Turn warehouse pallets into one-of-a-kind chic tables.
The word chic has many definitions: sophisticated, fashionable -- even shabby. A chic table in the eye of a beholder can be pretty much anything short of a table that lacks imagination. You can make a chic table that grabs attention while eliciting praise and compliments - as long as you stay true to your personal definition of chic. That means putting your unique spin on the project and taking all the credit once the table is finished. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Make repairs to the wood pallet if there are blemishes in the slat tops or the wood framework surrounding it. Mix a small amount of epoxy compound made for wood fill projects, consisting of resin and hardener. Use a putty knife to combine equal amounts of both, and then work the compound into gashes and holes that are too deep to be fixed with sandpaper. Work fast. Epoxy compound is like quick-drying modeling clay; mix and use small amounts so you don't feel rushed.
2. Use a chisel to shave off bumps and protrusions on the pallet and then allow the epoxy medium to dry thoroughly. Sand the entire pallet-cum-tabletop with a low-grade sandpaper to smooth the surface and integrate the putty. Wipe down the pallet with a cloth to get rid of remaining dust and soil, as there's nothing chic about remnants of sandpaper dust that wind up clinging to paint, lacquer and other finishing applications.
3. Measure the area on the reverse side of the pallet. Cut a section of plywood to fit snugly into the underside. Use more epoxy medium to bond the plywood to the underside of the palette so there are no perceptible gaps in the two layers of wood. You should be able to hold up the palette to a window and no light should shine through.
4. Mount table legs to the underside of the pallet using screws to hide the tops of the legs, or you can mount the four legs to the corners of the pallet tabletop if you have purchased appendages that are pre-cut for side mounting. You can also tear apart a second pallet and use the wood braces that hold the pallet slats together as legs, or re-purpose four pieces of identically sized wrought iron scrap into legs. Once all of these elements are attached, give the wood a final sanding and stain the piece, or use a topcoat to seal all of the wood.
5. Choose the finish you envision for the surface of your chic table. Use the putty knife to lay down a thick layer of mortar that sinks between the slats of the pallet to create a smooth and earthy free-form surface, try your hand at tiling the tabletop using small mosaic tiles, or turn larger floor tiles - slate, marble or another material -- into a sleek tabletop. There are no rules for embellishing the table.
Tags: chic table, epoxy medium, putty knife, surface your, table that
