I might be a little crazy, but last week I decided to build a zinc table last week for a photoshoot with Anne Robert and Holly Chapple. After finally securing a giant sheet of zinc (which was far too thick and unmallable for a table) in Baltimore, my assistant Hanna and I went to work putting it over one of our reclaimed barnwood farm tables. It was a lot of work, but I think the table turned out far better than I imagined. In fact, I kinda want it as my dining room table now….
It only took two days and tons of scrapes and bruises to get it done. The hardest part was molding the rigid zinc around the table—because I used a gauge that was too thick. Lesson learned. After I finally hammered it all around the table, I used galvanized roofing nails for the nailhead trim around the edge. After all, I love details!
This is me putting contact cement on the tabletop. Yeah, the table looks cool in this pic, but I chose this table because the boards had become too brittle, loose, and there were big knot holes in it.
Pretty zinc sheet.
Here’s Hanna cutting the zinc to the corners of the table. Stylish and crafty all at the same time! She later soldered the corners together.
Here, we clamped the sides of the table down under a 2×4 to keep the top from bubbling up when we were nailing in the sides. Believe it or not, the nails were not so easy to pound in the side. I still have some bruises on my hands from missed attempts 🙂
This is the final stage of the table—and clamp city! The blue stuff on the table is the patina solution that I used. This was the really fun part. I experimented with different concentrations of it on a scrap piece of zinc. Then used a lot of finesse, steel wool, and hammers to create the just right look. I think it turned out awesome! Now it’s another lovely addition to our inventory available for anyone to rent.
PS. Please ignore my atrocious yard and the mess I made. I’m a messy crafter. My grass tells the story of how many projects Something Vintage has done here….
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