Small Wooden Dining Table With Fluorescent Corners

This table was made of fence-wood, with glowin the dark corners, which is resin, with adding fluorescent powder.

Step 1: Things You Will Need

Wood for the top, and for the apron; make a calculation, draw some designs you like, then change it while making- as I did. I used some fence-wood for the top, and one lath for the apron.

LEgs for the table. I used banisters for it, because it was cheaper then real legs, and liked the design of it.

I used a layer of plywood for supporting the top, as it is a kind of mosaic, so I glued to the plywood.

Some basic things like saw to cut the wood; wood-glue; sanding papers, paint, lacquers, drill, dowels; 90 degrees metal supporter to fix top to the base.

Some not basic tool like a router for additional design, or round edges. Resin with the fluorescent add-in.

Since I used cheap materials, as I rememebr total cost was around 55-65 EUR.

Step 2: Top

Make a frame with 45 degrees corners, fix with dowel-joints, and glue together.
Then add a layer of plywood fixed to the frame from the bottom. I used nails, and glue. I didnt have big enough to cover the whole area, but it was not needed; the ppieces were larger then the area not covered.

Then you can start to lay down your design.

As I was trying, I realized, that I could use the rounded end of the fence-wood to point to the corners, then I could fill the remaining area with some intereting material. Resin was in my mind at that point, but the fluorescent powder only came later in the shop.

I started to fit the 4 diagonal parts, and then cut to size the paralel parts. All parts ae glued to the bottom.

If you use fence laths, then you will realize, that its not staight enough to have a flat surface at the end :).

If you have a plane: use it to have a flat top. I didnt make it till perfection, but it doesnt have big differences between the parts.

I also rounded the corners with the router. Thas seen only on later pics.

Then sand it to the desired smoothness. Not sure, but I think I used 200 grid paper at the end.

Step 3: Base

As mentioned, I used banisters as legs, so had to cut one end of them.

For the aprons I put an additional routed decoration with the router. Fixed the rotation point of the router, and moved the wood under. When it seemed, that edges will meet: only then route.

Seems that I didnt have pics bout the aprons fixed to the legs, but I would say I choosed the hard, and not the best way. Ii thought I would route a lane into the legs, and glue the apron into this slots. this didnt work very well, I will choose a different solution nex time. In some cases the legs were not completely straight, some cases the router wasnt leaded properly; so I didnt have perfect cuts, and was difficult to make a 90 degress regular square shape of it.

Step 4: Add Glow in the Dark Resin

While working with resin, refer to the manuals, descriptions, and safety instructions.

Chek the drying time (or better pot time) of your resin, and only mix the quantity you can use in that time.

Otherwise you wont be able to use it any more.

I flle the wholes in two steps, as been advised in the shop:

First: clear resin till half volume to see leakage, and not to waste the glowing powder.

Second: mix the resin with the fluorescent powder, and fill the remaining.

Thats cruicial, that the holes should be sealed completely. Needless to say, that luiquid finds the way out. So make sure it cant.

So cover the surrounding area with electric tape, and pour resin into the hole. wait while it dries, and repeat with the fluorescent resin. It can be also a good idea to seal the wood before with lacquers, paint, or primer, so wood will not absorp that much resin.

Step 5: Fix Top to Base, and Paint It.

Seems I dont have pic of this, but I fixed the top with 90 degrees metal supporters to the apron. Easiest to do with the whole table upside down.

So after you have sanded everything, you can paint it, and lacqer as you wish.

I applied two layers of paint, and two laers of high gloss lacqer.

Make sure not to paint on the resin, but you can(should) sand it, and lacquer it.

I realized, table was short a bit, so I had to increase somehow, so I added a leg extension from previous projects residual wood. ( It was also part of a table leg sometime). I drilled a hole to both parts, and dowelled and glued together. I know, I know, table dance now is not allowed on it.

And when I hit publish button, I realized there's a contest for tables, so I entered. Wish me good luck, and vote if you like. Thx.