Resurfacing Our Outdoor Coffee Table – A Stylish Reuse of Old Wood
March 29, 2009 
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My wife and I had a very old and worn out outdoor coffee table in our sideyard. We love to sit in the side yard and enjoy a coffee or some breakfast but the tattered coffee table was becoming an eyesore. We decided to take action and re-use some old barn wood to resurface the wooden table and bring it back to life!
Our Old and Very Worn Outdoor Coffee Table
The surface of our outdoor wooden coffee table was probably not originally designed for outdoor use. It had a veneered top layer which was peeling away in the outdoor elements.
Peeling and Tattered Wooden Coffee Table
A quick look through our garage uncovered some old but very good quality barn wood which came from a relatives barn. This type of wood is perfect for outdoor use as it has already aged and settled. Old barn wood is almost guaranteed not to warp or twist when exposed to moisture and with good water sealant it should last a long time.
I ended up using four lengths of the barn wood which worked out to be a perfect width removing any need to rip one of the boards lengthwise. I picked out sections of the barn wood without any cracks or major marks and cut them down to size.
The Table Legs Removed For Measurements
Without any real experience in resurfacing a wooden coffee table I was scepticle as to whether I could achieve a good finish but I set to work measuring the approximate size for the table top using three large pieces of the barn wood.
I removed the legs from the old wooden coffee table and took measurements for the new wooden top. I planned to make the new table top with a five inch overhang on every side which was slightly larger than the old top.
I used my compound miter saw to cut the barn wood into the correct lengths and then cut two lengths of 3 by 3 to brace the barn wood together.
The "Unfinished" New Top
The new top was looking great but it needed something more. We took another look through our garage and found an old can of water based wood stain, a dark mahogany which we thought would match well with the old coffee table legs.
A couple of coats of clear sealant finished the table and we are very pleased with the results.
The Finished Coffee Table
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