DIY Tile Coffee Table

Okay, friends, here we go! I’ve finally put together a “tutorial” for the tile coffee table I built for my One Room Challenge space this past fall. I’ve got the word tutorial in quotes because this was an experiment that thankfully ended well, but I really wasn’t so sure how things were going to go when I got this idea in my head. I couldn’t find a single tutorial online giving instructions on not only tiling a table but actually building the base as well. So I pretty much had to make it up as went, chicken scratch sketches and all. 😉

But insert praise hands, it worked! I love her so much, and I can’t believe I made her! This might be my most proud creation since the births of my children. 😉

So here’s the rundown of what I did. But before we get started, I need you to know a couple of things:

• I built this base based on two things: 1. the dimensions of this Track Stack Navy Blue Mosaic from The Tile Shop and 2. not wanting to have to make any tile cuts. And while the online tile dimensions say that this tile comes in 12×12 mosaic sheets, they’re actually more like 12 x 11 ish. So all of that to say, I’m not going to share specific dimensions in this post because that will all depend on the tile you choose to use and whether or not you care about making any tile cuts to cover your base.
• I’m sure that experienced builders will be able to come up with a better plan for building this base. I’m still a newbie at this kind of thing, and my goal was to build something sturdy enough to hold the tile, but not so heavy that once tiled it would be a monster to move.

Okay, now on to the nitty-gritty!

The DIY Details:

1. I started with 2 ft by 4ft quarter-inch plywood boards, and I cut them to size.

2. Using wood glue and a nail gun, I added two 1×3’s to the inside top. I cut the 1×3’s half an inch shorter than the tabletop so that the side pieces would fit flush underneath. * I used two 5-gallon paint cans to prop up the base as I was working.

3. Then I cut a 2×4 to fit between the 1x3s for added support and to give me something to use to attach the side pieces. Here again, I made sure to attach this 1/4 inch from the edge.

4. I attached the side piece to the center 2×4 and then added two more 2×4 pieces to the sides for extra stability.

*Again, I made sure to leave 1/4 inch from the edge for the side pieces to align and fit flush.

5. I wanted the corners to be very stable, so I added an additional 2×4 to both.

6. I repeated this same process on the other side, and then I added two 1x3s to both sides (1/4 inch from the edge) to create inside legs for added support.

7. To stabilize those 1×3 legs I added a 1×3 support between each.

8. To give the bottom piece of the table a sturdy support system, I added two 1x3s and two 2x4s one inch from the top.

9. Then I added two 1x4s across the top for support.

10. I attached the sides using both wood glue and wood screws.

11. Then I attached the bottom panel marking where the legs would need to attach first.

12. I painted the bottom with exterior paint that matched the color of the tile (Hunley by Duron for Sherwin Williams).

13. For the table legs, I doubled up 2x4s. I sprayed them gold and used plastic wood filler to smooth out the wood grain in an attempt to make the legs look like they’re metal.

14. I attached the 2x4s one at a time. Then again used plastic wood to fill the seams, and then sprayed them with one more coat of gold spray paint (Sunlit Brass by Rustoleum).

15. Once the hard part was done and believe me building the base was the hardest part (tiling is a breeze!), I busted out the Simple Mat adhesive. This way my first time using it, and I may never use traditional mortar again. It’s basically a peel ‘n stick tile adhesive, and it’s super easy to use. I opted to go this route because I didn’t want to add any extra weight with mortar.

*I want to note that Simple Mat is not recommended for exterior applications, but this porch is covered and protected from the elements. It can be used for shower walls, so I decided to gamble.

With Simple Mat, you don’t have to wait for mortar to dry before grouting. And since I was doing this project as a part of my One Room Challenge and time was of the essence, I also appreciated not having to deal with drying times. Time constraints are also why I forgot to take pictures of the tiling process. 😉 But with this easy-to-use adhesive and not having to make any tile cuts, the tiling process took practically no time at all!

I could not be happier with the way this table came together! I love it so much, and it makes such a statement on this covered porch.

This navy colorway is so chic, but this tile also comes in a white two-tone that is also gorgeous!

Before

After

I’m so grateful The Tile Shop partnered with me on my One Room Challenge project! Without a doubt, the tile absolutely brought this porch to life!

Tile Sources:

Swan White Hexagon & Stream Black Hexagon, Track Stack Navy Tile