Upcycling old materials into coffee tables

In the last couple of years, the humble living room coffee table has undergone various unorthodox makeovers, courtesy of the green DIY community. The following are examples of coffee tables made out of upcycled wooden crates and wooden windows.

 

Image Source: diynetwork.com

Crate Coffee Table

 Collect four wooden wine crates from a local grocery store or liquor shop. Stain them and allow to dry properly.

Use a plywood board, preferably reclaimed from a local hardware store, as your table base.

Using nails, secure the crates unto one side of the board. Make sure that the crates are in a tight square position, with the openings facing outwards, leaving an open square space in the center. The crates must be attached tightly enough to each other.

 Image Source: handimania.com

On the bottom, non-crated side of your reclaimed plywood board, screw four caster wheels of your chosen size onto the four corners. This will allow you mobility for your crate coffee table.

Prime, paint, and polish your crate coffee table to your liking.  

Window Coffee Table

Salvage a large, square-ish window from a construction or demolition site within your neighborhood. Source some two-by-fours, a plywood board, and wooden table legs from the same site as well, or try to score them from the local hardware store.

 

Image Source: upcyclethat.com

Measure and cut the two-by-fours and the plywood board to the window’s size. Screw the boards together to form a sturdy box-type base to your window coffee table. On the bottom of your box-base, screw in the reclaimed wooden legs at the corners. 

Use hinges to attach your window to your coffee table base. Stain, prime, paint, and polish your window coffee table to your heart’s desire.

I’m Elizabeth Lesar and I’m an eco-warrior and sustainability champ. I share more of my thoughts and ideas on this blog.