Introduction: Live Edge Wood Slab Furniture
Make live edge wood slab furniture! These pieces are easy and fun to make, and sell for a ton of money (if that's what you want to do with it)
Step 1: Find the Wood
I visit various wood shops and local sawmills to find my wood slabs. If you can find a slab that is kiln-dried, that is perfect. Otherwise, let the slab air-dry in a warm dry place for a few months before working with it. WARNING: Undried wood will bend and crack as it dries, so make sure your piece is dry before working with it
Step 2: Cut and Sand
Cut the wood to the dimensions you'd like it to be.
Sand the wood, starting with a rough grit (60 or 80) and then sand with progressively finer grits until you have a mirror smooth feel. (I use 60, then 120, then 220, then 400, then steel wool or a polishing fiber cloth like mirlon)
If you have cracks in the wood that are unsightly, make butterfly ties (YouTube this process, it's pretty simple)
Step 3: Finish
After getting that wood baby smooth, put on a stain of your choice or leave it bare. Up to you.
Once the stain is dry, brush on a coat of finish. I use simple fast-drying polyurethane from Home Depot.
Let the finish dry completely. Repeat: COMPLETELY. Sand the table again with a fine grit (220) then a finer grit (400) and add another layer of finish.
Repeat this process until you have the desired result, a nice smooth protected look.
Step 4: Legs
Choose the legs for your table and attach. I often use pipe metal legs that I piece together from plumbing pipe, or I'll order hairpin legs from the Internet.
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