school me: making my own coffee table
 

it's the resident reno noob again...

so i'm wanting to build my own coffee table!

i have found the wood i'm going to use - it's untreated

questions:
1- how do i "treat" it so it wont "rot"?
2- how do i get to that store like smooth shine? I know i have to sand it and stain it using 400-500grit sand paper. Is there anything more to it than that?
3- where can one find narrow wooden legs? I found the hair pin style locally but nothing came up for "narrow round wooden legs".

the legs will be something like but narrower and round:http://ab.weimgs.com/weimgs/ab/image...ee-table-o.jpg

1) Assuming the coffee table is being used inside, I would stain it with a water-based stain. One, two or three coats depending on the look you want (practice on scrap bits to find your finish). Following that, I would use glossy or semi-gloss Varathane Polyurethane. 3-4 coats, depending on the finish I'm looking for.

2) I've always been told to only go to 120grit before staining. Depending on the wood, you might get some grain lift and need to sand with 120 between coats. Again, you have to practice on scrap that you've cut and worked in the same methods as your finished product to determine what your exact finishing technique will be. You only go to 120 because you need the wood to absorb the stain. On the stuff I've been doing I prefer not to sand after I stain for fear of changing the look, but up to 220. On the third coat of polyurethane the piece will start to look quite smooth, and it gets better from there.

3) Uh...you build them? That's sort of part of the fun, isn't it?

1) You interior furniture will not rot even if you leave it unfinished
2) Don't sand with 400-500 grit on the wood, i usually do 80-160grit before applying the stain & finish. If you want a smooth finish, sand the varnish between coat. Probably need to do a final polish if you want to give it like a store bought furniture shiny finish. (and at least 4-5 coats)
3) Size and shape of the leg you want? Your best bet is to go buy a wooden spindles/post from a stair railing places. They mostly come in unfinished oak, maple or paint-grade pine/poplars. They come in round or square shape, plain or with different decorative patterns. (Spindles size are usually 1.25" - 1.75", if you want something bigger, you can use a newel post)
Spindles is only $10~ per piece, and you can probably make 2 legs with 1 piece


I made a coffee table few months ago, probably one of the easiest DIY job.
I made a box leg and put hinges on them so you get a hidden storage lol.
it was completely useless tho :badpokerface: and the hinges made the fitment not as nice.
http://i.imgur.com/dIzAgsW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GBm00zv.jpg

it looks nice. I like how it blends with your floor tiles.

I like that hidden storage

:ifyouknow:

How is it that you have Rogers cable? :suspicious:

not enough contrast between table, floor, and sofa. but looks nice regardless

1. Go to ikea
2.

There's so many videos on YouTube of how to do this already, all of them are step by step. Was this thread really necessary?

Nice, what wood did you use?

I haven't had to build anything other than an entire fence in my parents yard from scratch using a table saw in their back yard and before that was in shop class in high school. I've been wanting to make some stuff lately, just not sure as to what.

Last I can remember I roughly did what you said, sand using around 220ish, but then wet sanded it with 1000 grit. Was a storage chest that was also used as a coffee table in their basement and it was beyond slick. Just like Ferras table the bottom of this one has the end piece on the floor just a hair shorter and was held together with super strong magnets. it was a false bottom with a storage thats about 6" high and long enough to keep a shotgun in it. Anyone recommend that or will wet sanding give you the same outcome as staining with regularly?

Similar to this chest but it was the side trim that popped off.
https://image.sportsmansguide.com/ad...22947i2_ts.jpg




Is there a place you can build something if you don't have space? I've seen some condo buildings that have a workshop attached to them but I'm looking for a place where I'd have access to a table saw, band saw, lathe, planer etc

lol, i didn't quite understand what you mean when i first read it...then i realize vancouver doesn't have rogers
I don't live in van anymore :alone:

White oak...
btw the coffee table was completely unfinished

I sanded it with 320 to give it a very smooth slick touch
Which actually worked fine until I start using it as my dinner table infront of the TV.
Now it is all stained on the top...which wasn't a big deal since I was planning to stack another plank on top to give it a thicker look. (The leg still looks new)

Thought about staining it too, but couldnt' find a color I like.

I was trying to replace my $20 ikea table with something a little better looking and everything was incredibly expensive. Anything I wanted was $200+

Decided to try my hand at making my own. All in cost was maybe $40 for wood and stain and $70 for the hairpin legs.






Its not perfectly flat and even but thats exactly what I was looking for. I believe it was stained twice and maybe 3-4 coats of some sort of acrylic poly whatever (I should probably remember what I used exactly if I want to do this more).

Side table to match is going to be made very soon.

Water-based clear stain is actually clear. Oil based yellows slightly...all oil based clear stains will yellow slightly.

Nice table! What kind of wood is it, where did you get it, and where did you get the legs?

I believe it was oak? Sorry I do not remember 100% but I bought it from home depot, nothing special. Got fairly square pieces but when I went I was very limited in my options.

Legs were from https://www.hairpinlegshop.com/

I believe they are based in Ontario and they were the cheapest supplier without going over the boarder. Different types of coating you can get and they are sturdy.

i think arminds thinking about building a coffee table. should ask him how about it

Are you sure the woods not pine?

Yes pine sounds correct!

Definitely looks like pine, looks nothing like oak.

That was actually the hardest part about this project. I couldn't really tell which type of material I was supposed to use.

I dont recall why I chose pine but it was really easy to work with. I believe its a pretty soft week in comparison to others.

I commissioned someone to make mine which consists of english walnut live edge, cracks within the wood filled with black resin, and metal square legs coated in matte black.

Until I bought my house, I had zero skill with wood. Building the workbench in my old shop, I was the guy splitting the wood with every screw, even when I pre-drilled the holes. After renovating the shop at my new place, though, I decided to up my game. Just like working on cars, it takes a bit of patience and planning/reading before you start.

Made the bedroom furniture for my guest room:

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ce&oe=598F3945

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/563/32...f97e66a4_c.jpg

It's all made from dimensional spruce (2x4, 2x6, 1x3, etc) which I've trimmed to be square on the table saw, to get rid of the dimensional-lumber-look.

I've also made some live edge shelves for the opposite wall...but don't seem to have any photos posted of them. Gearing up for doing my own live-edge dining room table this summer...

thanks guys. very good info here.

i'm planning to stain mine this weekend. I'll be staining using TEAK OIL from home depot. As it's suppose to dry into the color i want. Anyone used this?

then apply some clear coat next weekend. Any suggestions on what the product i need to buy for this clear coat is?
How many coats can one can/jug give?