Train Table

I love train tables and thought the boys would enjoy it, but didn’t love the price so it went on the “When my dad and bros are in town” project list. Even though I’ve started collecting some tools, I’m not quite comfortable with solo wood projects yet. 

So we made a few trips to Lowes after Christmas (yes, that’s how long this project has been in motion). Jay was so excited about getting started that he couldn’t stop moving when I took the photo. 

They were on a tight schedule to get this and a craft table done in a couple days so the build happened over night without any photos taken along the way, but you can probably get the idea. 

We used one big sheet of pine for both the craft and train tabletop and had Lowes make the cut. The rest…Well, I don’t know the details except that they put it together with their mad skills. 

Then it was my turn: painting and train stuff. My bros thought it was silly that I used pine when I was just going to paint it, but I wanted the pine for the craft table. Oh well. 

I used a basic primer from Lowes. 

 

I also got the green paint for the top from Lowes. 

I had the blue paint and a seal from two other projects. I love it when that happens. 

Then the table sat for several months and the boys used it as a freestyle cars/train table, which they enjoyed. 

When I eventually glued it down, I used wood glue for the tracks and super glue for the other pieces. Super glue works better on the smaller pieces. 

It wasn’t all procrastination, by the way. Back in March, I had planned to glue the tracks the night I set it up. Then I told JJ to “clean up the tracks.” I meant the ones on the floor he was playing with, but he left those and cleaned up the ones off the table. Not only that, he mixed them with the four other train sets, the ones with the exact same tracks. Track pieces mayhem…

I lost motivation, and then after a few months, the directions as well. Hubby thought we could tackle it without them, but it proved impossible, and luckily I eventually found the directions in a safe place. Whew! 

My dad was worried they would get frustrated and they should be able to use their creativity setting up their own tracks. Don’t worry, Dad, we still have plenty of those to play with. 

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