How to Make a Great Coffee Table From a Slab of Wood.
by squidink in Workshop > Woodworking
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How to Make a Great Coffee Table From a Slab of Wood.
Hello, if you clicked on this page, you probably want to know how to make a coffee table. But you might say to yourself "Oh, but that's too hard", or "Too expensive", but really, it's neither of those two. With this Instructible you (yes you!) will learn how to make a superb table!
Supplies
Most of the Supples you can get at Home Depot, and stores like that. One of the martials you have to go to a specific store to get... (Can you guess what that one is?) Yes, correct, hopefully, it's the slab! Most of the time you can't just go online, and buy a slab, your best bet would probably be to go to a local lumber yard (I won't list that below). I got a relatively small one, so I found it pretty fast. If you can't find a slab of the size you desire, opt for a smaller one.
Supplies:
Sandpaper (if you have an orbit sander Home Depot sells hook and loop to):
Stains, and varnishes:
The stain that I used (you can choose any of them, or don't):
Varathane 1 qt. Red Oak Classic Wood Interior Stain 339704 - The Home Depot
The varnish that I used: Fast-Drying Polyurethane - Clear Wood Finish | Minwax®
Table legs (I got them on Amazon if you want a nicer one, just search up "Harpin table legs" on Google): Amazon.com: SMARTSTANDARD 16" Hairpin Furniture Legs, Metal Home DIY Projects for Nightstand, Coffee Table, Desk, etc with Rubber Floor Protectors Black 4PCS : Tools & Home Improvement
This will cost around $150 assuming the slab was on the cheaper end. if you already have sandpaper, this project will cost around $120.
Take of the Bark!
This step is pretty straight forward: all you need is a hammer, and a chisel. The first thing that you want to do is take your chisel and put it right over the bark. There will also be an area where the wood is slightly darker than the middle of your slab, you also want to take that part out, because it could rot, and ruin your finished product. Anyway, put your chisel on the edge of the dark part, and use your hammer to dig the chisel into the wood, removing the bark. Repeat until all bark is gone on both sides.
Sanding, "most Fun Step"
By now your slab looks fine, but you need to sand it. This will help make it feel smoother, and make the stain look nicer. Without further ado, let's continue. Start sanding up to 180 grit on the top and, bottom of the slab. Start from the 60 grit and increase the grit steadily to 80,120,150, and 180 grit. On all the sides and edges sand up to 220 grit (60,80,120,150,180, and 220 grit). I started with a sanding block (sandpaper attached to a piece of wood), and then went to a mouse sander (a kind of electric sander). This step may take a while and is the most difficult, but after this step everything will feel easy.
Staining
This is my favorite step, because as soon as you put on the stain, you will see how the finished table will look like. As you can see in the photo the stain completely changes the color of the wood. First take gloves and put them on (it's called stain for a reason; you don't want it on your hands). Then take a wool cloth (from an old shirt) and dip it in your stain, put it on your slab, and apply in a circular motion. Apply to top and sides first, then wait for about 5 min. and wipe with a clean cloth. Repeat this steps on bottom. IMPORTANT READ! Please Read How dispose of the rags, they can be very flammable, How To Dispose Of Stain Rags (obsessedwoodworking.com) Thank you.
Adding Polyurethane
Some people think that stain is a finish, but it isn't, it won't protect your table from water damage. For this application you need to use a foam brush. First, dip your brush into your Polyurethane and apply to the slab, try not to go over the same place twice. Second, wait for about 4 hours for the polyurethane to dry, then sand lightly with 320 grit sandpaper. Repeat 3 times on top and sides, then move on to the bottom (also do 3 times).
Adding Legs
The legs are very simple, I did this the easy way, and all I did was measure them with the edge of a wood block. To have all of them an equal distance from the edge, then I made a mark with a sharpie where all the holes were, and then I took a drill and predrilled holes. Next, I put my table legs on and took a screw and drilled it though the hole that I made (put in all the screws before you drill them too tight, otherwise, they might not fit with your holes.) Repeat until all your table legs are screwed in. Tip: if your table doesn't balance try bending your table legs.
Your Done!
Thank you for reading my tutorial on how to make a coffee table from a slab of wood. I hope you enjoyed it. if you have any questions, please, leave them in the comments.