Coffee Table

Design:

This was a simple project to fill up free time I had after work during the week. I had recently moved into a new apartment and into a larger room. I wanted something to fill the open space. I saw a piece of walnut on Facebook marketplace for a reasonable price and picked it up. I love the look of raw wood and wanted to show the natural beauty of the walnut so I went with a simple design.

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Fabrication:

I was able to make this in my Boston apartment using a flat head screwdriver, hammer, orbital sander, drill, and a foam brush. The first step was to remove the bark from the sides. It was a struggle for me to remove as it gives a nice rustic look. However, keeping the bark would be a hassle as I was not up for coating it in resin and having up keep on it every few years to keep it from flaking off. I used the flathead as a chisel and wedged it between the wood and bark, hammering it to remove the bark. I did this on both sides to achieve a clean look. Next I used an orbital sander to remove dirt and bring out the grain in the wood. I started with 80 grit sand paper then 100 and finally 120. Using 120 grit gives the wood a smooth finish but is still course enough to allow the finish to permeate into it and really soak in as much as possible. Using a higher grit causes fine wood shavings to be embedded into it and take up the spot where a finish would go causing less of it to be retained. I loved the natural grain pattern and color of the wood. I used clear shellac for the finish as its a natural finish that will not add any color to the wood. I used a foam brush to apply 3 coats of shellac allowing it to dry in between. I then bought some metal legs online and screwed them in finishing the table.

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Result:

The finished coffee table now sits in my room and gets complimented by everyone who sees it. It is exactly what I needed allowing me to put my feet up and relax, serve as my nightstand, and an extra storage area in an already overcrowded room.