Tomato Cages to Cocktail Tables

Alicia W
by Alicia W
7 Materials
$20
1 Day
Easy
My twin nephews are graduating from high school this year and my sister is throwing them a party in her backyard. With the amount of people that are attending, she wanted enough tables but didn't want to use banquet tables which take up a lot of room.
I remembered seeing a post on where made a table using a tomato cage.
I went to Lowe's and I purchased four black cages that were 54".
I also purchased four 1"x 18"x 18" round pine boards. Yes, I could have cut them myself but why when I can save time and just buy them already cut :)
I began by covering my work surface with plastic then I sanded the sides, top and bottom of the pine circles with 180 grit sandpaper. I wiped away the dust with a tack cloth.
Here a quick tip - if you are painting the sides of something, place it onto a plastic plate or bowl which raises it up. By doing this, your piece won't stick to your work surface and you'll be able to see underneath the edges.
I applied one coat of Krylon Colormaxx acrylic latex paint in white. Once it was dry, I sanded the sides, top, and bottom with 180 grit sandpaper again. After wiping away the dust, I applied a second coat of white paint.
While the paint was drying, I started to work on the design for the tabletops. One nephew is attending Temple University and the other nephew is attending Mansfield University.
While I am a crafty person, I'm not an artist so I found a picture of an angry owl (Temple's mascot) on my Cricut and cut it out onto black vinyl.
I applied the black vinyl outline to the tabletop and then used craft paint to add color to the owl. For all of the other "logos"* I cut them out of vinyl and attached them to the tabletops.
If you don't have access to a dye cut machine, you could use stencils, transfer designs from paper, or just freehand designs. You could also purchase vinyl logos in stores or on-line.
*As far a copyright infringement, I'm not selling the tables and a few of the logos are my adaptation.
Once all of the tops were dry, I flipped them over so the back was facing up.
I centered the top of the tomato cage on the back of the wooden circle.
I used 3/4" poultry net staples to attach the tomato cages to the wooden circles hammering them into place.
Once the tomato cages were attached, I took the tables outside and sprayed them with a clear sealer. I gave each table two coats.
The tables were the perfect size for the party. Once the legs of the tomato cages were placed firmly in the ground, they were very sturdy. When spills happened, the tables wiped clean and no stains were left behind.
Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 20 questions
  • Betty Betty on Apr 28, 2019

    What would be a good base for the tables. I would love to use them indoors?

  • SofttailToni SofttailToni on Apr 11, 2021

    I'm wondering why cut the wires? If there the bigger one's. Outside at a party you are standing. Why make smaller? Also why cut the wires the 4 that goes in the ground. Why cant this be poked in the ground? Ya know? Drinks won't fall any more than not being in the ground. Right? I don't know...Lol. but my brain went their! Haha. These all are great idea's!! U had me thinking. Also a gnome would be cute!! Anyways! Off to reading more DIY!! THANX LADY'S ✌😁

  • Merg Kittlewitz Merg Kittlewitz on Sep 09, 2022

    Where did you buy the round wood piece and what was the cost?

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 179 comments
  • Frank Donna Tavano Frank Donna Tavano on May 24, 2023

    Fabulous idea! I use those wood circles for Lazy Susans, but will introduce this project to our craft group. Thanks so much! Donna

  • Patti Patti on May 24, 2023

    This was absolutely genius, and they turned out beautifully! Great job!!!

Next