Birch Coffee Table How-To

I love the look of birch. I love the light color of it’s very distinctive bark. Birch logs can be a beautiful addition to your holiday decorating. Stack them next to the fireplace in a galvanized pail or copper bucket.  Lean taller birch branches against a wall as a natural backdrop. Drill holes large enough to hold a votive candle and you have a rustic birch candle holder for your holiday table.  But I came across another unique use for birch logs over at bhg.com.  If you like to use power tools and have a little free time on your hands, this may be something you want to tackle. The end result is a very unique, natural coffee table that would be great in a den, or family room or any room.

For this table project, they used 34 birch logs, each about 3-4 inches in diameter. You can cut the logs to size with a miter saw or order them online already pre-cut.  And, should you have any environmental reservations about using birch, birch trees grow and replenish themselves quickly so depleting the supply isn’t a huge issue.

Here’s what the finished coffee table could look like.

Here’s a view looking down at the table top.

 What You'll Need:

Birch logs cut 18 inches long
4x8-foot sheet birch plywood
Wood glue
Wood screws
Grout
4-inch casters
Clear polyurethane

Tools You'll Need:

Circular saw
Miter saw
Cordless drill
Grout float
Putty knife

Step 1: Cut the plywood base to 33x24 inches, then build a plywood box measuring 27x18x16 inches. Cut two 27x16-inch and two 18x16-inch pieces for sides and one 27x18-inch piece for the top. Glue the box sides together, then screw. Center the box on the wood base, screwing through the box and into the base to secure.

Step 2: Cut logs to 18 inches using a miter saw. We used 34 3-1/2-inch logs, but you can adjust the quantity based on the diameter of your logs. Bead wood glue along one side and on the bottom of each log. Secure the logs to the wood base and box as shown. For extra strength, screw through the wood box into each log.

Step 3: Top the box with the 27x18-inch piece of plywood you cut in Step 1. Screw the top to the box to secure it.

Step 4: Cut 1-inch wood rounds using a miter saw. We cut 40 for this project. Use wood glue to secure each round to the box top, aligning in rows as you glue.

Step 5: Spread grout over the logs with a grout float, smoothing between the edges of the logs. Wipe off extra grout with the float. Use a putty knife to scrape off grout to your desired appearance. Allow the grout to dry before continuing to Step 6.

Step 6: Attach feet to the base with screws. Position the casters 1 inch from the edge of the table. Finish by applying a coat of clear polyurethane to the wood.

And voila!  Your finished birch coffee table. 

If you have a hard time finding birch logs locally, and I do, here are a few online suppliers of unfinished birch:

estonianforest.com
birchgifts.com
firewood.com
wilsonevergreens.com

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