Topping a Table
Create your own unique table and top it with a glass mosaic

What you might otherwise consider trash was actually used to build this sturdy and functional table.

Most of the supplies and tools needed for this project you may already have in your toolbox. For the base of the table you'll need some thick branches from your yard -- preferably no smaller than an inch and a half in diameter and no shorter than two feet in length. You'll also need a piece of plywood, pine board or particleboard for the tabletop cut to size. Ours is 12x18 inches.

For the mosaic top, start keeping any broken plates and cups you may have around the house. Or most craft stores sell stained glass and small mosaic tiles in a wide array of colors and shapes. You can also purchase ceramic tiles from your local home store and break them yoursel, or use marbles, pieces of slate or even small riverbed stones. The possibilities are endless.

Materials for Table: Wood branches and twigs Plywood board Drill, with drill and screw bits 4 wood screws Wood glue Hand or Jig saw Clamps and/or clamp table Work table Tape measure and a pencil	Materials for Mosaic Top: White paint and brush Epoxy glue for glass and ceramics Tile, colored glass or broken china pieces Tile grout Stiff plastic spatula Rubber gloves Grout sealer
1. Measure and mark all four branches so they are exactly 24 inches in length. They will create the legs of the table.	2. Clamp one branch to a table or into the vise clamp of a clamp table.
3. Using a hand saw or a jig saw, cut each branch on the marks you made. 4. Repeat this until all four legs are 24 inches in length.	5. Mark the bottom of the legs in the center, as shown above. This mark is where you will attach the tabletop to each leg. Mark the bottom side of your tabletop board at all four corners.
6. Secure your tabletop board to your worktable and drill your screw holes on the marks you made. Repeat on all four corners.	7. Using the clamp table, secure one table leg so it is flush with the clamp table's surface. Smear a small amount of wood glue on the leg, and place your board on top of the glued leg. Clamp the board to your worktable once it is properly positioned over the leg. With your drill, screw the board to the leg using your wood screws. Repeat this with all four corners.
8. Now that you have the table legs attached to the top, turn it upside down on your work surface.	9. You now need to create a cross support for the lower section of your table. Taking a thin branch and some twine, tie the thinner branch and the leg together. Repeat this step to create an X between all four legs. Tie the center of the supports together with more twine.
10. Use four additional thin twigs and repeat the process around the outer edges of the legs. This will help keep your table sturdy.	11. Now you are ready to establish your mosaic design for the tabletop. Click here for tiling instructions.

Topping a Table Create your own unique table and top it with a glass mosaic Back to table instructions

Materials for Table: Wood branches and twigs Plywood board Drill, with drill and screw bits 4 wood screws Wood glue Hand or Jig saw Clamps and/or clamp table Work table Tape measure and a pencil Materials for Mosaic Top: White paint and brush Epoxy glue for glass and ceramics Tile, colored glass or broken china pieces Tile grout Stiff plastic spatula Rubber gloves Grout sealer 1. If you are going to use colored glass, you should paint the raw surface of the table white with any household paint. The white will help emphasize the true colors of the transparent glass. If you are planning on using china pieces or tiles, you can skip this step. 2. Create your design by laying out your pieces on the table before you glue them down. 3. Once you are satisfied with your design, glue each piece to the tabletop with the epoxy glue. Let dry according to the time specified on the glue's packaging. 4. Once the glue is completely dry, mix the tile grout according to the instructions. Be sure you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands. Working in sections, apply a small amount of grout on your mosaic. Use your rubber spatula to spread the grout around the surface, and into the all of the spaces between the tiles or glass. 5. After allowing the grout to set according to the directions on the package, take a damp sponge and lightly run it over the surface of the table. Repeat until you've removed most of the grout from the tile or glass surface, making sure not to scoop out the grout between the tiles. Let the grout set up to a firm consistency, and then wipe off any remaining hazy residue from the top. Back to table instructions You can be proud of your unique table -- especially if the kids help. Once the table has completely dried, apply a grout sealer on the top to protect the surface, then seal the legs with an outdoor polyurethane product. You can also be creative by trimming your table edges with metal or copper foil, or with decorative molding found at your local home-improvement warehouse. You can also smear grout along the edges, as we've done here, to give the table that truly rustic look. Next time you're in the market for a one-of-a-kind table to add a bit of rustic charm to your outdoor patio, try creating our mosaic table instead of buying one. It's functional, creative and best of all, it's handmade.