Materials and the sequence of the job sit together on this page.
Give your patio some character! Our guest today built her family an outdoor coffee table using a large metal tub as the base. Brilliant! She wrote an excellent walkthrough and we’ve featured it here for you to add the comfort and functionality of a sturdy patio table to your space. Happy Summer!
We also love these pieces of outdoor furniture, both striking and comfortable:
Build an Outdoor Table Using an Old Door The Handmade Home
Handmade Porch Hammock Going Home to Roost
straightforward Outdoor Bench in Less Than an Hour The Basement
low-cost Chic Cocktail Table from a Pallet Today’s Nest
Build a Rustic Outdoor Dining Table Unexpected Elegance on Bekob
Now see how Melissa built this outdoor coffee table for her patio!
Metal Bucket Outdoor Coffee Table
by Melissa of A Place To Nest
Hi, I’m Melissa from A Place to Nest. I juggle a busy nest filled with a five year old son, a busy Hubby, a full time job, all while updating our builder grade home. I love wood tones, white frames, and if I could paint everything with chalkboard paint I probably would.
I was thrilled when I was contacted by Bekob to show off my bucket outdoor coffee table. It all started with our patio table set breaking to pieces from the strong winds by my house. Enter a large bucket I use for my Christmas tree and my imagination. The rest, as they say, is patio history.
Here is a close up of the bucket I had on hand (bucket size 3 feet at the widest part). I decided for walking space to put it right side up and drill a few holes in the bottom for any possible water drainage.
Bekob note: We’ve had lots of questions asking where you can find a similar bucket to make this solid table! We found one that’s just a little smaller than Melissa’s on Amazon (affiliate link) here. We’ve also had fans tell us that their local farm or tractor supply store stocks large washtubs and metal bins like this. If you’ve built this, we’d love to see pictures and know where you found your bucket!
Next came some planning and decisions about lumber and how to attach to the bucket. I decided to buy some 1/4 inch plywood to use as the base to attach the 2×6 boards to. I wanted this table to withstand drinks, kids, and most of all resting feet on top of it so a base was key.
I drew a circle and cut the plywood into a circle. The next step was my go-to to get all negative energy out… the beating of the 2×6 boards to give it some character. After that mood-altering step I then glued the 2×6’s to the circle and let dry overnight. I followed the same technique by using the plywood as my template and cut the 2×6 boards to match the circle.
I already had stain on hand that I used on my wood wall art and on my chunky bathroom shelves so I stained it up and watched the character come out. Finish with a coat of poly and my table top was done.
I attached it to the base using liquid nails and then finished with some clear, outdoor caulk to keep the water out.
Let’s get to the final product since that is what really matters. Cocktails anyone?
Bucket- Free (thank you Christmas)
Stain- Free (from other projects)
Glue- Free (had on hand)
Caulk- Free (had on hand)
One 1/4 inch plywood- $20 (we bought bigger for an oops piece just in case)
2×6 untreated lumber- $30 (my son is using the left over scraps for building Lego worlds)
Poly- $10
Total cost: $60
The coffee table ends up being the well fitted height with our chairs (luck was on my side) and we have enjoyed the deck so much more already and summer has just started.
Anyone want to come chill out with me?
I want to come chill out with you, Melissa! Thanks for sharing with us!
[pinit align=”center” url=”https://www.Bekob.com/outdoor-coffee-table-for-patio/” image_url=”https://www.Bekob.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Handmade-outdoor-coffee-table-from-a-large-metal-bucket-by-A-Place-to-Nest-featured-on-Bekob.png” description=”Ready for summer? Add this Handmade outdoor patio table to your list. It’s designed to be sturdy and direct to build with this walkthrough by A Place to Nest featured on Bekob. #Bekob #patiofurniture #Handmade #outdoorfurniture”]
Looking for more options for your patio? See below!
striking Porch and Patio Decor options
