Lee Burnett
Yesterday, I posted an in-progress sneak peek of my DIY coffee table on the A2D Facebook page, and people had some very interesting guesses as to what it was! In fact, I built a factory cart-style coffee table out of old cedar fence pickets. John and Alice were having their fence replaced, and I just couldn’t bear to see this gorgeous wood with all of this lovely grayed patina heading for the landfill!!
In a perfect world, I would have been able to find antique metal wheels for a bargain.
That didn’t happen, so I opted for these black wheels from Lowe’s. And of course, working with old weathered wood can be quite challenging because it’s generally warped and can be brittle in places.
It’s meaning will remain a mystery, but the character it adds is a perfect touch. Of course, I’m still a ways away from being finished with the decorating in this room, so it’s still looking a bit sparse. I’m keeping an eye out for the perfect rug, so that will lighten the area some. And if you don’t have any old fence picket, keep your eyes open for them!
People are always replacing privacy fences and discarding the old pickets. Or you can even check websites like Craigslist and Freecycle to see if anyone is getting rid of their old fence wood.
One sheet of 1/4″ MDF measuring 24″ x 48″ (Home Depot sells these pre-cut), Two pieces 1″ x 8″ lumber, each 8 feet in length, One piece of 2″ x 4″ lumber, 12 feet in length, Wood glue, Four 5″ wheels, Screws and washers (if needed) to attach the wheels, Eight feet of 1″ jute rope, Water-based clear coat. Using the 1″ x 8″ lumber that I just cut, I used wood glue and my nail gun to make a frame for the coffee table. I placed a bead of wood glue on the edge of the 1″ x 8″ lumber, all the way around the frame. With all of the legs secure, I turned the table over and stained the top and the sides.
If it was left unstained, it would be very noticeable if it showed through knot holes. With the frame complete and stained, and the legs attached, I was ready to start adding the cedar fence boards.
I covered the sides of the table last, cutting the boards long enough to cover the cut ends of the fence boards on each end, and I attached them so that they also covered the cut ends of the fence boards on top of the table. I then flipped the table upside down, and attached the wheels to the legs with wood glue and large screws and washers.
The final step was to attach the jute rope handle to each end.
This was no easy task, as this rope doesn’t bend easily. I had intended to secure it by tying a knot inside, but I didn’t allow myself enough rope. The last thing I did was give it a quick sanding with 150-grit sandpaper (just enough to remove any splinter-causing rough spots, but not enough to remove the patina of the weathered cedar), and then give it at least two generous coats of Polycrylic clear coat.
I chose to use the water based clear coat because I wanted to keep as much of the grayed patina as possible, and oil-based polyurethane tends to give wood a yellow/golden hue. I wanted to avoid that, so water-based Polycrylic was a good choice for this project. To be on the safe side, wear something to cover your nose and mouth while cutting/sanding, and then be sure you seal the boards VERY well when finished. Dress up the top with a stencil to look like an old company logo.
