Coffee Table
Personal Project: Experimenting with how laminar manufacture of materials can be used to make beautiful and sustainable furniture.
The Project
After completing university, I was eager to explore the laminar manufacturing of 3D objects and products, as this area of design had always fascinated me. Furniture design, in particular, intrigued me from both a user interaction and manufacturing perspective. I saw an opportunity to create a functional and visually appealing product using CNC-cut parts, which allowed me to work efficiently with minimal access to traditional machinery. My personal project goal was to design and fabricate a coffee table from a single sheet of plywood.
Development
I chose plywood as the primary material not only because of its attractive look and finish, which complemented other furniture pieces I admired, but also for its excellent mechanical properties.
Plywood is renowned for its strength, stability, and resistance to warping, thanks to its cross-laminated structure. This made it ideal for joining parts at different orientations to create a complex, sturdy 3D form. Additionally, plywood is easy to work with—lightweight, readily available and capable of being precisely cut into intricate shapes using CNC machines.
These qualities made it the perfect choice for my project, ensuring the final product would be both robust and visually appealing.
Design & Manufacture
I began by researching size requirements and drawing inspiration from rattan furniture pieces I admired. These designs, known for their organic forms and intricate curves, inspired me to create a modern coffee table with smooth, flowing lines that would be challenging to achieve with conventional cutting methods. The design featured 38 interlocking pieces, which were carefully nested and CNC-cut from one 8x4ft plywood sheet. After cutting, I sanded each piece individually to remove any burrs and ensure a clean finish.
To assemble the table, I used multiple custom jigs, which helped align the ribs that formed its distinctive 3D shape. The natural mechanical properties of plywood made it an ideal material for creating a strong, durable structure while maintaining a lightweight profile. Once assembled, I applied a matte, waterproof, natural varnish to enhance the table's durability and give it a refined, cohesive look.
The final product exceeded my expectations. Its smooth curves, sturdy construction, and minimal finishing requirements resulted in a visually striking yet practical piece of furniture. The project not only deepened my understanding of laminar design and manufacturing but also reinforced the potential of CNC technology in producing elegant, high-quality products from simple materials.
