Sunday, March 9, 2014

LET'S MAKE A COFFEE TABLE...WITH CRATES!!

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Greetings, Everyone!! I pray all is well with you and your diy home!! 
Ok, so I must say a few lines before we delve into this project. First, I can't tell you the sense of pride and accomplishment I felt when crafting this project. Second, what I have learned and am learning is that the more intricate DIY projects, along with marriage and 4 kiddies, are teaching me the art of patience, completion and 'slowing down'. I've learned that rushing things can lead to frustrating and disappointing results. Ok, now that I've spilled my little heart, let's get to it!!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
  • 4 Unfinished Crates or Wine Crates ( I found some at Walmart) (Dimensions: 9-5/8 x 18 x 12-1/2)
  • Plenty of screws and bolts ( I bought a pack of 50 from Lowes that include both the screws and bolts)
  • 1 Paint Brush for staining and polyurethane
  • Sand paper
  • Stain of your choice
  • Polyurethane ( I used both satin and gloss)
  • 1 sheet of plywood (this will be used for base support and to install the casters)
  • 4 Casters (got mine from Lowes)
  • Drill or Screw Driver (using the drill is better, trust me..especially when you have to make holes in the wood)
  • Patience!!

A RECAP OF WHAT I USED








LET'S GET STARTED

I arranged the crates to get an idea of how I wanted the set up to be. This gave me an idea of the size it would be in the space of choice. This also gave me a chance to look for any imperfections that needed to be sanded before staining the pieces. 

In our garage, I sanded all areas needed. Once sanded to my satisfaction, I began staining the wood. Please keep in mind, the stain will appear very dark, almost black (depending on the color choice), but it will absorb into the wood and lighten up. I applied 2 coats of stain, allowing 2-3 hours of drying time between. A couple of sites actually put the table together before staining, I found it much easier to stain before putting the table together. 

Once the 2 coats of stain were applied, I applied 3 coats of polyurethane (the first two were in satin..I don't know what I was thinking as I decided I wanted high gloss instead). Be sure to read the products directions of use for drying times. Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area.

Once the polyurethane was completely dry. I began setting up the pieces to begin attaching the table together. This also allowed me to get direct measurements for the base. 

I put a little thought into where I wanted the screws to be, striving to get them as close to the edges as possible. To make the hole for the screws, I first used my drill and a drill bit that's used for making holes. To find the correct bit, I used one that matched the dimensions of the screws so the hole would be a great fit. Once all the screws were installed, I painted over them with some of my stain to lessen the bright stainless shine. 


Once the entire table was attached, I got the exact dimensions (27-1/2" x 27-1/2") so I could head to Lowes to grab my plywood and have them cut to the direct dimensions...Success (you will have some left overs from the plywood in case you want to build another awesome creation later, like side tables or something)..or, you can measure the inside of the small square in the table and have the Lowe's guy cut a piece of wood down so you can place it inside of the square. I left my hole open and deep.


I stained the base and once dry, propped on top of my table (be mindful of the side you wish to use) and placed the casters and began drilling holes then installing the screws and bolts. I used a total of 16 screws and bolts.  Again, once all the screws and bolts were installed into the castors, I gave a quick once over with some stain to tone down the shininess of the screws




Once I gave the table another coat of polyurethane gloss and allowed to completely dry, I brought the table inside and placed and began accessorizing. You can have soooo much fun with this, add books, bright colored bowls, flowers, and any other accessory of your choice. The piece itself is soooo beautiful that the addition of anything else only enhances it. I loved the dark color because colors truly pop off of it. This project took me a weekend to do simply because I had to stop and start, stop and start..and again, I didn't want to rush it. The overall finished dimensions: 27-1/2 " W x 27-1/2" L x 15-1/4" H. So, take a look at the finished look. I hope you enjoy..Be sure to share your finished DIY projects and let me know your thoughts on it. Have a happy Natty Day!


THE FINISHED LOOK















5 comments:

  1. Hi Dominique. I am a big fan of your DIYs. I was just curious as to the price of the crates. Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. Greetings, Ladina
      The price for the crates at Walmart are $8.97 ea..Michaels carry them as well, I think they are about $12, but they have a 40% off coupon online. Home Depot carries them online (not sure about the store, but they were about $12 ea)..Hope this helps, thanks for your support!

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  2. This is a great DIY project:) Great job!

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