Sunday, July 19, 2015

FROM CEDAR STUMP TO COFFEE TABLE


What you see here is the after shot of a lot of work.
Below tells the before story.


 
A while back a friend ask me if I wanted a cedar stump.

Of course I said yes. I immediately thought I might make a table out of it
to go on my back porch.
It turned out to be quite a big stump
plus it had a lot of rot throughout the middle
from top to bottom.


But I persisted on my quest to conquer this for a table.
I had a vision.
Here's the top. First it had to be leveled off.


Here's a look at the bottom.
A very pretty shape.


The next step was to start chiseling out all the rot.
From top to bottom.
It was amazing how much came out of this stump.
This took days and days of work, plus spraying for little bugs
that had made their home in this delicious wood.

After getting all the rot out, the stump rode on my golf cart for a couple
of weeks riding in and out of the sun.
This helped with the drying process.
Here's a close look at the inside.


After it was cleaned out it had to be cut to the correct height that I wanted.
I had my son in law do this and he did a great job of cutting
a very level surface.


Here it is cut to size.
The bark has also been removed and the outside sanded a lot.
And I mean a lot. It had to be silky smooth.


A couple of times during all this process
I would enclosed it in plastic and set off a bug bomb inside.
Trying to make sure anything that was living was now gone.


I wanted to make sure the bottom was enclosed as the top would be.
So I cut a thin piece of plywood to cover the outline of the opening.
I also polyurethaned the inside to seal it.
The outside of the stump has about three coats of poly in a gloss finish.


I cut a small circle to cover the top of the stump.
This will also give the final top piece something to be screw into.


It was secured on the top of the stump with screws.


The finished top was then secured underneath attaching it to the small top.


I made the top out of an old 36" round table top.
I cut it down to 30", sanded the fire out of it,
then put 2 coats of a dark stain on it.
Then three coats of poly in a gloss finish.
I wanted the edges to have a rustic finish so I chiseled around the edges.
Then sanded it to make it a smoother edge.
Here's a closer look.


The finished product.


As you can see it did not end up on my back porch.


Here's a close up of the bottom.
It reminds me of animal hoofs.


Here it is being enjoyed in our great room.


It took a lot of work, but it turned out just as I had planned.
I think it's quite a unique piece of furniture with a great story.


Commit your activities to the Lord
and your plans will be achieved.
Proverbs 16:3


















18 comments:

  1. This is awesome and I love the finished project. Looks fantastic a nice show piece. It must make you smile when you sit down to relax.
    Carole @ Garden Up Green

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  2. Great tutorial on your repurposed tree stump.......the end results are just beautiful. Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  3. I love your table . . . great job! It looks wonderful in your room :)

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  4. Lots of hard work- beautiful! Did you consider using the bottom as the top, with a piece of glass? I was really drawn to the shape and beauty of the bottom, the way it flares out and shows the growth rings and red color! Please don't be offended, everyone sees different things, and it is your vision. :)

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    Replies
    1. I did consider using the bottom as the top. I also thought it had the most beautiful shape and color. But with the life style at my house, lots of active grandchildren and a big dog running through the house, I felt like it wouldn't be as stable or safe with glass as the top. And don't worry I'm not offended. Thanks for leaving a comment.

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  5. Hey Lyn visiting you by way to Two Uses Tuesday! This piece is simply fabulous! I LOVE,LOVE this. I wish I had someone who was good with cutting so that I could do something like this. Awesome piece!
    Michelle
    www.thatblackchic.com

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  6. That is a gorgeous table and something to be handed down generation to generation. I just wish I had the talent to try it.

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  7. This is so beautiful nad unique!! Thank you for sharing and joining our Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday Link Party. Have a great day, co-host Evija @Fromevijawithlove

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  8. Wow Lynn, what an a amazing coffee table. It looks like it was a ton of work but it turned out great! I can't get over the before and after. I really like the wooden top you added to it too. Thanks so much for sharing this at Dream. Create. Inspire. Link. I hope you will join us again this Tuesday night. Have a great weekend and take care, Tara

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  9. This is an amazing coffee table and you did such a great job transforming it. Love it. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy

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  10. What a gorgeous accent piece! Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday:-)

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  11. This looks fabulous. It sure does makes a great conversational piece.

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  12. Oh my! This looks so fabulous! Pinned and tweeted. Please join us tonight at 7 pm, and party with us. I can’t wait to see your new masterpieces or amazing classics! Lou Lou Girls

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  13. That turned out beautiful! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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  14. Thanks for sharing the stump coffee table at my last Fabulous Friday, I am taking a break from this party and doing another party where I co host and its called Dream Create and Inspire. Stop by if you have a few minutes
    Thanks Maria
    http://www.simplenaturedecorblog.com/dream-create-inspire-link10/

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  15. Thanks for stopping over to visit my post on my home. I love this stump table! Right up there in my Fav's
    Maria

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  16. Thanks for stopping over to visit my post on my home. I love this stump table! Right up there in my Fav's
    Maria

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  17. This is just so gorgeous! I know it was a lot of work, but the finished piece is amazing. Thanks for sharing on the #HomeMattersParty . I hope you will join us again next week.

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