The humble coffee table is the perfect furniture piece to bring some rustic charm to your living room or porch. If you’re looking to enhance your rustic design style while also stretching your DIY skills, there are many coffee table plans that can help you. Here we’ve put together some ideas for making your own rustic coffee tables, DIY-style.
Pallet Coffee Table
Wooden pallets are a goldmine for rustic DIY projects of all kinds. They’re also perfect for making your own reclaimed wood coffee table. There are several different designs you can choose, including stacking multiple pallets, adding a piece of glass on top of the pallets to prevent items from falling through the open slats. Another idea is to take the pallet apart completely and rebuild a new surface with the planks. This will create an even surface that’s completely customizable as long as you have the right power tools. You can paint the wood planks in a white or pale gray for a softer rustic look, or keep the wood bare. Don’t forget to sand carefully to avoid splinters.
Reclaimed Window Coffee Table
Clear-topped coffee tables are great for storage and for creating visual interest with a utilitarian piece of furniture. While you could build your own coffee table with a simple pane of glass on the top, another idea is to use an old window. If you’re lucky enough to have the right size wooden window frame with sturdy glass, you can create a table with it by placing it on top of a shallow wooden box. Keep the box open at the top so you can store or display items under the window. For ease of access, you can attach the window to the box with hinges. This will let you open and close it easily to get to the items within. With this project, you’ll have a unique rustic style coffee table that’s as functional as it is versatile.
Wire Spool Coffee Table
If you prefer round rather than rectangular tables, opt for a wooden table made from an old wire spool. Wooden spools are easy to find in salvage, recycling centers or even second-hand stores. While simply turned on its side a spool might seem to work as a perfectly fine table already, there are some upgrades you’ll want to consider. One would be a careful sanding of every surface and edges to prevent splinters. There may also be stains, writing or other markings on the spool that you can remove with a sander. If you’re concerned about water stains from cups or glasses, give the surface a coat of protective wood stain or paint. Once you have your spool cleaned up and ready, you’ll have an excellent rustic table made almost entirely of recycled materials.
These are just a few ideas for making your own coffee tables to add and enhance rustic style. The versatility of these table plans make them great for beginners and DIY experts alike and will give you the satisfaction of using reclaimed materials and your own hard work and effort.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
