Tree Stump Tables by Somewhat Quirky Design
$60
4 Days
Medium
I've seen many tree round tables around the web waves and I've always wanted to make one. It just takes a bit of sanding. And sanding. And sanding. And sanding. And sanding. And sanding. And sanding. And sanding. Well, you get it . . .
I chiseled off the bark. Not difficult at all. Some use a grinder for this.
These chainsaw marks are deep and numerous. That's why you have to sand so much. These pieces are about 2 feet across. A narrower stump would have relatively few saw marks. The thinner slice was better because it was cut with the intention of keeping it smooth.
I used some hairpin legs that I found at an estate sale on the thinner piece.
I used 5" casters under the thicker piece. If you look over in the upper right corner you can see where I shimmed it to make the table level. Well, mostly level.
This table was finished with 3 -5 coats of hemp oil, then 5 or 6 coats of a tongue oil mix.
The large table was covered in multiple coats of hemp oil (about 6 ounces total)
I don't know what kind of wood they are. My guess is that at least one of them is Elm.
The splits happened after I took off the bark then left them in the garage over the winter. Oops. At first I was upset. Now I love them. I hope that having them indoors in the moderate temps will keep the cracks stable.
I just wish I had a tiny bit more room for them! And had had a sunnier day to take pictures!
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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2 of 84 comments
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Your tables are absolutely Beauuutiful! I have been wanting a tree stump coffee table for eons it seems buuuut #1: is not in my budget, #2: don't happen to have a chain saw or truck handy #3: the ones already pre-cut and assembled in my budget fall short with the chosen, horrific legs. I Loove the caster idea on the bottom of yours! Thank you for the inspiration!
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I'm glad you like them! You should check out my blog post to find out how I got mine! I think the process of getting my logs and finishing my tables was like 4 years. So with patience you can have tables by 2020!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
I have a piece of oak tree that is about twice the thickness of your biggest one. I want to use it as an outside table on my deck. 1) is it necessary to take off the bark? 2) if it can be left, what do I do to preserve it? 3) I've been told that taking a small chain saw and cutting out the center of the trunk piece about half way thru would make it lighter and easier to manage. I plan to put wheels on it so is it really necessary to take out part of the center?
Thanks in advance for your help. Your tables are beautiful.
That is beautiful!!! I just had a cedar tree cut down hoping to do this with the wider pieces and the smaller pieces to use like trivets. What would have you done different if you could do it over again?