Shutter and Slats Coffee Table

ScavengerChic
by ScavengerChic
2 Materials
$10
2 Days
Medium
Last week I showed you my wicker table. I had to make a pallet wood top for the table because I had stolen the glass for this project. ..a table made entirely of recycled materials.
It all started when a friend of mine messaged me and told me that a local salvage yard was putting a bunch of mismatched shutters out in their parking lot under their free tent. I didn't even know they had a free tent. I couldn’t go that night because they close early, hopefully they would still have some the next day.
Well I’m happy to say they did, and I grabbed a bunch. I chose this black shutter for my first shutter project because of the width, 20″ ,which just happened to be the exact same width of the glass from the wicker table. It was fate!
After a good scrubbing, the shutter was cut down to the same length as the glass. Again perfect! The length was right where the natural break of the shutter occurred. I was going to use the black side, but this original blue color on the underneath kind of spoke to me. In order to use the underside, I had to sand off whatever the brown stuff was on the slats, sand the edges where the black paint had sloshed over then touch up between the slats.
A reclaimed piece of 2×4 forms the frame for my shutter. The corners were attached with glue and long decking screws. Once attached, the frame was given a good sanding, especially the pointy corners and any splintered wood then finished with a white wax.
I put the frame upside down and layered in the glass followed by the shutter. With a nail gun, I used 2 1/2″ nails to attach the shutter to the frame. (Avoid the glass!) Just a few nails per side holds the shutter in place. Using scrap wood, attach a small ledge on all 4 sides, butt up against the shutter, then glue and nail into place.
For the legs I used old spindles from a staircase cut to equal lengths of 18". To hold the spindle in place, cut a piece of scrap wood with 45 degree edges as shown and screw into place.
I used a half width piece of pallet wood, mitered at the ends, as a ledge to hold a bottom shelf. Nail or screw into place.
Bed slats were used for the bottom shelf. They were painted with teal chalk paint, lightly sanded, waxed then nailed onto the pallet wood ledge. Of course pallet wood would work just as well.
A shutter would make a very uneven top for a coffee table, the glass finished it off perfectly. If you need more step by step pictures and of the finished project, I hope you have a chance to stop by. You can also check out the table transformation where the glass originally came from.


Since I first posted this project I've now completed 25 different shutter projects. Check out the full gallery here with links to all the fun DIYs.
Suggested materials:
  • Shutter, legs   (salvage yard)
  • Glass top   (thrift store)
ScavengerChic
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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  2 questions
  • Amy Lynn Armistead Amy Lynn Armistead on Oct 14, 2016
    Where did you get the glass? I need one about that size👍🏻🙂
  • Margaret Adamson Margaret Adamson on Jun 22, 2018

    This is beautiful. I have a question? I have a glass top coffee table tucked away. When we were using the table everyday use caused debris to collect at the edges and just under the glass. I want redo the table with new glass. What would suggest to seal around the glass to prevent this. I cleaned it every week or more often. I had to lift the glass up from underneath and being rectangular it was difficult, I thought I would break the glass and cleaning the edges of the table caused quite a bit of wear. I didn't realize this when I bought it. I just can't let it go!lol


    Thank you

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  • Lori Lori on Jun 27, 2018

    I want to try this!

  • Joanie Joanie on Nov 17, 2020

    Gorgeous!! Rustic and farmy lookin'......shelving underneath, nice place for afghan or magazines. Fits right in!!

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