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This recycled wine barrel table has a highly polished top and storage space beneath.
The project
I had been admiring wine barrel tables on Pinterest and it was love at first sight. But I didn't want the rustic look. I wanted mine to be a more finished surface and unique to me. So I designed a winery logo using my surname as the winery name and our wedding day as the "established" date.
I started by putting screws into all the staves to stop the barrel from falling apart when cut, and to give it a decorative look.
I found the best halfway point that let me cut the barrel in half without cutting through any of the staves. I cut the bands using a grinder and I only had to cut through the top and the bottom of the barrel.
I sanded down the barrel to remove all the rough surfaces and to remove wine stains.
The arches were the hardest part of the table. You need to divide your barrel width in half to get the centre point. Measure the depth of the barrel and add that and the height you want it to be lifted off the floor (mine was 40mm). Draw the arch with a compass (I used a D.I.Y wood one).
I left a little extra either side to add a decorative finish to the legs. I chose to slope mine just to soften the look, but it was not that easy. I spent some time using a grinder with a sanding disc to get the barrel to fit nicely inside the arches.
Added the 930mm pieces of timber to the base of the arches and used a router to give them a decorative look. I also added centre support between the two arches to support the weight of the barrel.
I screwed 2 x 860mm and 2 x 750mm pieces of timber onto the top of the barrel. These are to support the tabletop and are used to anchor the hinges. The top of the wine barrel did need a bit of sanding to level it out first.
It then all got stripped down again to stain the barrel with cedar stain (and the bands with black spray paint) and two coats of varnish.
I know some will say it is a shame to stain the Oak, but I was going for a different look and the red wine stains did not all come out.
I used large screws to attach the wine barrel to the arches from the inside.
I added cast-iron studs as a decorative feature which looks great. I just needed to drill pilot holes and screw them in.
My tabletop was a bit of a cheat – it's the top from a broken coffee table. I sanded all the imperfections away and did my final sand using 320-grit sandpaper. Then I attached it to the base using 9cm brass hinges.
I stained the top and applied a coat of varnish to seal the stain in – on my first test run the stain ate into my decal and destroyed it. I designed a family logo using Microsoft word and found a company online to make it into a vinyl decal. It's important that the decal has no border or background as this will spoil the end result.
I transferred my decal onto the table. Do this slowly so you don't crease the decal.
Then came the most important step: coating the tabletop in "liquid glass" epoxy resin.
You must work in a dust-free environment. I put up a tent and kept vacuuming it out and left it to settle for a few days. I put a strip of masking tape under the top of the table so that when the liquid glass ran over the drips would attach to the tape, which would be pulled off to keep the underneath clean.
The tabletop must be wiped well with a tack cloth before you pour the liquid glass (there are many videos on YouTube that show how to pour it).
I also made another table as a gift for my sister.
More wine barrel inspiration
Anita also made this ingenious upright wine barrel table with built-in ice bucket.
Bunnings Workshop member Super66 made this brilliant wine barrel table and cupboard, which can be used for storage outdoors.
Workshop member rgoyne used hoops from an old wine barrel to make this attractive coffee table.
This popular discussion also generated plenty of great ideas for turning wine barrels into everything from dog houses to water features.
Let us know if you need a hand with your own project. We're here to help.
