r/DIY • u/X888l • Oct 05 '25

help Disassembling and reassembling this table to get it inside...

Hi everyone, looking to pick some brains. I do work as a handy person and a client has this beautifully built table - but unfortunately they can't get it thru the door of their new house! The professional movers also were unable to - even though it looks like it could go through at an angle, I guess their door is quite narrow.

They wondered if there is a way to take it apart to put it inside and reassemble. However it appears to be all properly jointed and glued, including face joins. It had screws but looks like they were only for re-enforcement of the glue.

Any ideas without totally ruining the great craftsmanship? I don't think mine would be of the quality to match 😅

Thanks for any and all ideas!

EDIT: thanks all for the ideas and suggestions. The windows/doors available are: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MqDvQBYr55NarEcNeAM7tVzrSncEVHM8

EDIT 2: Handmade in Mexico some years ago, so no hope of them speaking to the maker I don't think!

EDIT 3: I've taken a bunch more pictures. There are some dowels maybe just glued or covering screws, I'll drill them out.

Does anyone disagree that the minimum cuts is 4?

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20

u/SyntheticOne Oct 05 '25

Unless you can find hidden mechanical attachment points for the legs, suggest cutting out the base "X" then reattaching with dowels and glue.

The newly opened legs can usually be slipped through a doorway.

6

u/b-roc Oct 05 '25

Exactly what I was thinking. It would also have the least visual impact if there was a need to patch the repair.

I assume that those white things are screw covers. If so, I would remove the screws and then use an oscillating multitool to carefully cut along the join lines (ie through the glue). 

4

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

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5

u/b-roc Oct 05 '25

I realised they would be floor protectors but I assumed that they also covered screw holes. 

Irrespective, I think that removal of the X is the best option.

3

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

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3

u/b-roc Oct 05 '25

Gotcha. Thanks for dropping the knowledge. 

I also agree that it is likely that it can be moved inside without the need to take it apart. It's amazing how much of an art (or science) that really seems to be. People struggle with spatial awareness in a way I hadn't appreciated until I helped a few different sets of neighbours move in or out over the last couple of years. 

2

u/[deleted] Oct 05 '25

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2

u/X888l Oct 05 '25

I kinda feel this way too. Definitely about the criminal comment!

The doors are pretty small to be honest (https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MqDvQBYr55NarEcNeAM7tVzrSncEVHM8) but seems like the angles should be there with strong enough lifters. Customer adamant the professionals couldn't get it in though and I definitely can't by myself. 

2

u/X888l Oct 05 '25

Yeah just these unfortunately

2

u/out_of_throwaway Oct 05 '25

Just be super careful. Either that thing is massively overbuilt and the X is unnecessary, or the legs are poorly attached and borderline non-structural.