Folding Table Makeover: 16 Thanksgiving Tricks That Make a Cheap Table Look Like Real Dining Furniture

A folding table makeover is the fastest way to stretch your Thanksgiving table without buying new furniture. Almost every host pulls out a white plastic table when the guest list grows, and almost every host wishes it looked a little nicer. The good news is that the fix is mostly fabric, a few pins and one smart sheet of plywood. Nothing here needs special tools or a big budget, and most of it packs away flat in the closet until next year. Below you will find sixteen tricks for the top, the legs, the chairs and the finishing touches, plus how to join a second table to your real one so it looks planned. Pick two or three ideas, or stack them all for a table your family will remember..

Folding Table Makeover Starts With a Floor Length Cloth

The single biggest change is a cloth that reaches the floor on every side. Once the metal legs and the plastic edge vanish, the eye reads the table as real furniture. A canvas painter’s drop cloth is the budget secret here, because it is wide, heavy and soft after one wash. Measure the height of the table, double it and add the length of the top so it falls cleanly. Add a rust runner and a few low branches and you have the base for all of these Thanksgiving table ideas..

You will need: canvas drop cloth, washer and dryer, iron, measuring tape, linen runner

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the drop cloth to soften it. 2. Iron the center fold flat. 3. Lay it over the table so the floor edges are even on all sides. 4. Add the runner down the middle.

Two Tables, One Long Cloth and a Runner

When you need seats for twelve, push two tables end to end and cover them with one long piece of fabric. A single cloth hides the line where the tables meet, and a narrow runner down the center pulls the eye along the full length. A queen size flat sheet or a long banquet cloth both work. This is the easiest folding table makeover of all, and it is also how many Friendsgiving tables come together when friends bring extra tables from home.

You will need: two tables of the same height, one long cloth or flat sheet, a narrow runner, clips

How to make it: 1. Push the tables together so the tops line up. 2. Spread the long cloth over both. 3. Center the runner. 4. Clip the corners underneath so nothing slides.

Folding Table Makeover Trick: A Plywood Top for One Long Table

Two short tables never quite sit flush, and that little ridge in the middle catches plates. A sheet of plywood laid across both tables gives you one smooth surface and a few extra inches of width. Ask the store to cut it to size, sand the edges and corners, then add rubber shelf liner underneath so it stays put. It works like the clever furniture flips people share online: a cheap base and a smart top. After the holiday, the board slides behind the garage door.

You will need: plywood sheet cut to size, sanding block, rubber shelf liner, tape measure

How to make it: 1. Measure the two tables together and have the plywood cut. 2. Sand all edges and round the corners. 3. Lay shelf liner on the tables. 4. Set the board on top and check it does not rock.

Dress Each Place So Eyes Stay on the Plates

Guests spend the meal looking at their own plate, not the table frame. So put your effort where the eyes land. A thrifted floral plate, a gold charger and one tiny white pumpkin turn a plain spot into something special. Mixed patterns are fine, as long as they share one color. Simple touches like handmade place cards add a personal note too. Once each place feels finished, nobody notices what sits under the cloth, which is exactly the point of a good makeover.

You will need: thrifted dinner plates, gold chargers, mini white pumpkins, cloth napkins

How to make it: 1. Set a charger at each seat. 2. Stack a dinner plate and a smaller plate on top. 3. Add one mini pumpkin in the center. 4. Fold a napkin to the left with the fork.

Folding Table Makeover for Thin Metal Legs

If you prefer a shorter cloth, the thin metal legs will show. Wrap them so they look soft and planned. Foam pipe insulation from the hardware aisle slips right over each leg, then a strip of linen wraps around it and ties off with jute cord. The legs suddenly look thicker and warmer, closer to a carved table. This folding table makeover takes about an hour and leaves no marks on the table. The same idea shows up in many space saving folding furniture projects.

You will need: foam pipe insulation, linen fabric strips, jute cord, scissors

How to make it: 1. Cut the foam tubes to the height of each leg. 2. Slip them on through the side slit. 3. Wrap each tube with a linen strip. 4. Tie the top and bottom with cord.

Simple Slipcovers for Folding Chairs

Folding chairs give the plan away faster than the table does. Loose white slipcovers with a tied bow at the back fix that in seconds and match any color scheme. You can buy inexpensive covers by the dozen, or sew simple ones from an old sheet. Once the chairs match, the entire room feels like an event. Add a small sprig at each bow if you like the look of dressed up chair backs. Pair the covers with your folding table makeover so both pieces match.

You will need: white chair slipcovers or an old flat sheet, ribbon or fabric ties, small sprigs

How to make it: 1. Slide a cover over each chair. 2. Pull the fabric smooth at the seat. 3. Tie the back into a neat bow. 4. Tuck a small sprig into the knot if you like.

Folding Table Makeover With a Pleated Bedsheet Skirt

A pleated skirt makes even a plastic table look like a dressing table in a nice hotel. An old flat sheet gives you plenty of fabric. Fold box pleats every few inches, sew or iron them in place, and attach the skirt to the edge of the table with strong adhesive hook strips. Then lay a plain cloth on top. A soft sage or oatmeal color looks calm next to fall colors. For more ideas with gathered fabric, see these ruffle table ideas.

You will need: flat bedsheet, iron, sewing machine or fabric tape, adhesive hook strips, plain top cloth

How to make it: 1. Cut the sheet to the table height plus a hem. 2. Fold and press box pleats. 3. Sew or tape the pleats along the top edge. 4. Hang the skirt on the hook strips around the table.

A Low Green Centerpiece So Everyone Can Talk

Tall arrangements look grand in photos, but they block faces across the table. Keep the centerpiece below chin height. Eucalyptus, a few white roses and some baby’s breath in a short vase are plenty. A low arrangement also hides the center seam if two tables meet under the cloth. Repeat two or three small vases down a long table rather than one big one. You will find many more low Thanksgiving centerpieces that stay friendly to conversation.

You will need: short clear vases, eucalyptus stems, white roses, baby’s breath, garden shears

How to make it: 1. Trim stems so the flowers sit low. 2. Start with eucalyptus to make a base. 3. Add roses in a small group. 4. Fill gaps with baby’s breath and check that guests can see over it.

Folding Table Makeover With Wood Look Vinyl

Some years you want the table top to show, not hide. Self adhesive vinyl printed like oak planks turns white plastic into a farmhouse surface for little money. Work slowly from one end with a smoothing tool so no bubbles form. It is the same trick behind many countertop makeover ideas, only smaller. This folding table makeover is great for a dessert table or a craft table where a cloth would get messy. When you are done, wipe it clean like any other counter.

You will need: wood look adhesive vinyl, smoothing tool, craft knife, ruler, damp cloth

How to make it: 1. Wipe the table clean and dry. 2. Unroll the vinyl and line it up at one end. 3. Smooth it down a little at a time. 4. Trim the edges with a craft knife.

Rolled Cloth Napkins With a Fresh Sprig

Paper napkins remind everyone that this is the extra table. Cloth napkins say the opposite. Roll each napkin, slide it into a simple ring and tuck in one fresh herb or flower sprig. Rosemary, thyme or a small aster all smell nice and look pretty. You can find simple ring ideas in these DIY napkin rings. It is a small step in your folding table makeover, but it makes the extra table match the main one at every seat.

You will need: cloth napkins, napkin rings or ribbon, fresh herb or flower sprigs

How to make it: 1. Fold each napkin in half. 2. Roll it from one end. 3. Slide it into a ring. 4. Tuck a sprig into the ring and lay it on the plate.

A Burlap Skirt Pinned in Place

Burlap is cheap, sold by the yard, and looks right at home with pumpkins and fall leaves. Gather it around the edge of the table in loose folds and pin it to a plain cloth on top. No sewing is needed, and you can take it down in a few moments when the meal is over. A white runner over the top softens the rough fabric. Burlap fits beautifully with other cheap Thanksgiving decor ideas, and you can reuse it outside on the porch later.

You will need: natural burlap by the yard, safety pins, plain white top cloth, white runner

How to make it: 1. Lay the plain cloth on the table. 2. Gather the burlap into soft folds. 3. Pin it along the edge of the top cloth. 4. Add the runner and a few mini pumpkins.

Bench Cushions for Extra Seats

A long table needs more seats than most homes own. A simple bench along one side holds three or four guests and slides under the table when not in use. Patterned cushions in one color family make the bench feel cozy and planned, like a breakfast nook. Look for cushions and benches on your next trip with these thrift store hacks in mind. Kids love bench seats too, so keep one for the younger cousins.

You will need: wood bench, seat cushions in one color family, cushion ties

How to make it: 1. Set the bench along the long side of the table. 2. Lay cushions in a row. 3. Tie them to the bench so they stay put. 4. Add a throw pillow at each end.

Level the Table Before Anyone Sits

A wobbly table feels cheap no matter how pretty the cloth. Check it with a small spirit level, then slip round felt pads under the low feet until the bubble sits in the center. Felt also keeps metal feet from scratching wood floors. It is one of the easiest furniture repair hacks around, and it takes only a few moments. Do this step before the cloth goes on so you can see each foot clearly.

You will need: small spirit level, round felt pads in two thicknesses

How to make it: 1. Set the level in the center of the table. 2. Find the low corner. 3. Add felt pads under that foot. 4. Check again and repeat until it is steady.

Set It the Day Before

Thanksgiving morning is busy enough. Set the extra table a day ahead so you can step back and fix what looks off. Lay the cloth, check the chairs, and put out the plates and napkins. If something looks bare, you still have time to add greenery or a runner. This is also a fun job for kids, and it pairs well with a Thanksgiving kids table plan. Cover the plates with a light sheet so no dust settles.

You will need: all your linens, plates, napkins and centerpiece pieces, a light sheet to cover

How to make it: 1. Lay the cloth and runner. 2. Place the chairs. 3. Set plates, napkins and flatware. 4. Cover the finished table with a light sheet until the meal.

Folding Table Makeover That Matches Your Dining Table

When the plastic table is an extension of your real one, push it right against the end and cover both with one long matching cloth. From across the room, it looks like a single long table. Choose a cloth color that suits your dining room, and keep the same plates and greenery along the full length. This folding table makeover feels the most like real furniture of all. For more on a mismatched Thanksgiving table, mix chairs on purpose so the extra seats blend in. Learn a little about the history of the folding table too.

You will need: one long tablecloth that covers both tables, matching plates, greenery

How to make it: 1. Push the tables together and check the heights. 2. Shim the lower one with felt pads. 3. Spread one long cloth across both. 4. Repeat the same plates and greenery down the length.

Repeat One Color on Every Table

The last trick ties everything together: pick one color and repeat it on every table in the room. A cream runner on the dining table, the same cream on the extra table and a matching napkin at each seat make it all feel planned. Even the buffet or the coffee station can share the color. It is an old trick from old fashioned Thanksgiving decor, and it never fails. Finish your folding table makeover this way and guests will think you bought a new table.

You will need: runners and napkins in one color, a small vase or two in the same tone

How to make it: 1. Pick one color from your plates or flowers. 2. Use it on every runner. 3. Match the napkins to it. 4. Repeat it once more in a small vase.