No-that's not a spelling error in the title. I'm talking about galvanized steel- Gorgeous, industrial and versatile galvanized steel. About a week ago, I noticed a huge piece of metal hanging out in the rafters of our garage, and not wanting such a fabulous found piece to go to waste, I dragged it down and inspected it. Turns out it was the perfect size for an outdoor dining table that we badly needed (okay, I badly wanted). There's not much to it, but I'll take you through step-by-step to the final glorious product. And I did it all for under $100!
Step 1: Drag enormous piece of steel down from garage rafters...or find some....or buy some.
Step 2: Clean it up and cover it with industrial strength adhesive.
Step 3: Have a piece of plywood cut to size at a place like Home Depot. I went with 3/4" as this is a sizable table and it needed the support. Drop that ply on top of the steel with the help of a friend or loved one, or in my case struggle through doing it alone.
Step 4: Weigh it down with something heavy, like the multitude of stones I dug up during a recent landscaping project. Let it set for at least 2 hours.
Step 5: Screw in the legs of your choosing. I went with galvanized steel sawhorses that I got for $17 each at Home Depot. They have the added benefit of folding into themselves for ease of transport later on. Remember to consider where you or your guest legs will fall under the table-position the legs accordingly.
Step 6: Flip the table over and carry or drag it to the spot of your choosing. Get someone to help you with this...that or just hoist it onto a couple of flower pot bases with wheels and push it to your destination. No seriously, get someone to help you with this. I just happened to not have my boyfriend around at the time and wanted to get it done. See the result of this act of impatience in the photo below. (I know you're impressed, I was too.)
Step 7: Do a little dance and high five your dog (true story-thanks for your support Morris), or whoever is around, because you just made an awesome table for under $100.
Now I just need the perfect chairs to complete the look...Next post!
This isn't the most original concept in the world, but I've been wanting a chalkboard wall for a long time now, and I finally did it! My plan is to have guests leave notes when they come over, as well as putting up funny quotes that are said in the house. You'll note that the hook the chalk is hanging on says "Budlong Pickle Co", and it's from Chicago-fun fact. If you're wondering about that smart looking red/white striped string around the chalk, I took it off a paper wrapped sandwich in Brooklyn, but you can actually buy it at Paper Source.
You may have noticed the ugly oak trim-rest assured I am working on painting it white. Our house was built in 1910 and the trim is original, but it's not in great shape, and it just doesn't play nicely with the killer grey wall color. I'll post more photos once we've had a few folks fill up the wall and the trim is painted!
