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Furniture Makeovers, Monthly DIY Challenge

DIY PVC Pipe Table :: Monthly DIY Challenge

Monthly DIY Challenge

Watch out, we’ve got a graphic! Things are official now 😉 If you’re new around here, me and my bloggy buds get together every second Wednesday of each month to bring you a project using the same theme or material. We’ve done things like crates, pumpkins and wood slices and this month our challenge was to use plumbing materials.

I’m gonna be honest with you, I don’t really like my project. And was really close to scrapping the whole thing. But, I wanted to show you that things don’t always go as planned around here and there’s nothing wrong with that!

DIY PVC Pipe Table

You’re probably wondering why I don’t like it and why it was such a failure. Don’t let my photos fool you 😉 It’s entirely crooked and wobbly and I had to use a stack of free Moes burritos coupons under one of the legs to get it to look somewhat level for the photos. #photoshopmagic The decor helps disguise it’s lameness too. Want proof?

DIY PVC Pipe Table

Let’s start at the beginning. I LOVE industrial pipe decor, so I was super pumped about this challenge. I just didn’t have any idea what I was going to make. I loved my Crate and Pipe Table I made for one of our previous challenges and I talked about this old wine barrel that we had from our wedding and all the awesome inspiration I found for it a while back, so I thought it would be cool to use the top and make a base out of pipes. Easy enough, right?

I googled some images to try and find some ideas for a structure, and headed to Home Depot. I really wanted to give it a tripod base, but that didn’t seem possible with pipes. Or at least it would have been a pain in the buns. So we went with something basic, using PVC pipes, thinking it would be cheaper. Not the case.

Although the actual PVC piping was cheaper than galvanized pipe, we still needed all the connectors, special glue, spray paint and the flanges. Damn flanges. Apparently they don’t sell plastic ones. WHY?! And the ones we needed were $12 a pop. I almost quit right there. But then our Home Depot helper friend showed us some for $7. Better. But still pricey for a table I was growing to hate.

Speaking of flanges…this is all I could think of every time I said the word.

tumblr_lgt86laOcU1qfjvvxo1_500

Probably due to the excessive amount of Friends I’ve been watching on Netflix. Anyone else?

Ok, so now we’re checking out at the register and the hubs is giving me a look like “seriously? are we really spending this much on plumbing materials??”. I just smiled and reminded him of the great news; we have two wine barrel tops which means of course that we have to build a matching table 😉 He was not amused.

parts

At least I got to use my new Christmas present from my Daddy 🙂 Too bad I forgot to attach the bag that collects all the particles. Oops.

saw

At this point, I’m still feeling like the table will be ok, although I wish the base was more exciting. I put it all together before gluing it to make sure it looked alright. It’s even and balanced and looks pretty good right?

table

I used this glue, which comes with a primer and a cement. Stuff stinks. Be sure to use it outside!

glue

Once the glue dried, I spray painted the base using this stuff which I LOVE. It totally transforms the PVC and makes it look like metal.

paintAnd somehow between gluing and spray painting, the base was just completely off and not even. But at this point there was no going back, and I just wanted to attach the top and be done with it. I didn’t have time to make anything else and the pipes weren’t coming apart.

underneath

We screwed in the flanges and brought the table over to a flat surface. Totally wobbly and crooked. We just looked at each other and laughed. What else can you do?

Of course I still prettied it up for some photos, and we can use it in our apartment. After all, it does still stand on it’s own 😉

DIY PVC Pipe Table

DIY PVC Pipe Table

DIY PVC Pipe Table

DIY PVC Pipe Table

Looking at the photos is actually making me like it more. And maybe I’m being a little dramatic and hard on myself, but this was definitely not the way I pictured this looking in my head. I just feel blah about it. What do you think?

I just wanted to show you that things don’t always go smoothly around here and I definitely run into my fair share of problems. I’ve still got another wine barrel top so maybe I’ll give it another try…or do something completely different 😉

Be sure to check out all the other projects from my friends below!

8 DIY Projects with Plumbing Pieces

Have a fabulous day friends!


Comments

  3. Check out FORMUFIT.COM they make furniture grade PVC in a variety of colors including black. Many more types of fittings than normal plumbing PVC too. Price is about the same as regular plumbing PVC.

    Reply

    • Thank you Teri! I still can’t believe how realistic that paint makes the PVC look! I know I’ll be using it again 🙂 And I will definitely link up with you, thanks for the invite!

      Reply

  5. I’ve worked with that nickled bronze Rustoleum spray paint and it’s amazing! I was really surprised at how realistic it looked.
    This post will be included in a roundup of features from the last Frugal Crafty Home Blog Hop. Thanks so much for sharing this project with us!

    Reply

    • It’s like magic! I was so impressed with it! And thank you so much for the feature! Have a great weekend 🙂

      Reply

  6. Once again, you’ve got a beautiful project!!! I love the industrial look! Thanks so much for linking up with us at the Motivational Monday link party – I hope you’ll join us again next week!!

    Danielle
    SewMuchCrafting.com

    Reply

  11. I think this is great…and would likely solve my sun room side table woes if you want to send up our way 😉 Also PHOEBE!! hahaha Love it.

    Reply

  12. I really love this table, so I hope it grows on you more! We are often the most critical of our own work. That wood paired with the dark PVC really makes it look sophisticated – if you hadn’t told me it was PVC I would have thought the legs were metal!

    Reply

    • Thanks Erica! I know I was probably way too hard on myself! And isn’t it amazing how well that spray paint transforms the PVC? I was totally impressed!

      Reply

  13. For reals?!? You are seriously and ridiculously talented and creative!! I am always SO impressed with what you come up with!! Of course I am featuring you again this week at Work it Wednesday – thanks for sharing your amazing projects with us!!
    ~Krista

    Reply

    • Aw thank you Krista, I really appreciate you saying that! You’re too sweet 🙂 And thanks for the feature! Hope you have a fab day!

      Reply

  15. Bre I absolutely love this table and want it in my house!!! I wouldn’t even have known those legs were plastic! I wonder if you could pour sand or something into the legs to make it more sturdy?

    Reply

  16. I think it’s great! And I would’ve thought the pipes were actually metal! But, and I’m being totally selfish when I say this, I’m so glad I’m not the only one who’s ideas don’t always turn out as planned! 🙂 How boring would it be though without a little trial and error!

    Reply

  17. I think it’s great! And I would’ve thought the pipes were actually metal! But, am I’m being totally shellfish when I say this, I’m so glad I’m not the only one who’s ideas don’t always turn out as planned! 🙂 How boring would it be though without a little trial and error!

    Reply

    • You’re absolutely right Amanda! If everything always went as planned we wouldn’t get to laugh at ourselves and learn from our mistakes!

      Reply

  19. I think this table looks great! The pipes look like real metal, awesome job! Thanks for sharing. I’ve included your tutorial in my Five on Friday post today. Have a great weekend 🙂

    Reply

  22. I think it looks great – you have a knack for styling photos, even when you don’t love what you’re photographing (I’ll remember the burrito coupons trick!). You are being way too hard on yourself, but kudos to you for sticking it out! Enjoy the new miter saw – my daddy gave me a saw for x-mas, too, and I was beyond excited. 🙂

    Reply

    • I appreciate that Jenny! The burrito coups def got the job done 😉 And yay for power tools! I still get nervous using them but feel so accomplished when I’m done! Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  23. I giggled the whole time I was reading this. I think the table works great but I definitely know how it feels when a DIY (especially one your excited about!) doesn’t go right… Can’t wait to see what next month’s diy is! Thanks for linking up to The Creative Circle!!

    Reply

    • Glad someone got a good laugh from my post 🙂 It definitely wasn’t a total failure and I appreciate your kind words! Hope you have a great weekend!

      Reply

  30. I quite like it, wobbly and all – I have a shelf or two that is wobbly, but they’re secure with some cardboard underneath, so no real loss!
    I’ve always wondered how PVC worked, though, so far as construction with it. There are a few things I’ve seen about the internets that would be awesome to make with these kinds of pipes, but have always figured it would be difficult to get cut and measured and looking less like white PVC, ha! So thank you for answering those questions for me!

    Reply

    • Thanks Havok! And PVC is so easy to work with! You can have Home Depot cut it for you and I was so surprised with how the spray paint totally transformed it!

      Reply

  32. I think you’re table is seriously cute (including the Moe’s burrito coupons, haha!!!). I hate when projects go south, but this table is definitely not a failure! Come to my house and I’ll show you how to screw up a DIY sista! Even your mess-ups turn out gorgeous :).

    Reply

    • haha I’ve definitely done worse than this, it was just so not what I had originally pictured. But thank you Amy! I appreciate it! XO

      Reply

  33. I think it looks great, Bre! You know, we are our own worst critics, but if it really bothers you maybe you could add a few washers to where the flange (or phalange!) meets the table top? That way, Your screws will still be tight, but you’ll have some extra space to level the legs. Either way, you did a fabulous job 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank you Katie! We are definitely our own worst critics. Good idea with the washers, I might just have to do that!

      Reply

  36. I love it Bre!! Stacked coupons and all, it is a beautiful end table!! 😉 Have a wonderful rest of the week, friend!

    Reply

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