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04-16-2017, 01:57 PM
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#1 | | MiX iT Up!
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| 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
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04-16-2017, 05:03 PM
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#2 | | RS.net, where our google ads make absolutely no sense!
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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?
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05-01-2017, 11:05 AM
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#3 | | I don't like cheese but I love milk!
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| Quote:
Originally Posted by tiger_handheld  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) 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  and the hinges made the fitment not as nice.   | |
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05-01-2017, 12:37 PM
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#4 | | My homepage has been set to RS
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it looks nice. I like how it blends with your floor tiles.
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05-01-2017, 12:52 PM
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#5 | | OMGWTFBBQ is a common word I say everyday
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I like that hidden storage 
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05-01-2017, 02:44 PM
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#6 | | RS Veteran
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How is it that you have Rogers cable? 
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Originally Posted by BIC_BAWS I literally do not plan on buying another vehicle in my lifetime, assuming it doesn't get written off. | | |
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05-01-2017, 06:17 PM
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#7 | | :inoutugh:
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not enough contrast between table, floor, and sofa. but looks nice regardless
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Posted from NE 1-J W Inglis Building | |
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05-01-2017, 06:35 PM
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#8 | | RS.net, helping ugly ppl have sex since 2001
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1. Go to ikea
2.
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05-01-2017, 11:15 PM
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#9 | | I contribute to threads in the offtopic forum
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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?
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05-01-2017, 11:47 PM
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#10 | | Even when im right, revscene.net is still right!
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| Quote:
Originally Posted by Ferra 1)
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 and the hinges made the fitment not as nice. | Nice, what wood did you use?
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05-02-2017, 06:08 AM
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#11 | | Rs has made me the man i am today!
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| Quote:
Originally Posted by CCA-Dave 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? |
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. 
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
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05-02-2017, 08:13 AM
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#12 | | I don't like cheese but I love milk!
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Originally Posted by bcrdukes How is it that you have Rogers cable? | 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  | |
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05-02-2017, 08:20 AM
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#13 | | I don't like cheese but I love milk!
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| Quote:
Originally Posted by Speed2K Nice, what wood did you use? | 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.
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05-02-2017, 09:33 AM
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#14 | | I contribute to threads in the offtopic forum
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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.
Last edited by radioman; 05-02-2017 at 09:58 AM.
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05-02-2017, 09:56 AM
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#15 | | RS.net, where our google ads make absolutely no sense!
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Originally Posted by Ferra White oak...
Thought about staining it too, but couldnt' find a color I like. | Water-based clear stain is actually clear. Oil based yellows slightly...all oil based clear stains will yellow slightly.
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05-02-2017, 10:10 AM
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#16 | | OMGWTFBBQ is a common word I say everyday
Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Vancouver
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| Quote:
Originally Posted by radioman 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. | Nice table! What kind of wood is it, where did you get it, and where did you get the legs?
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Originally Posted by PeanutButter Damn, not only is yours veiny AF, yours is thick AF too. Yours is twice as thick as mine.. That looks like a 2" or maybe even 3"? | | |
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05-02-2017, 10:21 AM
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#17 | | I contribute to threads in the offtopic forum
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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.
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05-02-2017, 10:23 AM
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#18 | | My homepage has been set to RS
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i think arminds thinking about building a coffee table. should ask him how about it
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05-02-2017, 12:12 PM
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#19 | | To me, there is the Internet and there is RS
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Are you sure the woods not pine?
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05-02-2017, 01:15 PM
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#20 | | I contribute to threads in the offtopic forum
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Yes pine sounds correct!
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05-02-2017, 01:15 PM
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#21 | | RS.net, where our google ads make absolutely no sense!
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Definitely looks like pine, looks nothing like oak.
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05-02-2017, 02:41 PM
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#22 | | I contribute to threads in the offtopic forum
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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.
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05-02-2017, 04:00 PM
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#23 | | God of Unce
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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.
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05-02-2017, 07:10 PM
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#24 | | RS.net, where our google ads make absolutely no sense!
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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:  
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...
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05-02-2017, 08:59 PM
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#25 | | MiX iT Up!
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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?
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Sometimes we tend to be in despair when the person we love leaves us, but the truth is, it's not our loss, but theirs, for they left the only person who couldn't give up on them.
Make the effort and take the risk..
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right- for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't." - Eleanor Roosevelt | |
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