9 Free & Simple DIY Router Table Plans for All Levels of Skill

Free router table plans

The router can be one of the most versatile power tools in your woodworking shop. One way to increase accuracy, production speed, and safety is to use the router in a table.

There are many router tables that you can buy, but nothing beats building your table from a set of woodworking plans. The following router table plans vary in size, complexity, and cost to make. Perhaps your next project can be found among these designs!

Free DIY Router Table Plans

1. Router Table Plan from Fine Woodworking

The folks at Fine Woodworking call this a minimalist build for a reason. It is probably the easiest way to build the plans examined here. I can recommend this as the first project for any beginning woodworker who has a router.

One nice aspect of this build is the limited amount of tools you will need. A saw for cutting and a drill will get you to the finished product. There are no complex components, so you will not need special tools or jigs.

A complete novice will be able to build this project from start to finish in an afternoon in the shop. Those with a bit more experience can put this one together in just a couple of hours.

The router table in these plans can be built with scrap wood laying around your shop. At most, you will have a small materials list to shop for. Minimal hardware is needed as well.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Beginner
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, drill, bits, saw.
  • How long it takes: 2-4 hours
  • Approximate cost: $

Read The Full Plan Here

2. Table Saw Router Table Plan from Jeff Branch

One of the easier builds on this list will be the table saw fence project. You will be building a box-like structure, which will challenge you but not overwhelm you with complex angles.

A standard tool list will build this router table for you. Grooves for the tracks can be routed out or cut with a saw. Make sure you use the right type of saw blade for the materials you cut; that will prevent you from damaging panels as you cut them.

The fence that you are building will take about four hours at most. Those times might increase if you have to cut the T-track grooves with a saw or if this is one of your first projects. A hole for the hose might take some extra time if you lack a bit or a jigsaw.

You will not spend a lot of money on this design. It can be assembled with scraps if you have enough around the shop.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Beginner
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, clamps, drill, and bits, saw and jigs, router, and bits.
  • How long it takes: 4 hours or more
  • Approximate cost: $

Read The Full Plan Here

3. Patrick’s Router Table Plans

The plans for this project are clear, but the build itself is not simple. You will get plenty of drawer-making practice here.

The stand-out tool you will need for this project is a pocket hole jig. Your standard power tool list for cutting, drilling, and assembling wood will suffice.

You will need a full day in the shop, perhaps more, to finish this full-sized router table. You have several drawers of various sizes to lay out and assemble, and this is where you will spend most of your time. Sanding and finishing will also take more time with this project than you will spend on other projects we examine.

Patrick’s table will cost you more in materials than most of the other designs on this list. Drawer hardware and rollers need to be added to the cost, and the plans are for a full-sized router table. The filler and finish coat will add to the price as well.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Intermediate
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, speed square, drill, bits, saw, pocket hole jig.
  • How long it takes: 8 hours or more
  • Approximate cost: $$$

Read The Full Plan Here

4. DIY Router Table Plan from joshmt2012

The table built from these plans is simple to assemble. Its complexity level becomes intermediate due to the legs, dust housing, and wiring.

You will use standard tools for this build. Novice woodworkers who do not have access to a solid miter saw or table saw can use a woodworking jigsaw instead. Use a blade that will not damage plywood sheets, no matter what type of saw you use.

The benchtop router table will not take long to lay out, cut, and assemble. You will spend most of your time on the legs and the support fence. The dust collection portion of the support fence is probably the most complex section for beginners to build.

The router table that you build from these plans will be reasonably cheap. You will use 3/4-inch plywood for the table pieces, with the electrical outlet and wire being your other investments. Disposables like fasteners, glue, and sandpaper will be cheap if you do not already have them.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Intermediate
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, drill and bits, saw, router, and bits.
  • How long it takes: 3 – 6 hours
  • Approximate cost: $

Read The Full Plan Here

5. Router Table Plans from Woodgears

The project is one of the more advanced builds I have reviewed in this list. It has to do with the joinery and the cutting that you will need to do.

A standard tool list will get you by here. I would recommend clamps to hold parts as you cut them, as well as for frame assembly. Power saws will benefit from using a jig, and a dovetail saw might come in handy for small joinery cuts.

You will spend one or two days in the shop with this router table project, perhaps more. There are many repeated cuts, but you will have to lay them out initially. The cabinet frame and drawers will be the most time-consuming parts of this build (including the drawer handles if you make them).

The router table will cost more than many of the other designs we discuss. It is full-sized, and you will have to add in fasteners and drawer hardware as well.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Advanced
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, clamps, drill, and bits, saw and jigs, router, and bits.
  • How long it takes: 8 hours or more
  • Approximate cost: $$$

Read The Full Plan Here

6. Three Router Table Plans from Popular Woodworking

I list the projects as intermediate, but the Workmate tabletop will be built like a beginner’s project for most readers. The complexity of the joinery box increases, but the last two projects should not pose advanced issues.

A standard list of power tools will work fine here. You will find yourself using the router for many parts of the projects (especially the joinery box). You will need clamps post-production on the Workmate tabletop to hold it in place on the bench as you work.

You can make the Workmate tabletop and joinery box in a few hours in the afternoon. The larger project might take you a whole weekend, depending on how fast you build and your skill level.

The cost of these projects ranges from cheap to medium prices. The tabletop for the Workmate and the joinery box use small amounts of wood. The last table will use a bit more material, but nothing will break the bank.

These plans at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Intermediate
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, clamps, drill, and bits, saw and jigs, router, and bits.
  • How long it takes: 4 hours or more
  • Approximate cost: $$

Read The Full Plan Here

7. Router Table Plans from Woodsmith Shop

The project in this set of plans will be for advanced users. You have electrical components, acrylic cutting, and the use of contact cement. Each of those requires some patience, and previous experience will improve your results.

The standard list of power tools and hand tools will be fine here. It is worth noting that there are lots of joinery and angled cuts, so a miter saw and smaller hand saws will help. A good selection of router bits will come in handy here as well.

The final piece is a stand-alone table, so it will take some time to complete. An experienced woodworker will tackle this project over the weekend, while less-experienced hobbyists may need double that time.

You have a bit of a larger materials list due to the size of the table. Components like acrylic may add significantly to the cost if you don’t have a good source. It may cost more to if you want to put a good finish coat on this project (something that would highlight your hard work).

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Advanced
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, drill and bits, saw, router, and bits.
  • How long it takes: 6 hours or more
  • Approximate cost: $$

Read The Full Plan Here

8. 3 in 1 Workbench Router Table Plan from Thinking Wood

The plans build a full-sized table with two workstations built into the design: table saw and router table. Precision on the layout will challenge new woodworkers and keep more advanced hobbyists engaged.

A standard toolset is needed here. The layout is key here, especially for the areas that you cut out for power tool placement. Fasteners play a role in connecting the tools and keeping them stable; you will be busy with your drill/driver on this project.

The time you need to take on layout and the cuts will stretch this beyond an afternoon build. Experienced woodworkers can tackle this in a weekend. Those new to the hobby, building their first workbench, may find it takes a couple of weekends to complete.

The project will cost a bit more due to the amount of lumber and fasteners needed. It can get even more expensive if you need to buy a circular saw to mount on the table.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Advanced
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, straight edge, drill, and bits, saw, router, and bits.
  • How long it takes: More than 8 hours
  • Approximate cost: $$

Read The Full Plan Here

9. Router Table Plan from Our Home From Scratch

The t-track grooves will likely be the hardest part of building this full-sized router table. Melamine is easy to work with once you get used to it, but buy a little extra if this is your first project using it.

A standard tool list helps with the build, but you can get away with drills and saws if needed. You can damage melamine with a normal saw tooth configuration, so make sure that you have a blade designed to cut through these types of materials (high tooth count is where you need to start). 

For beginners, the router table will take a weekend (or a full day) in the shop. Experienced woodworkers will knock it out in about half that time. You don’t have drawers or cabinet framing to slow you down on this build.

The materials needed for this will push it to the edge between low and medium prices. Finding melamine on sale will save you a noticeable chunk of change. You may have to buy a proper saw blade if you don’t already have one, however.

This plan at-a-glance

  • Level of project complexity: Intermediate
  • Tools needed for this project: Safety gear, pencil, tape measure, drill and bits, saws.
  • How long it takes: 4-8 hours
  • Approximate cost: $

Read The Full Plan Here

Plan For The Future

A variety of plans offers you a chance to create a router table (or joinery accessory) that will improve your accuracy and speed when working with a woodworking router. For some bits, a router table also adds safety during operations.

These are a great way to practice woodworking skills while providing you extra shop versatility!

About the author

Arthur Kudriavcev

Arthur Kudriavcev

I was introduced to woodworking by my grandfather when I was 11 years old. I spend most of my free time working on woodworking projects and writing for this blog. Apart from that, I also enjoy weightlifting and chess.

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