Modern Elegance: When Experts DIY

What happens when the experts DIY? You won't find it on Pinterest, that's for sure! When designer/artist Taylor Jarson of Taylor Jarson Designs created these custom tables, not only did he flex his creative muscles but made his client extremely happy. TJD was designing a swanky yet comfy outdoor space for a client and rather than shopping at West Elm or Crate & Barrel for tables, they recycled a pine tree on the property that needed to come down. How's that for repurposing the environment?! Brilliant.

Taylor Jarson explores all possibilities of design and he pushes the envelope to create originality for his clients... so with that said, how were these tables made? I asked, he told... Taylor was very generous to share his step-by-step creation of these beautiful tables. See slideshow below:

Step 1: The Design

I drew a few renderings to send to the client to make sure we were on the same page as far as overall design. The idea was to have one shorter table and a fatter table, and one taller and skinnier (you’ll find out in the next step why that didn’t end up happening). Both on castor wheels to make moving and changing the area’s dynamic easier.

Step 2:

The tree had been cut down. I supervised the cutting to make sure to get pick of the litter. I had them cut the logs to the exact size needed. Unfortunately, the biggest log in the picture was too big and heavy to use and the thin one  had a significant amount of rot in it. The two pieces left were in perfect condition, but were the same height. There went our idea of having height variation. With any sort of natural material (dead trees that are cut down being high on the list) these sort of problems will arise.

Step 3:

Use a wire brush to knock off all of the moss and mold build up. The paint will adhere to the wood itself, not to the stuff that will end up flaking and falling off.  

Step 4:

(Photo: Before & After wire brushing) After brushing the outsides and cleaning them, I sanded down the tops and bottoms with a stripping grit sand paper to get rid of any larger imperfections from the chainsaws. Finish sanding with a fine grit to get a smooth table-top finish.

After sanding, I bored out holes in the bottom of the stumps to flush mount the castor wheels. These castor wheels were 1 ¾ inch and can support up to 50lbs each. I used a 3¼ inch hole cutting drill bit to get my outer diameter, then used a series of different sized wood bits to get rid of the insides. Once I had a flush surface on the inside of the holes, I cut different thicknesses of plywood with the same 3 ¼ bit to get the tops of the tables level with the floor (logs cut with chainsaws will never be completely clean and level, so I had to do the leveling with the wheels).

After prep & construction:

Outsides are brushed, tops and bottoms sanded, wheels installed, and there’s a nice level surface to the tables themselves. I sealed before painting to ensure that any accidental painting of the tops or bottoms could be removed with ease. For sealing, use a clear waterproofing sealant. Also, seal the inside of the holes for the wheels, to prevent moisture, mildew, and mold from penetrating the wood and rotting it from the inside. Plus, the sealant on the tops will block UV rays and keep them looking good for years to come.

Step 5:

Before painting, make sure the sealer is completely dry and absorbed into the wood. Use an outdoor paint and primer-in-one, in a matte finish. It’s safe for all climates, so it won’t crack and peel in cold or hot temps (which means they can be left outdoors at all times). It also provides another sealant-type barrier to prevent mold and mildew build up, and to keep moisture out.

Step 6:

After the paint was completely dry, I did one final sanding to the tops to get rid of any stray paint strokes. One last coat of sealer and they were completely finished.

Taylor Jarson

The end result of this DIY project is modern and elegant. A stylish product that can't be found anywhere because they're one (two) of a kind! They are truly statement pieces. Thank you Taylor Jarson Designs for sharing your creativity, talent and skills with us all.  

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