Songbird

Where Creativity and Nesting come Together

Garden Table ~ The Case of the Amazing Halves

By Marianne@Songbird

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Hello dear fellow bloggers, Happy Good Friday to you.

Today has been a good Friday to me in many ways. My Love decided (after some persuasion from my side) to take an extra day off at work AND to take a day off from studying as well. So we have enjoyed a day of sunshine together. And what makes the day even better is that I got him to help me ‘finish’ a project I was hurrying to get done.

Look, see, I have a new garden table:

 

 

Well truth be told there is absolutely nothing new about it. In fact everything is very old. but it has a new look.

Because do you remember this picture from a couple of weeks ago:

 

 

This is our trusted, very used, and often repaired garden table, that has served us well the past years. You can see the reinforcements on the legs in this table. This poor baby was falling apart under our hands, so we talked about replacing it for at least two years now. But we kept putting it off, and then when the plans for our new roofed back porch were developing we postponed it even further. Well when we saw this table under the new roof and on our big new terrace, we were absolutely certain it had to go. It was way too small now and looked ridiculous.

We have found a ‘new’ table already – more on that another day – so this old lady got shoved to the side. Waiting to be thrown away. Or not….

I decided to see if I could make her work for us yet.

So I cut her in half….

 

 

I have always wanted a gardening table or bench to use when I was pottering around with garden plants. And I also thought it would be nice to have a side table on our terrace to use with all the garden parties we will now certainly host Glimlach.

So I put the saw to work and cut out the middle part of the table. I was aiming for two pieces that together would make a table of about 50 cm wide (that would be 20 inches).

 

 

I needed to support that middle part when I was sawing through the last plank that held it up it together in the middle. Don’t you think I came up with a highly technical solution for that? Yeah I think so too.

Time for a trial run.

 

 

Yes, I think this could become something. Let’s move on.

I glued the two pieces together and reinforced the cuts with some small wooden bits. I say I here, but I mean My Love did. This whole project was my mastermind idea, but in all fairness he did most of the work. I bargained with him “ do you want to make lunch or saw the table in half?” and “ honey I can’t cook diner I am busy putting the table back together!”. Worked like a charm.

 

 

Then I needed something to make the table a lot sturdier. Sawing that baby in half hadn’t exactly solved the problem of the loose legs. But I didn’t want to use new wood, I wanted it aged and blending in with the weathered grey wood of the table.

Enter a very old, and very weathered palette that had been lying behind our shed all winter. It was a bit moldy and very dirty, and falling apart. It was perfect.

 

 

So I disassembled it. Let me tell you that was the hardest part of this whole project. I don’t know how Donna and the likes of her do it, but getting the nails out of this thing without demolishing the wood was hard work. But it had to be done.

I used the thick cross beam to make extra supports between the table legs and as you will see it blended in perfectly. Looks like it has always been there.

I still had that middle piece I cut out and decided to turn that into an extra shelf.

 

 

So I reinforced that with more scrap wood and then she was ‘finished’.

I love her, I think my new side table / gardening bench is exactly what I hoped her to be.

 

Garden Table 6

 

Of course the people I know in real life will shake their heads and wonder why I didn’t just go out and buy a new one. But what is the fun in that….

 

Garden Table 7

 

Of course she isn’t really finished….

Halfway through this project my plans changed, got more ambitious and more daring. And I want to add one more thing to make her extra special perfect.

Of course that will entail doing something I have never done before….

It does require a lengthy search for the proper materials and information on how to work with them….

It does scare me to bits….

But I can’t wait for round two with this gardening table.

 

worktable made out of old garden table

 

But this weekend I am going to relax and enjoy round 1.

I think this stage deserves a proper moment of glory in it self.

 

I think you might like this too

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33 Comments

  1. Cozy Little House says

    April 22, 2011 at 9:15 pm

    I would never have thought of that. Or if I had, would never have had the nerve to do it!
    Brenda

  2. lucy says

    April 22, 2011 at 9:33 pm

    wow, that is a completely awesome little table! and I just can't imagine how you will improve it!

  3. Junk-it Junction... says

    April 22, 2011 at 9:44 pm

    Hehe, I would have done exactly what you did, and then add a backsplash/shelves to the top…love it!

  4. Corn in my Coffee-Pot says

    April 22, 2011 at 10:41 pm

    That turned out pretty good. I like the rustic look of the wood. I guess you could have painted it. But it has so much character the way it is now. Great work~
    Pat

  10. Simone says

    April 22, 2011 at 11:58 pm

    Oh my goodness, this is brilliant! I have an old table exactly the same and have been wondering what I can do with it, I am going to attempt to convert mine too. I just love the final result such a lovely french feel. Beautiful!!

  11. Linda B says

    April 23, 2011 at 12:19 am

    Oh Marianne, your table turned out great! How do you think of these things? Just wonderful!

  13. gail@myrepurposedlife.net says

    April 23, 2011 at 3:43 am

    Marianne! I love your "new" table! you did an awesome job, and you mad skills with that saw impress me!
    gail

  14. Funky Junk Interiors says

    April 23, 2011 at 4:46 am

    Standing ovation from over here! It's beautiful! I love the two layers, I'm really inspired to make my own potter's bench now. 🙂 Can't wait to see phase 2… whatever is she going to work with.. would it be metal?!? Plumbing? Hmmm….

    Shared this on FJI Facebook for SNS 78. 🙂

    Donna

  15. Mary Ellen says

    April 23, 2011 at 5:29 am

    What a great job transforming this old table into a great looking garden bench!!! Love it

  19. Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal says

    April 23, 2011 at 7:50 am

    You made a great table! It nice and big, love the shelf you added too. Can't wait to see part two!

  20. Sharon (Roses and Rust) says

    April 23, 2011 at 10:42 am

    I love it. Very clever! A new one would never have had that character and patina. Looking forward to stage 2. Happy Easter x Sharon

  21. Pamma says

    April 23, 2011 at 11:09 am

    Just love it! Turned out beautifully and can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve. Have a great weekend.
    ~Pam
    pamspaintparlor.typepad.com

  22. shabbylisaw says

    April 23, 2011 at 11:55 am

    I think I have that exact table, and we've had to repair it a few times too! But I totally love what you did with your table. I must may have to turn mine into something similar.

  25. Joselyn says

    April 23, 2011 at 4:17 pm

    Visiting from FJI. Wow! You really knocked this makeover out of the park. I want one! Thanks for the inspiration!

  28. Lanell says

    April 24, 2011 at 1:28 am

    Hi Marianne,
    I was blog hopping today and found your beautiful blog. I love the herb garden tags with the forks. Very clever. I would love to start planting herbs in pots. I love being in the kitchen and they would sure come in handy. I am your newest follower.

  29. Marianne says

    April 24, 2011 at 7:19 am

    De tafel is erg leuk geworden! Ben benieuwd wat je er verder nog mee van plan bent. je hebt gelijk, Ik zou inderdaad een nieuwe gekocht hebben.
    Prettige Paasdagen!

  32. fairfieldhousenj.com says

    April 25, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    Marianne,

    I love your new garden table! What a clever and creative way to make something you already have more useful and to your liking!

    Deborah