Dennis Grecco builds chess table for grandkids
story by: Krista Bjorn
Dennis Grecco's home is Grand Central for his friends and family, especially his grandchildren, Max (3) and Logan (6).
With the arrival of summer, Dennis wanted to build a table that would be a focal point for gatherings and playing games. He built a large one to accommodate the adults, but decided a second one specifically for the kids was in order.
"The natural thing was to add a chessboard to that table," Dennis said. "I told Logan about it and he told me to add 'at least two boards.' Smart kid!"
The kids already had a small round table in the backyard with an umbrella in the center, but the umbrella greatly reduced the usable space. Dennis decided on a 5' x 2' rectangular table so he could use available dimensional lumber and maximize precious yard space.
"There is nothing like the love for a grandchild, period!" said Dennis. "I built them the table for several reasons. Of course I love them and I wanted them to have something other than a DS or computer games to play."
Dennis is a self-described "computer freak myself" so understands the draw of electronic games. "But I wanted them to have a chessboard (or two) in front of their faces," he said. "I want them to use their minds in a different way and to play a game that challenges them in a different way than video games. Chess is a socially 'upscale' game so to speak and learning to play is a lifelong attraction."
After the table was built, Dennis wanted chess pieces that were special for each grandkid, and turned to ChessHouse. He chose the 3 3/4" colored chess pieces.
Finally the day came when he showed the new table and chess sets to Max and Logan. "The kids went crazy when they saw it," Dennis said. "Then I gave them the red and blue chess pieces and they flipped!"
He is thrilled with how the table turned out.
"The table is perfect for anything," he said. "It has already served as a nice size at backyard parties for the kids and it doesn't need a cloth to cover it up! The beauty is the chessboards themselves. The kids roll out paper and color, paint or play with toys on the table. Not having an umbrella maximizes the space and the 5' x 2' size is perfect. I had no problem with 8 kids eating at the table. Clean-up is a snap, then the kids can play chess or checkers or tic-tac-toe."
The total cost of the table, legs, hardware, tile, tile adhesive, grout, stain and wood sealer was probably around $250 and it took about 8 hours to build. Dennis thinks it was worth every penny and man hour.
"The table is much more durable than anything you can buy and it will be a center piece for any kid that sees it," he said. "It's really not hard. It's a great project that will last for a very long time and one that everyone, young and old, will appreciate. Combine the set with several favorite chess piece colors from www.chesshouse.com and you have a winner."
Dennis's Directions for building A Chess Table:
1. I was able to use one sheet of exterior 3/4" plywood cut lengthwise in half to give me two pieces measuring 8' x 2.' Cost was $34.99.
2. I cut the two plywood pieces to 5' so I ended up with two pieces that were 5' long and 2' wide. I face glued and secured with screws.
3. Since I was going to tile the table, I needed to use cement or backer board which comes in 5' x 3' pieces. I trimmed the cement board was trimmed to 2' wide. I then glued and secured the cement board with screws over the two plywood pieces. In essence, I had a triple layer sandwich. This was the base for the tile. Cost of cement or backer board was about $7.99. I purchased four 12" x 12" checkerboard tiles on a mesh. There were 36 tiles per sheet so you need to cut a second 12" x 12" tile and add it to the sides and bottom so you end up with 64 squares for each chessboard. Cost was about $9.99 per sheet or $40.00.
4. With the few extra tiles left over, I added 9 tiles in the center for tic-tac-toe. I purposely left out the hole for the umbrella with the intention of using a free-standing umbrella with a heavy base. No extra cost.
5.I bought enough almost solid coordinating tile to fit around the chessboards to act as the background. The chessboards are the feature here so fancy tile should be avoided. I believe the tiles were 18" x 18" and I paid only about $5.99 per tile for ten tiles. Total cost was $60.00.
6. Dry fit all the tile on the cement board, cut to size, then remove and apply adhesive for the tile. Let it dry, then grout and clean tiles.
7. I originally used wooden legs, but later opted for two T-shaped adjustable legs from IKEA. The top section that attaches to the table bottom is 23" so it's a perfect fit across and it has a large rectangular base for stability. The adjustable legs go from 23" to 29." tall. Cost was about $15.00 each or $30.00 total.
8. Make sure the underside is treated with a wood sealer or a thin layer of backer board. I edged table with exterior grade wood and mixed a blue stain. It may look painted, but it's actually stain. I stained 6 old wood chairs to match.
9. Enjoy! The table is 5' x 2' x 25" high.
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