Patio/Coffee/Table Build | Modern Outdoor Furniture | #53

Matches my Patio Couch (Project #166). I wanted a coffee table that could survive a hurricane. Concrete Top. Wood Base.

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Part 1: The Concrete Top

Making a concrete tabletop is like baking a cake, if the cake weighed 150 lbs.

1. The Mold: I built a mold out of Melamine (slick plastic-coated particle board). Concrete doesn't stick to melamine.
2. Sealing: I caulked the inside corners with black silicone. This creates a rounded "chamfer" on the finished edge.
3. Reinforcement: I laid wire mesh inside.
4. The Mix: I used Countertop Mix (high strength, fine aggregate).
5. The Pour: Pour, vibrate (to release bubbles), and screed flat.

Wait 3 days.

6. De-molding: I unscrewed the sides and popped the slab out. The surface against the melamine was glassy smooth.

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Part 2: The Cedar Base

I built a simple "X-Frame" base using 4x4 Cedar posts.

• Joinery: Half-lap joints in the center of the X.
• Finish: Spar Urethane (same as the couch).

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Assembly

I put the slab on the base. Gravity holds it in place. It isn't going anywhere. The contrast of the cool grey concrete and the warm red cedar is perfect for a modern garden.