How To Make A River Table Top

Choose Your Wood Slab

Wood slabs are essential for creating a river table. Whether you choose hardwood or softwood, the range of selection is endless. How to know what to pick? Wood grain, texture, and color should all be considered when making your decision. Furthermore, consider the species of the wood - how it will fit with other pieces in the project and its durability. Every piece of wood is unique; choosing the suitable slab requires taking a step back and looking at the overall appearance. With our selection of slabs for river tables, you will indeed find one that works for your project!

Gather Your Supplies

Making a river table top is an enriching experience and also produces a visually stunning result, but it takes some supplies and preparation to get started. Gather together several pieces of wood, ranging in size and color, to create the desired landscape effect. Should you want to darken or tint your wood, you can stain it to bring out its unique characteristics (although our preference is to start by picking a wood with the natural colour (or colours for variations in wood like Canadian black walnut or south american walnut) you are looking for. You'll need an opaque liquid epoxy or resin and pigment powders for the river itself to give it more character. Remember sandpaper for smoothing out the edges and finishing off your masterpiece. Making a river table top can undoubtedly be more costly than other furniture. However, it will be well worth it when you show off the gorgeous piece of artwork in your home!

Cut The Wood To Your Desired Size And Shape

Making a river table top requires precision and skill to achieve the desired outcome. Once you have the needed hardwood boards, the next step is to cut them to size and shape. Using manual or power saws, it's essential to consider the wood features, such as grain direction and hardness, when picking the cutting path. Then, marking out an exact pattern on the wood before cutting will ensure that you end up with pieces of wood that fit perfectly together. Making sure your measurements are accurate and staying within one spot can be tricky. However, it's possible to achieve great results with some patience and practice.

Flatten Your Slab

A river table may be the perfect fit when creating a one-of-a-kind statement piece for your home or shop. For the standard “river” look, the table top is constructed by joining two pieces of wood together so that a "river" pattern flows between them. To produce your unique river table, you must flatten each slab. This entails a few precise steps, from comparing boards to planning cuts. However, with careful attention, you can successfully marry the two components. Once your slabs are leveled and shaped to fit with one another, you'll be ready to begin constructing your stunning river table!

Remove The Bark And Sand The Live Edge

If you have actual slabs of wood, you may have bark and rough edges. One of the first steps to making a river table is to remove the bark from the “live edge.” Bark removal from a live edge is an easy task if you take the time to do it properly. The best way to go about it is to use a sharp drawknife and work across the grain of the wood. You should work with gentle strokes and avoid applying too much pressure, as this could cause gouges or remove too much wood. As you remove pieces of bark, keep in mind that mistakes can happen, so be sure to inspect each piece before discarding them. When you're all done, there's no need to rush; take your time sanding down the live edge until you achieve your desired smoothness. With practice and patience, you'll be able to master a flawless technique for safely removing bark from any woodworking project. Removing the bark also sets up the surface of the wood for staining or finishing your project. This process may even require several coats of stain depending on the end result you are hoping for. Taking the time to remove the bark and sand down your live edge properly will make all other training processes more successful in achieving your desired final product.

Create A River-Like Design On Your Table Top

When crafting a river table, it is essential to create a mold for the pieces of slab. To start, place two inches of thick wood around the slabs positioned in the desired location. A flat piece of 3/8 inch plastic underneath the wood helps ensure that the epoxy dries on an even surface. It's important to be mindful when constructing the mold - placing the slabs too far apart will make pouring the epoxy more difficult and cause costs to rise due to its expense, at roughly $80 per gallon. For a successful outcome, use wood covered with sheathing tapes such as 2x4s for ends and 1x4s for sides. Following these steps ensures a smooth and effective process when building your dream river table. If you are looking for an exciting new project but need access to a workshop, creating a river table top out of wood and resin will be a unique way to show off your creativity!

Caulk The Ends, The Bottom, And The Top Of The Slab

Caulking the ends, bottom and top of the slab is crucial for preventing resin from leaking out. This creates a tight seal that allows you to fill your slab with resin, which sets the stage for adding other elements like small rocks or shells that strike an interesting and aesthetically pleasing look. Additionally, boxing in the ends will also help contain the resin, as it is difficult to remove once it's outside your slab. Caulking provides a layer of protection against resin dripping off or seeping out during its curing process.

Mix Your Test Coat Of Epoxy Resin

Creating a river table top requires mixing epoxy resin to create a consistent color. Mixing your test coat of epoxy resin can help you identify areas that need more mixing or additional filling and also get an idea of how your river table will look when finished. During this step, all epoxy resin components, such as hardener and color pigments, should be thoroughly mixed with a clean paddle before pouring into containers. To ensure the colors are even and consistent, stir slowly while moving in circles around the container and along the sides until all contents have been completely blended. Generally, pour a minimum of 1/8 inch of total epoxy thickness and never exceed 3/8 inches in any pour. If you want to use an aggregate in the river (such as pea gravel, stones or glass), pour between 1/4-3/8 inches, then add up to 1/8 inch with the clear epoxy layer. Carefully measure the volume before mixing, and always remember to buy more resin than needed - better safe than sorry. Take an old credit card or putty knife and work the resin around, pushing up against the sides of your wood pieces to create an even seal (this will also reduce the chances of air bubbles). Don't forget to box the ends, so the resin doesn't flow out. And there you have it – with adequate time between coats and proper sanding techniques, you'll have beautifully finished results when completing this How-to Make a River Table project.

Pour Epoxy and Pour Into The River Until Filled

Creating a river table top requires mixing epoxy resin to create the perfect, consistent color. Mixing your test coat of epoxy resin can help you identify areas that need more mixing or additional filling and also get an idea of how your river table will look when finished. During this step, all epoxy resin components, such as hardener and color pigments, should be thoroughly mixed with a clean paddle before pouring into containers. To ensure the colors are even and consistent, stir slowly while moving circles around the container and along the sides until all contents have been completely blended. Generally, pour a minimum of 1/8 inch of total epoxy thickness and never exceed 3/8 inches in any pour. If you want to use an aggregate in the river (such as pea gravel, stones or glass), pour between 1/4-3/8 inches, then add up to 1/8 inch with the clear epoxy layer. Carefully measure the volume before mixing, and always remember that buy more resin than needed - better safe than sorry. Take an old credit card or putty knife and work the resin around, pushing up against the sides of your wood pieces to create an even seal (this will also reduce the chances of air bubbles). 

Let The Epoxy Dry Overnight.

To get the best results, the epoxy should be applied in multiple thin coats - and each coat should dry overnight before being sanded smooth. Be sure to allow for overflow of epoxy along both banks of the river so that your entire table will be sealed with a waterproof layer. Although this overflow may initially be sticky, it will eventually harden or can be sanded away if necessary. If you take the time to ensure proper layering and drying procedures, you can enjoy your unique and stunning river table for years to come!

Remove The Clamps

One of the most important steps in creating a river table is to remove the clamps that secure the planks together after they dry and take form. This process should be done carefully since pressure is applied when securing - too much or too little strength can result in an undesired outcome. 

Cut To The Exact Size

When it comes to making a river table the size of the table is essential, and the process of achieving exact measurements begins after the epoxy has been poured. As an expert tip, it is always advisable to make your tables 3"-6″ longer and wider than necessary (obviously not if you have ‘live edge’ sides though - you’ll just have to be more careful if you want live edges and not make mistakes). This little bit of extra space can be useful in compensating for any inaccuracies resulting from the epoxy pouring process, such as unintentional bubbles or imperfections. By carefully cutting your table back to exact size once it has fully cured you can achieve perfect measurements for your stunning river table.

Sand Down The Edges And Corners Until They Are Smooth

Making a river table top is a great project, as it can quickly turn an ordinary piece of wood into something spectacular. However, it can take some skill and patience, especially when sanding down the edges and corners until they are smooth. This should be done after cutting, and conducted carefully with a sander that will avoid over-sanding or creating too much dust. Alternatively, if you have the patience, sandpaper and elbow grease will work as well. Start with a low grit (larger pieces of sand) sandpaper like 80, or even 40 if your edges are rough, and then transition to higher (finer) sandpaper. Making sure that all edges and corners are smooth is important for achieving a perfect look and giving your table top a single flowing ripple effect along its length. Making sure you get your edges and corners correct from the start will save you time deciding whether to add any depth later.

Finish And Seal The Table Top

One must take several steps to finish and seal the table top effectively. Begin by sanding the project lightly with 1,000-grit sandpaper and then again with 2,000-grit sandpaper. A small orbital sander should suffice for this task, but make sure to use enough pressure that the scratches made by the lower-grade paper are sufficiently smoothed to a glassy finish. After completing that step and the surface is free of dust and debris, apply a generous layer of epoxy resin to encapsulate your design in a bright shine. Finally, apply a few layers of wipe-on polyurethane or acrylic sealant for extra durability and scratch resistance. Making river table tops may take patience and skill, but implementing these basic steps helps make it much simpler!

What To Do When You Don't Have The Time Or Resources To Make Your River Table?

If you're looking for an easy way to get your unique river table without the hassle of building it yourself, look no further. Tableco.ca (The Canadian Table Company) offers ready-made table tops that are perfect for transforming into a beautiful customized river table. Each piece is made from quality wood and constructed with precision and excellence, so you know you're getting a high-quality product. Even if they don't have what you need in stock, they can ship anywhere in Canada. So whether you're a new woodworker looking for an easier way to make a river table or just don't have the time or resources to do it yourself, the Canadian Table Company has the solution – simply buy one of their perfectly finished table tops and let them do all the work!

Final Thoughts

Making a river table may seem intimidating, but it can be done with the right tools and techniques. We hope this article has provided you with some helpful steps to start your own unique project. Whether you make one from scratch or purchase a ready-made top from Tableco.ca, creating beautiful pieces of furniture is now within reach! With patience and practice, even beginners can create stunning tables in their homes. So why not take on this rewarding DIY project today? You never know what amazing results you'll achieve until you try it!