Help needed with garden table skeleton
I’m starting off the new year with a request for inspiration. While not the most stylish, the garden table below has served us well for 15 years. It had a frosted glass top until recently: When I lifted out the umbrella in order to put it away for the winter, the very bottom of the metal umbrella post caught on the center hole in the glass top, causing the glass to shatter. Luckily it was safety glass, but sweeping up zillions of bits and pieces of glass off aggregate concrete wasn’t fun.
I don’t want I to junk the table base because it’s still perfectly good. That’s why I’d love to hear your ideas: What could I do with it?
I was thinking of making a mosaic top, but the only experience I have is seeing it done on TV. This would be awesome, but my skill set is probably only sufficient for a simple design.
Another idea is a perforated sheet metal top, provided I can find a place in the Sacramento area that will cut a piece to size (4 ft. diameter).
If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment below. Thank you!
That's a shame it busted, glad you're trying to give it a second life. I've always preferred glass to mosiac or hard top for it's lightness and simplicity. It would be neat to get a new piece of glass cut, and to mount a lower shelf to fill with echeverias and other drought loving short growing succulents. I've been dreaming of creating something like this myself, a bit of a table greenhouse so to speak. Just an idea, I'm sure you'll do something great.
ReplyDeleteWell,4 ft dia is the size of a sheet of plywood,or other building materials. If you don't feel inspired enough to attempt the mosaic,you have a couple of talented ladies in the household that would probably enjoy it! plexiglass is another possibility. DUDS
ReplyDeleteI love the look of the sheet metal...but is the table usually in the shade, or sun? It would probably get too hot if it was in the sun all day. If in the shade...that's what I would go with...then again, I'm super un-crafty...so usually like the simple/easy solutions ;-)
ReplyDeleteMosaic is one idea, but it's going to be HEAVY. Any idea what the weight of the glass top was? You'll have to consider the max load the frame can take.
ReplyDeleteI was going to suggest plexiglass too -- you can sand it to give it a frosted look. It will scratch pretty easily though, and not sure about mold/mildew. Not sure what UV will do to it either.
What about wood? A sheet of plywood might work but probably won't be attractive... and you could use the "bartop" pourable finish... not sure what it's called exactly. Better yet (but a little more difficult) would be redwood decking boards or similar.
Have you checked if replacement glass tops are available from the manufacturer? They may be a standard size so another manufacturer would be okay too. That's most likely the simplest solution.
Might find a replace glass top in a YS this coming season!
ReplyDeleteYou could go outdoor rated plywood and then tile it.
ReplyDeleteEverybody, thank you for your ideas. The easiest thing would be to find a replacement glass top (yard sale is a great idea, Becky).
ReplyDeleteBut it would be great to have something more unique, and I've wanted to try a mosaic for a long time. I was thinking of small 1" squares, typically sold in 1x1 ft sheets and often used for kitchen backsplashes. These tiles are fairly thin and don't weigh much.
I'll post an update once we've decided what to do. You knows, I may discover that I have a crafty side after all.
Outdoor markets are also a great place for finding patio furniture or outdoor furniture sales. It is a fun way to look around at all the available garden furniture in one place.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of preserving this table skeleton. You can always add flavor into it. Try changing the color as well. That will give a new look to that skeleton. You can also try visiting some stores offering commercial outdoor furniture to look for some great ideas. Anyway, I look forward to seeing the future outcome of your project.
ReplyDelete