How to Make a Table (with Poster Image)

by monnot

54K16236

Intro: How to Make a Table (with Poster Image)

Watching Motorcycle Dairies the other day, I was reminded of the table I made last summer with Ernesto "Che" Guevara's photograph emblazoned on the center. This is a step-by-step for a stained wooden table with image on top. Enjoy.

STEP 1: Sanding Plywood (the Top of the Table)


STEP 2: Stain the Plywood (top of Table)

Next you will want to stain the wood. If you want a deep stain then you will have to stain, dry, stain, dry, stain, dry, etc.

STEP 3: Screw Leg Fasteners

After that it is time to screw the fasteners onto the underside of the table. If you have a drill I suggest using it to make holes where the screws will be. I am poor so I screwed them in by hand and risked cracking the wood.

STEP 4: Metal Pipe Legs

Once this step is complete you will take the metal pipes and screw them into the fasteners. You will have to get these pipes threaded at the hardware store. Stand it up and the table is almost complete.

STEP 5: Poster Top

You can leave it as-is if your main concern if function and not fashion. I finished mine by sealing a poster on top. I scorched the edges of the poster to make it look more like a damaged photo.

STEP 6: Mod Podge

Addendum: I've recieved a few emails asking about this step. You can use Mod Podge, but an easier and quicker process is to place the image on the table and pour an epoxy resin on it. The resin should spread evenly and harden. Just remember to put something under the table to catch the drip.

35 Comments

macebigelow 17 years ago

Amazing how it took less than one post to totally forget the whole idea of the "picture in the table" idea. Thats pure ignorance. Its a free country and a free world, put anything on there, hell put MY FACE on there, I am defintly guilty of something bad. We all are.

adamazing 17 years ago

Prrfft...crypto-fascist bullshit. The "table" is the metaphorical wool being pulled over your eyes to hide the pseudo-anarchic 90210 symbolism of the Che Guevara poster.

Does someone have to create an L.E.D. throwie matrix depicting the ronery ronery Kim Jong-Il before you wake up and smell the coffee??

Won't someone *PLEASE* think of the children?!! :o)

bluelantern 9 years ago

wth LOL! 8 years later you make me laugh my a*s off,lol.Good one.

jerbtown 17 years ago

Good lord, this place needs a forum.

Mr.Sanchez 14 years ago

Nice Pic..." Hasta la victoria siempre" Ernesto guevara...para los amigos:"El Che".

Dandy in the Ghetto 15 years ago

A little unrelated, but you inspired me to paint a beer-pong table... I tried to stain a wooden table, but it was a little harder than it looked. Ended up looking like hell. I will probably try black paint until my staining skills improve ;-P Did you use a spray-tack to stick the poster on the table? Also, did the resin "wet" the paper and put wrinkles in it? Great idea, by the way, and the table looks great.

Virgekp 16 years ago

This is an awesome idea!! Pisser you thought of it first. . . But thank-You for the instructables. . . I love re-vamping stuff and this was very helpful :-D Kudos

aka_gomer 16 years ago

i really want to try this now. how sturdy is the plywood?--enough to put heavy things on it? also, my experiences with mod podge have been that it's sticky when it dries (i might not be using it right). what i prefer for varnishes is acrylic varnish. you can get it cheap at wal-mart or craft stores.

vinnyboberino 16 years ago

This is an awesome idea! I am going to make a serving tray using the same technique! Got the wood for it today! Thanks!!!

wakita 16 years ago

Where can you buy the fasteners that you used? Can somebody link me please?

Scwounch 18 years ago

I'm sorry to hear about your uncle and all the children, etc.. And I'm no political historian, but since when is stealing food harmless?

IIIIIIIII 18 years ago

probably when not stealing food harms you more then stealing it che may be a new icon of capitalisms victory, a mockery of all those rebel ideas but if you talk with people from south america they generally hate him but then we can alternatively take it as a sign of "i'm ignorant", "i'm here just for fun" and "i don't give a shit" attitude of teenagers and preadults

Cimorene 17 years ago

since you're so adamant about getting the facts straight, how about NOT making ignorant ageist comments?

IIIIIIIII 18 years ago

other then that, this thread interested me because i thought that the figure was somehow painted or stamped or whatever on the surface and i wanted to learn how. but it's just a poster! "I finished mine by sealing a poster on top. I scorched the edges of the poster to make it look more like a damaged photo."

thomasin 17 years ago

Well, the dog seems to think highly enough about Che...sheesh, can't you guys just table all this criticism?

camscam 17 years ago

I want a coffee table with jim jones on it

Von Klaus 17 years ago

what's the big deal about che? i know what he did but so what. didn't turman kill hundreds with that atomic bomb of his? why isn't he frowned upon, uh wait he was ending tyranny, didn't che try to do that too? the point is every world leader has a good and bad side. it is your choice of bringing what side. hitler was one of the best stratigists ever. he concored poland in one day! that is pretty impressive. che liberated a countries that was under tyranny (did he mean to set up tyrannies in place , no) che guevara stands for the human will and human freedom. mendela said he was the most human person in history. so really people sould not make a big fuss over political figures, every political figure in high power killed someone,
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