A Handy Dandy Sewing Table Top!

Finished Table Top

Now that I've been in my sewing studio a few months and my husband is newly retired, he and I put our heads together and we designed a way to have my sewing machine surface flush with a table top without having to cut into the table. (The studio is still a work-in progress... I may paint the table and the ironing station behind needs work, etc.) I bought a table that is about 3ft x 4.5 ft from a thrift store. We had some Pergo panels leftover from the studio floor. We bought some 2x4  pieces of wood from the hardware store. Here's how to do what we did: It took only about 10 minutes.
1. Lay the Pergo on the table and snap the panels together (don't glue them).
2. Put the sewing machine on top of the Pergo where you want the machine to be when you are sewing.
3. Mark with a pencil on the Pergo the outline of the machine.
4. Remove the machine and cut the Pergo with an electric jigsaw (but it could be cut with a regular saw, too).
5. Cut 2x4 pieces of wood to fit under the Pergo so that it will have support.
6. Lay the 2x4's on the table, lay the Pergo on top of the 2x4's, put tape on the edges of the Pergo to help eliminate friction as the fabric will pass over it.
7. We put the small piece of the Pergo we cut out under the sewing machine to raise it a little higher.
With this set-up, I can easily access the bobbin in the front and I can access the cord and buttons on the side of the machine.
8. This set-up isn't permanent. So if I want to sew with a free arm of my machine, I can easily lift off the Pergo and remove the 2x4's from the table and sew with just the machine on the table.
NOTE: Now my chair is too low so my husband is going to disassemble it and add a 2x4 piece of wood under the seat and reassemble and then it will still swivel and it will be the correct height.

ALSO NOTE: I haven't yet sewed a large quilt on the Pergo. If the Pergo starts to shift under the weight, all I have to do is put sticky back velcro on the bottom of the Pergo and the top of the 2x4's and that should hold it down.
Email me if you have any questions.

Pergo cut to fit machine

Opus inspecting his new throne during set-up

Front view with bobbin access

View underneath after completed

What it looks like with just the 2x4's