.Screws - Again, I'm not a carpenter so I don't know which kind we used.2x4s (enough to build a frame for the sheet of acyrlic you use).Wood, MDF or plywood - I'm not a carpenter, but the final dimensions of our wood pieces are below in the tutorial.The lights were definitely the most expensive part of this project! 4 fluorescent lights - I paid $17.98 each from Home Depot.Wall mounted power bar or surge protector to plug all the light fixtures into.We chose white, but you can use any color you'd like. Interior paint - We had to buy paint to paint the trim in our house anyway so we maybe spent a total of $5 on paint for this project.Parchment paper - It's used to diffuse the light.You can see a similar product here, although this one is larger and thicker than what we used. We chose our sheet of acrylic first and built our table around it so that we would avoid having to order a custom size or cut the acrylic to size by ourselves. 1 piece of clear high impact acrylic (ours was 28" x 30" x.They are so very great and we are hoping to add to our collection this Christmas! Especially since baby brother is now in on the fun. Right now we are using one per bin, but I just bought 2 more because it’ll look even better!! They each need 4 AA batteries. LEAVE THE FILM ON THE ACRYLIC, this will give the frosted look that is necessary! Lowes and Home Depot will cut them to fit for you, for free! Bring the Flisat tops in as a measurement guide. But I’ve seen other set-ups incorporating this size that look fun too. I wish I had just sealed it with a clear waterproof sealant, so do that! It’s been a total hit ever since – 3 years this Saturday! The top can easily be removed. We gave this table to MJ when she turned one. This morning, I went to Lowe’s to make it happen! And it was easyyyyyy. My friend and I got to thinking about how we could create our own light table for home using our Picasso Tiles and an IKEA kid’s table that we both own. They were both into the table and blocks. The bright light instantly made building with blocks even more special. I mean, the kids loved it! MJ at Toddler Time with a friend At one point the teacher brought out a light table and colorful translucent blocks. Yesterday I took the kids to a local Toddler Time.