How to Build a Concrete End Table | House One | This Old House
In this video, This Old House DIY expert Jenn Largesse details the steps to building a concrete end table to complement deck or patio seating.
SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse.
For steps and cut list go to This Old House [www.thisoldhouse.com/woodwork...].
Difficulty: ⅗
Cost: $100 for a pair of tables
Time: About 5 hours (over 2 days)
Industrial-modern design is everywhere these days, with its blend of warm wood and metal or concrete. Having admired a table with a sleek tapered base and a simple concrete top, I wanted to try my hand at a similar mixed-media build. I was nervous about incorporating concrete into a wood-working project, but I found it easier and less expensive than I had expected.
With a $20 water-heater drip pan and a bag of concrete mix, I successfully cast a tabletop on my first try, with enough leftover material to make two more. I learned that a spritz of a release agent makes it easier to pop the top out of its form, and sealing the cured concrete with paste wax yields a soft, powder-free finish that resists water stains.
Looking for more step by step guidance on how to complete projects around the house? Join This Old House Insider to stream over 1,000 episodes commercial-free: bit.ly/2GPiYbH
Materials:
2 - 2×3×8-inch boards
Concrete countertop mix (80 lbs.)
2 - 1⁄2-inch exterior pocket-hole screws
wire mesh
22-inch metal drip pan
5-gallon bucket
plastic sheet
stain and exterior polyurethane
exterior wood glue
concrete release agent
duct tape
adhesive caulk
Tools:
Miter saw
Drill/driver and bits
Pocket-hole jig
Jigsaw
Clamps
Paddle mixer
Orbital sander
Side-cutting pliers
Caulk gun
Stir stick
Trowel
Medium-grit sanding sponge
Paint brush
Plus, download our FREE app for full-episode streaming to your connected TV, phone or tablet: www.thisoldhouse.com/pages/st...
About Ask This Old House TV: From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. ASK This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home. Follow This Old House: Facebook: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter Pinterest: bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG
How to Build a Concrete End Table | House One | This Old House
/ thisoldhouse
That was a cool project
Indeed!
Looks great!
Hey, that is nice. Good for patio. It will stay put on a windy day. I think I might be interested in using a color in the cement as well. Thanks
dont vibrate too much or you will make the mesh sink to the bottom which ruins the support. I would rather vibrate it alittle for bubbles, then add the mesh and hit it with vibrator until it sinks under the surface. U can always use the tip of ur finger to be sure its deep enough then smooth it out.
Mesh needs to be in the lower 1/3, not the top. For tension, not compression
Thats what she said 🤣
Gave me some good ideas.
Nice job 👍
What are the measurements for the wood pieces?
also remember that concrete creates heat when it cures so dont seal the cover
That is super cool! And not as difficult as I thought. Thanks! 👍🏼
There are fe/male construction differences Female = pocket holes screws Male = just screw it in and let it stand proud