![A modern industrial concrete and wood outdoor coffee table. Inspired by Pottery Barn. Save $1000 DIY your own! A modern industrial concrete and wood outdoor coffee table. Inspired by Pottery Barn. Save $1000 DIY your own!](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-af_vI5Lw7Ew/WMo1a9fbWzI/AAAAAAABkAI/MEnj7VOkL94/Pottery-Barn-Inspired-Concrete-Topped-Coffee-Table.jpg?imgmax=1600)
It is my favorite post of the month! The POWER TOOL CHALLENGE.. and this month, the prompt was "Home Decor" projects. 10 bloggers including myself came up with a new home dec project and there were some awesome ideas:
![Power Tool Challenge Team Home Decor Projects 3.17.jpg Power Tool Challenge Team Home Decor Projects 3 17](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_4OEvUkiA50/WMo0krAuk1I/AAAAAAABj-4/NSA703TjK_4/Power%252520Tool%252520Challenge%252520Team%252520Home%252520Decor%252520Projects%2525203.17.jpg?imgmax=1600)
The Kim Six Fix - Pottery Barn Inspired Concrete Top Coffee Table
Domestically Speaking - Large DIY Wall Sign
H2OBungalow - DIY Live Edge Coffee Table With Hairpin Legs
My Repurposed Life - Sofa Side Table
My Love 2 Create - Fabric and Wood Wall Hanging
Virginia Sweet Pea - Card Display Holder
The DIY Bungalow - Repurposed Fire Screen
Designed Decor - Upcycled Wall Shelf
Create and Babble - DIY Wood Plank Walls
Thrift Diving - DIY Bath Vanity
My project was inspired by this $1250 coffee table I saw in the Pottery Barn catalog. I wanted to add a new coffee table to the back yard and this one struck my fancy:
![concrete table abbot.jpg Concrete table abbot](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--qV-b1_pizM/WMo0wExQv7I/AAAAAAABj_I/zGTCa_K1fS4/concrete%252520table%252520abbot.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Now I'm not saying that Pottery Barn is overpriced, but I will never buy a coffee table that could cover the cost of a short vacation. So I had to build my own. And by doing so, I saved more than $1000!
![Concrete-and-Wooden-Outdoor-Pottery-Barn-Table.jpg Concrete and Wooden Outdoor Pottery Barn Table](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BwCM9eN9PO4/WMo0zQWgFJI/AAAAAAABj_M/SFaQxHo4eHQ/Concrete-and-Wooden-Outdoor-Pottery-Barn-Table.jpg?imgmax=1600)
I made sure to get all the features from the original that I loved. The concrete slab top:
![Exterior-Concrete-and-Wood-Industrial-Coffee-Table.jpg Exterior Concrete and Wood Industrial Coffee Table](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K_gv2ztB3sk/WMo1BM7p0jI/AAAAAAABj_g/ID1S6avOqB0/Exterior-Concrete-and-Wood-Industrial-Coffee-Table.jpg?imgmax=1600)
The industrial turnbuckle hardware between the legs.
![industrial-turnbuckle-hardware-on-coffee-table.jpg Industrial turnbuckle hardware on coffee table](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L3lk7k3qXsI/WMo1L7ai63I/AAAAAAABj_w/6mKbL9opsGo/industrial-turnbuckle-hardware-on-coffee-table.jpg?imgmax=1600)
And even the mortise and tenon joints! I got it all.. but in a rectangle shape instead of square, since that better fit my space.
![KimPowerToolHomeDec.jpg KimPowerToolHomeDec](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TfFONrnt_KE/WMo1Q6mR7VI/AAAAAAABj_4/rblly6vEa68/KimPowerToolHomeDec.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Building the Wooden Base:
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The base itself is pretty simple. I used 4x4s and 2x4s for the legs, and then I used scrap 2x3s for the supports. To angle the legs I cut them at 15 degree angles on my miter saw, and used pocket holes made with my Kreg Jig to assemble them together.
![pocket-holes-for-cross-braces-on-coffee-table.jpg Pocket holes for cross braces on coffee table](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-05SwBoLlpOI/WMo1YeFCGyI/AAAAAAABkAE/HEpTxQQG0rQ/pocket-holes-for-cross-braces-on-coffee-table.jpg?imgmax=1600)
I didn't want any pocket holes in the lower leg braces, and I wasn't going to really use a mortise and tenon joint, so instead I decided to countersink the screws. I started with HUGE 4 inch screws (which are still too short to get all the way through a 4x4), and then I used an extra long drill bit to get all the way through the post.
![drill-bits-and-screws-for-large-build.jpg Drill bits and screws for large build](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oJqK9vu1Nn4/WMo0-DqcBpI/AAAAAAABj_c/qLy1_onotCU/drill-bits-and-screws-for-large-build.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Once I drilled all the way though the 4x4, I then went back and drilled though the outside half of it with a larger Forstner bit. (just big enough to accept the head of the screws.)
![inset-screws-into-4-by-4s.jpg Inset screws into 4 by 4s](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BH6WfmMyv8I/WMo1OL3vUXI/AAAAAAABj_0/f9GoU4g_StU/inset-screws-into-4-by-4s.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Now I had the problem of large holes on the outside of the table legs and I didn't get the mortise and tenon look:
![building-base-for-industrial-concrete-coffee-table.jpg Building base for industrial concrete coffee table](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--eREYV12ehk/WMo0qa08ZbI/AAAAAAABj_A/Nx_GvUFdUVo/building-base-for-industrial-concrete-coffee-table.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Fortunately, all it took to deal with these problems was as little scrap of 1x2 that I cut into 1/2 inch slices.
I glued them over the holes using Gorilla glue and then moved on to the hardware.
I bought a hook and eye turnbuckle and removed the hook and eye and replaced it with a threaded rod. Then on each end I used a rod mounting plate to attach the rod to the cross brace. To make it look more like the original, I spray painted all the hardware with oil rubbed bronze spraypaint.
![spray-painting-hardware-black.jpg Spray painting hardware black](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gMvpghFqt2s/WMo1gBHfbrI/AAAAAAABkAQ/L4A6Wg3jwKM/spray-painting-hardware-black.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Finally, because this will be outdoors, I sealed it with with Thompsons Water Seal in a semi-transparent cedar color
![spray-painting-hardware-black.jpg Spray painting hardware black](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gMvpghFqt2s/WMo1gBHfbrI/AAAAAAABkAQ/L4A6Wg3jwKM/spray-painting-hardware-black.jpg?imgmax=1600)
Finally, because this will be outdoors, I sealed it with with Thompsons Water Seal in a semi-transparent cedar color
Building the Concrete Top:
Once I had the base, I had to move on to the concrete slab for the top. I built a form out of melamine coated boards and sealed the edges with caulk.
![melamine-mold-for-coffee-table-concrete-top.jpg Melamine mold for coffee table concrete top](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mypI_6OQyhs/WMo1TSpg5aI/AAAAAAABj_8/icFCkVXyZl4/melamine-mold-for-coffee-table-concrete-top.jpg?imgmax=1600)
I added some rebar to increase the strength of the overhang. I used regular quick set concrete mix. I could have used a countertop mix with less gravel, but I didn't want to wait for a special order.
![adding-rebar-to-concrete-counterop.jpg Adding rebar to concrete counterop](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-P_DuNLaZObw/WMo0nWIh8uI/AAAAAAABj-8/Eam1OjZ6Afc/adding-rebar-to-concrete-counterop.jpg?imgmax=1600)
After it set and I released the forms, I sanded it down with 80 grit sandpaper and my random orbit sander.
![concrete-slab-for-tabletop.jpg Concrete slab for tabletop](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-URvfOu7I19Q/WMo04iuqQlI/AAAAAAABj_U/Hv5BNQ5TmAA/concrete-slab-for-tabletop.jpg?imgmax=1600)
There were still some air bubbles in the slab, which I wanted to fill, and decided on a contrasting color of mortar mix to make it interesting.
![filling-bubbles-in-concrete.jpg Filling bubbles in concrete](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pQD6kznWHcI/WMo1F60YX5I/AAAAAAABj_o/heE96cKN4JY/filling-bubbles-in-concrete.jpg?imgmax=1600)
After sanding it down again, it was ready to place on the base. The slab weighed about 200 pounds, so it was definitely a two man job to move it.
![modern-industrial-concrete-coffee-table-with-turnbuckle-hardware.jpg Modern industrial concrete coffee table with turnbuckle hardware](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QXVfDgM7sps/WMo1V41wuvI/AAAAAAABkAA/Ily_PsjKPFs/modern-industrial-concrete-coffee-table-with-turnbuckle-hardware.jpg?imgmax=1600)
I love how it looks. More variation than the pottery barn original, but that is okay.
![concrete-coffee-table-top-with-white-inclusions.jpg Concrete coffee table top with white inclusions](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U2s6LV5K7D8/WMo02UfdwlI/AAAAAAABj_Q/Bl7Jx3tTXK8/concrete-coffee-table-top-with-white-inclusions.jpg?imgmax=1600)
The total cost of my version, with lumber and concrete and hardware was just over $50. Quite the savings!
![Pottery-Barn-Table-DIY-Version.jpg Pottery Barn Table DIY Version](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FtogLnSbCkA/WMo1dQKhq-I/AAAAAAABkAM/d3VbLaBpsCQ/Pottery-Barn-Table-DIY-Version.jpg?imgmax=1600)