Hi again!
I know it’s been a while since I have posted on my blog. As it turns out, a new baby plus a teen and a full-time job, don’t leave as much time for my blog as I foolishly thought it might. My husband and I have been working on lots of projects, but the added work of staging, organizing the pictures and writing the blog post is the hard part. But it’s a new year! And I’m ready to jump back on the bandwagon and share our latest projects!
This is my second attempt at a new coffee table for my living room. We bought a new sectional couch last spring, which took up a lot more space. Our previous coffee table that I LOVED no longer fit in our living room, so it went to live outside on the patio under our covered porch. Over the summer my husband and I designed and built a similar, but different coffee table. The design was a bit more complicated and Kyle was never satisfied with it enough to move forward with staining and finishing. And that was months ago. (You may have seen this on my Instagram and wondered why I never posted the finished product…now you know why!)
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I finally decided we should build a replica of the previous table (again, that I LOVED!), but this time as a square instead of a rectangle.
The story behind the original rectangle coffee table: It was the first piece we (as in, me and my husband-to-be) designed and built as a team when we had only been dating for a few months. My husband’s house needed some serious decor attention. He had just finished building a deck in his backyard, so I figured a table would be a piece of cake, relatively speaking. I drew up the design in a couple of minutes, and he had the piece built that day. It was not perfect. Not by any means. It was rough and rustic. The corners were mitered, but none of the wood was planed (cut on all sides to level the wood, or make it square) or joined perfectly. Over the next 5 years we got more compliments on that table than any other DIY project or piece we have ever built. So, when we built the new table, I wanted it done EXACTLY same way. Kyle had it built in one afternoon, and I sanded and stained it a few days later.
The rectangle table was originally stained in a dark oak color. Several years ago I decided to put a satin Spar-urethane finish on it. The result was way too shiny and I did not like it at all. I attempted to sand the finish off. Since the wood was not planed and it had waves and grooves, the sander couldn’t get to the tiny recesses to remove all of the Spar-urethane. The result was kind of a worn, distressed look, with bits of shiny finish that I ended up LOVING. which you can see in the picture above.
This time, I wanted a mid-tone stain with no red tones at all, so I used Minwax “Honey” and the color is perfect for my living room. I haven’t decided if I want to go for the same distressed look with the Spar-urethane yet, so I’m going to let it sit for a bit before I decide. The good news is that I can do it anytime, whenever I decide I’m ready for a new look.
The finished piece is eye appealing, but most importantly, it is functional, sturdy and mobile. We can easily roll it out of the way when our daughter, Lucy, needs more play room, or we want to bring over the ottoman to watch movies. And, it’s strong enough for kids to sit and climb on, which is inevitable. I love the heavy, durable look and I love that I don’t have to worry about it getting scratched, nicked or ruined. Water rings? No problem! Bring it on!
Dimensions: 36.5 inches L x 36.5 inches W x 9.5 inches H (11.5 inches H with casters)
Total cost for supplies: Less than $60
- Lumber:
- 2x12x10 – 1 each (frame)
- 2x10x8 – 1 each (surface)
- 1x2x6 ( or similar, for supports)
- Hardware:
- L joints
- Casters
- Screws
- Sandpaper: 100 or 150; 220
- Stain: I used Minwax “Honey” (oil-based)
- Stain brush or cloth (and gloves)
Equipment:
- Miter saw
- Drill
- Electric Sander
Tutorial
1. Side pieces were cut to size with a miter saw
2. “L Brackets” were used to join the sides together from the inside
3. Top pieces were cut to size (33.5 inches each). The top pieces simply rest on the supports and are not screwed into place
4. Inside supports were cut to size (using scrap lumber as it will not be seen), and attached using screws (28 inches each, placed on opposite sides)
5. Frame and top pieces were sanded using 100 grit first, and then 220 grit for an extra smooth finish (150 can be used instead of 100 if the lumber is relatively smooth to start with)
6. Casters were attached to the bottom corners
6. Frame and top pieces were stained and left to dry completely for several days
That’s it!!
Thanks for reading, and as usual, I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions! Follow me on Instagam @roomandsoul
I’ve already got the next post working with another fun project to share in the next few weeks!
Love,
Whitney
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