How to Build Outdoor Coffee Tables

Summer days are best spent outdoors, on the patio, relaxing and enjoying family, friends, food and drink. Sometimes, however, outdoor gathering areas lack the furnishings necessary for entertaining comfortably. Add a coffee table so there is a place to set down all the things you need to fully enjoy being out on the patio. Build a coffee table that is simple and rustic, yet durable and solid, using firewood logs. If you do not have the tools to cut a log, contact a local firewood supplier, sawmill or carpenter regarding custom-cut logs. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Peel the bark from the logs.

2

Cut the logs to size, if necessary. Log saws and industrial band saws are viable tools for making straight cuts through logs.

3

Place the logs in a warm, dry area to dry if they are still wet. Fresh wood needs at least a month to dry.

4

Sand down any roughness on the log ends or plywood edges. Also sand down the corners of the plywood to round them slightly so the coffee table top will not have dangerous corners. Start with 120-grit sandpaper and finish with 220-grit sandpaper. Sweep away any residual sanding dust.

5

Set the two logs 40 inches apart. Smear wood glue on top of the logs. Center the plywood on top. Affix the plywood, using four 2 1/2-inch wood screws for each log. Countersink the screws slightly.

6

Cover the screw heads with wood putty and leave the putty to dry.

7

Paint the entire coffee table with three to four coats of clear polyurethane varnish to seal the wood and protect it from insect, sun and water damage. Sand between each coat, using 220-grit sandpaper.