Hacker Help: How to add slide out inserts to Lack table?

Materials: LACK coffee table + extra tabletops, mahogany veneer

Description: If you can stand another question about a potential table hack, I’d love to hear what the amazing hackers here think about my current (theoretical) project.


I am totally in love with the Par4 table that Design Within Reach used to sell. I love that the table can convert from being a small-profile table in closed position to a wide table with leaves on multiple planes when it’s in open position. However, as best as I can tell, DWR no longer stocks the piece, and even if they did, the four-figure price tag is a little much for me at the moment. I’ve been thinking recently that until I can afford the real thing, I might be able to make a reasonable facsimile with the Lack coffee table and some extra tabletops, especially if I got a white table and banded the edges with mahogany veneer. However, there are two problems with this:

1) Making the extra tabletops/inset sliding panels small enough to slide through the legs of the Lack. I could cut the sides of the tabletops down, but I’m not sure how well that would work with the cardboard honeycomb in the middle of the Lack. I could also move the legs to the outside of the table, but then I couldn’t use the bottom shelf as a support for the inset slides.

2) What kinds of slides to use. I was initially thinking about using the kind of slides that you’d use for a closet door, but I’d prefer not to see the slide hardware on the table when it’s in open position (the slides are hidden in the Par4). What would you guys use for this? Or would you use slides at all?

~ Kelsey