How to Build a Frame for a Marble Table

Use a measuring tape to measure the length and width of your marble slab. Subtract four inches from the length and width of the slab to find the dimensions of your table frame. These dimensions will allow for a two-inch overhang on all four sides of the frame.

Cut two pieces of two-by-four hardwood to the length measurement you just took using a circular saw. Use the circular saw to cut two more pieces of the two-by-four hardwood to the width measurement you just determined, minus four inches.

Stand the four boards upright on their longest narrow edges. Arrange the boards in a rectangular shape, sandwiching the shorter boards between the ends of the longer ones. Drive 4-inch wood screws through the longer boards into the thickness of the shorter ones to secure the frame.

Cut four 4-by-4-inch hardwood posts to the desired height of your table frame. These posts will be the legs for your table.

Stand the four table legs upright in each of the four corners inside the hardwood frame you just constructed. Each table leg should be flush with the inside edges of the frame on two sides.

Predrill holes through the outside of the table frame into the table legs on each side where the legs touch the frame. Insert a 5-inch carriage bolt into each predrilled hole and tighten it by hand with a screwdriver.

Add extra support for your table frame by driving 2-inch wood screws at an angle through the table legs into the inside of the hardwood frame. Marble is very heavy so reinforce your table frame as much as possible to support the weight of the tabletop.

Cut a piece of 1/2-inch plywood to the length and width dimensions of the table frame. Lay the plywood flat on top of the table frame and secure it in place by driving nails from a nail gun down through the plywood into the frame below.

Paint or stain your completed table frame to match the existing decor scheme in your room. Take the coloration of the marble into consideration when selecting a color for your table frame so the two parts of the table do not clash.

Place the table frame in the desired position then have someone help you lift the marble slab and place it on top of the frame. Adjust the marble so it is centered over the frame. It should hang over the edges of the frame by about two inches on all four sides.