Light Table of Light 2026

A light table can be an incredible alternative to replace those uncomfortable lamps. Since it's hard to work at night when all you have is a small incandescent light bulb in your bedroom or garage. I like making things with stained glass and needed a surface to trace designs and patterns. It had to be a great work surface and allow me to see the true color of the glass when it was backlit.

This can be built as simple or as complex as you are comfortable with. All you really need is a light source, a box, and a clear lid.

Tools:

• Box: Buy one or build one. I used oak for my box.
• Tempered glass top: I bought mine at IKEA, it was meant to be a kitchen table.
• Lighting fixtures. I used 2-4ft-T8 fluorescent lights.

How to make your Light Table step by step:

Depending on how fancy you want to get: The additional electrical equipment (I installed an outlet and a switch)

• I sized the box so that my glass piece would be flush with the sides and leave enough room for accessories. After some research, 12-14 inches deep is ideal for diffusing and spreading light.
• I chose to miter the ends and use biscuits for reinforcement. The bottom of the case sits in a groove that adds rigidity.

Step 2: Create ventilation holes to provide air circulation

• Depending on the type of light you choose, you may need a significant amount of ventilation. This air circulation will allow the box to stay cool while you work.
• I was going to cut holes for this, but decided to cut a pattern into the sides of the nightstand. This looks amazing, but I have to say I will never do it again. There were hundreds of little leaves to cut!

Step 3: Install the electrical components

• At this point, you can install your lamps and plug them in. I decided to add some custom features to my table. Because I work in stained glass, it's helpful to have a power source to grind the glass and solder it directly onto the light table. I decided to wire the table so that it has a switch and an outlet.
• I cut 2 openings in the front and installed electrical boxes. One box housed the outlet and the other the ON/OFF switch. I used an appliance cord and connected the lights to the switch. When the table lights are ON, the outlet has power.
• When cutting an opening for the appliance cord, some of the blades broke to the side. Fortunately, they were able to glue themselves back together without any problems.

DISCLAIMER: DO NOT attempt any electrical wiring unless you have the knowledge and skills to do so.

Step 4: Install the equipment to customize your table

• When building this light table, I needed to use what I had on hand. I was trying to think of a way to use the table without taking up too much space. I thought it would be convenient if it could be folded against the wall when not in use.
• To accomplish this, I installed a long screw into the back of each side of the nightstand. I then took the kit off the shelf and cut off the long section, drilled a hole and cut a notch in the kit. This way, the light table can be installed on an existing shelving system you had and folded for storage.
• Because the table folds up for storage, I needed a way to make sure the glass top doesn't fall off. What I ended up doing was installing "T" nuts on the inside of the box at all 4 corners. I then glued rubber to the L brackets and installed them in the 4 corners. These brackets prevent the glass top from falling when the table is folded against the wall.

Step 5: Enjoy having a light table!

The light table attaches to wall-mounted shelf brackets and folds flat for storage.

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