Woman Turns Simple Wood Rounds Into A High-End Coffee Table
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When you think about building a coffee table, you probably think about assembling one (especially if you're struck with the IKEA effect that makes you love assembling your own furniture). Constructing a table from scratch might seem like it requires major woodworking skills, but TikTok creator Jordan Miller proves it isn't that difficult to design a high-end piece yourself. She stacked wood rounds — smaller ones for the base and larger ones for the top — to create a modern beauty.
This isn't the cheapest project — an 18-inch round pine edge-glued board, which would work well as the pedestal base, costs about $15 at Home Depot. The inspiration project consists of about 11 rounds for the base, plus two larger rounds for the top. The number of rounds you'll need depends on how tall you want your table and how thick each one is. Checking Habitat for Humanity ReStore for low-cost wood rounds is a good idea. You can also cut your own rounds with a router to save some money. The sizing is flexible, especially if you want coffee table alternatives for your small living space and want to shrink the dimensions.
Grab lots of wood glue to hold the slabs together. The original creator tops the piece with two large rounds and fills in the gap between them with putty — grab that and a putty knife if you want to recreate that look. You can leave them plain and accept the groove as an extra detail. To finish the piece, use either stain or paint. The creator chose black paint, which adds to the sleek, modern look. Going with stain maintains the earthy, natural look. Or, go light neutral to brighten the room.
Construct a wood round coffee table
The basic construction of this DIY coffee table is simple. You apply a generous amount of wood glue to the top of a wooden round and place another on top. Continue until you reach the desired height for your base. Then switch to your larger top rounds, using the same method to glue them together. If you want to fill in the gap between the top rounds with putty, smooth it on and let it dry before painting the entire piece.
@jordanmillerhome The real reason I DIY'd my own coffee table ➡️ because I truly just felt inspired to design and create something of my own...and see how it turned out!! I think it turned out pretty well, wbu!? 🫶🏻 Not to mention – high end, REAL wood, designer style tables are hella expensive. I could have searched high and low and MAYBE found something reasonable...but it would have been much more expensive than mine AND I wouldn't have had the chance to design and create something myself! Which is actually pretty dang cool. And what's even COOLER is seeing so many of you recreate and share the ones you have made!! The Michelin Man Table is making its way across the world friends 👏🏼👏🏼 So far I've been sent pictures and tagged in posts of some that you have painted, stained, paint washed, used one piece of wood for the top, used both pieces for a top, used a live edge walnut burl – that one was STUNNING. I love it all! 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻 #diyfurniture #moderntable #buildsomething #diytable #inspireandbeinspired
Customizing the design is where you make this project truly your own. Keep in mind as you're planning your design that coffee tables are usually between 16 and 18 inches tall. If you want to keep costs lower, go with a shorter coffee table between 12 and 16 inches. The diameter of round coffee tables is usually between 30 and 48 inches, but you can adjust that to fit your space well.
Now, test out different design ideas. One simple change is to add a wider round on the bottom to balance out the piece. Or, change the top rounds to squares or rectangles. Instead of using all one size for the base, try alternating two different sizes to add dimension. Another option is to use graduated sizes, going from small to large in either direction — you could also start large, get smaller, and then go large again on the base. Or, use wood slices with the bark intact for a rustic decor idea. You can pair that with a slab of wood with a live edge, whether it's perfectly round or uniquely shaped.