This project was built and designed by Keaton Beyer.
It’s a massive 46-inch Lazy Susan, designed to be both functional and eye-catching—a centerpiece that transforms the way people share food around a dining table.
This project blends practical woodworking techniques with clever design solutions, all while managing the challenges of scale.
It’s a great example of how skill, planning, and creative problem-solving come together in a single build.
Watch the full video and subscribe to Keaton’s channel:
Choosing the Right Materials
The build starts with selecting materials that are strong, affordable, and easy to work with.
Keaton chooses standard fence pickets—not because they’re beautiful, but because they offer durability and enough structure for a piece this size.
Rather than relying on internal supports, Keaton uses spring joints to help control wood movement. These joints add lateral pressure, helping to prevent cupping and warping over time. It’s a smart way to build long-lasting panels from inexpensive stock.
Preparing the Boards
The boards are first cut to rough size, eliminating the need for repeat trips to the lumber yard.
If a board shows too much bow, Keaton cuts it in half, reducing tension and giving more usable thickness for final milling.
Grain direction is carefully considered.
By rubbing the surface to find the smoothest direction, Keaton determines the best way to plane the boards and reduce tear-out. This small step results in a better finish and easier sanding later on.
A Thoughtful Glue-Up Strategy
Rather than gluing all the boards at once, Keaton breaks the panel into smaller sections.
Three boards are glued up at a time, allowing better alignment and easier clamping.
To fight future movement, spring joints are introduced into the glue-ups. These slightly bowed joints pull the edges together under tension, helping keep the panel flat.
It’s a low-tech but highly effective way to improve stability in large glue-ups.
Cutting a Perfect Circle
With the panel complete, the next step is cutting the Lazy Susan into a perfect circle. For this, Keaton uses a homemade circle jig and a router—a setup that’s simple, repeatable, and flexible for other projects.
As the router follows the jig’s path, the large panel slowly takes shape. Equipment hiccups happen along the way—like a sticky power switch—but with a little patience, the job gets done.
Keeping tools in good working order is always key.
Trimming for a Clean Edge
After rough cutting, the remaining waste is trimmed with a jigsaw. This helps reduce strain on the flush trim bit used in the final pass.
While the jigsaw isn’t always precise, it gets the job done when handled carefully.
Once flipped right-side up, the massive Lazy Susan shows its full shape. If any boards are slightly uneven, Keaton feathers the edges with hand tools instead of flattening the whole piece. It’s a quicker fix that preserves the look and feel of the original surface.
Sealing and Painting
Before painting, the surface is sealed with a water-based polyurethane.
This prevents the paint from soaking in too deeply and allows it to be scraped back later, revealing the wood underneath.
While painting a large wood piece might seem counterintuitive, it’s done to match the client’s vision. The plan is to distress the top, revealing the grain beneath for a rustic look that pairs with the matching dining table.
Curing and Protective Finish
After painting, the piece is left to cure for about three weeks. Allowing ample curing time is important for durability, especially before applying the final topcoat.
The last layer is another coat of water-based polyurethane.
This seals the paint, adds a protective finish, and helps prevent peeling or chipping down the road.
A light sanding and buffing completes the process, leaving a smooth, clean surface ready for everyday use.
A Massive Build with Lasting Impact
Building something this large—without internal bracing—requires confidence, experience, and a few smart tricks.
Spring joints, careful board selection, and phased glue-ups all contribute to a successful outcome.
This Lazy Susan is more than just oversized; it’s a study in balancing scale with craftsmanship.
From the material choices to the finishing techniques, Keaton makes every decision with long-term durability in mind.
Please support Keaton, but visiting his website: https://www.keatonbeyerwoodworking.com/.