DIY Outdoor Live Edge Table

Brought to you by Gumtree.

If you’ve seen my Instagram recently you’ll see that I have been trying to finish a DIY outdoor table using a slab of timber I picked up from someone who had this laying in their backyard! I couldn’t get it home quick enough. It’s a piece of Stringybark 3.2m long which had been naturally dried and would suit an outdoor table perfectly. To get this project to happen, it had to be done in looooong stages!

Thanks to Gumtree who came in halfway through the project to help me finally pull it together! I had the top, ordered the base from Australian Hairpin Legs, but I needed chairs to suit. I had searched just about everywhere I could think of, until Gumtree asked me to check out if something would suit via their sellers.

Sooooo… come and see how I put this new outdoor table together. I am so happy with the final results…

I spent many many hours sanding the table. My husband had a go, my eldest boy had a go… we were all hands on deck with this one! Now remember, it’s just for outside, so I wasn’t concerned if it wasn’t perfect, but I didn’t want any splinters when you’re trying to enjoy a BBQ lunch!

I bought clear resin and filled some of the cracks. And there were a lot because it’s been dried outside (as opposed to a kiln) and it’s very weathered, so I filled what I could. TIP – tape up the underside as the resin will drip through if the cracks are big enough.

Once the sanding had been done it was time to finish the table with a protective topcoat. I did a bit of research and chose the Cabot’s Water Based Clear in Satin (water based because the oil based leaves a yellow tinge). We gave the table about 6 coats. We could have done more too. I’ll see how this wears and I can always top it up if needed.

Thankfully I have a very happy hubby who helps me with all of these projects. I measured and ordered the legs and he put them on for me.

All I had to do was source the chairs and we were done! So I headed to Gumtree for this purchase. If you’re not familiar with Gumtree it’s a vibrant community marketplace connecting buyers and sellers in the local community to buy, sell and find just about everything. So I knew I’d find something there to complete my project with more than 2.5 million listings across hundreds of categories, including Home & Garden, cars, clothing, jobs, business services and real estate!

A few weeks ago Gumtree celebrated its 10th Anniversary since arriving in Australia and have updated the website and app with a slick new design and rebrand that will make it easier to buy and sell. With the community in mind they’ve added 24/7 live chat support, improved functionality to the site and if you’re not one to carry around big loads of cash, there’s also a new option to pay directly through the platform when picking up an item via peer-to-peer payments with PayPal.

I found my chairs via a very reputable seller here, we emailed back and forth and he even did me a better deal than the listed price. I also needed the 10 chairs posted to my home in Wagga Wagga, NSW so he was more an accommodating and it was affordable.

I am so happy with how this all came together!! All I needed was that last piece of the puzzle and now we’re all set for some summer entertaining.

Have you bought from Gumtree before? Maybe you weren’t sure? I have some ideas to help you along the way…

TIPS FOR BUYING ON GUMTREE:

1. Do your research: Dedicate time to researching what’s out there, what kind of style you’re looking for as well as the full retail price of similar items (so you can see the savings you can make by buying on Gumtree).
2. Plan ahead: If you’re overhauling a whole room, or an entire house, make a list of all the key items you need and decide which ones you could save money on. Consider investing more in lounges and dining tables and save on home décor items like plants, throws and cushions.
3. Set your budget: If you’re on a tight budget, research the average price of similar items on Gumtree and set your budget accordingly.
4. Filter by price: If you do need to stick to a budget, Gumtree’s search results allow you to filter by price – so you’re not tempted buy any items out of your price range.
5. Save your searches: If you’re after a specific item or brand, say a Scandinavian style sofa or a certain make of wine fridge, the saved searches tool is ideal. Each time you save a specific keyword and location search, you’ll receive an email update whenever a matching item is listed. You can decide how frequently you want to be informed; either immediately, daily or weekly.
6. Expand your search region: If you can’t find the item you’re looking for in your immediate local area, try expanding your search to include a wider area. Instead of looking just in Newtown, search in Inner Sydney or Sydney region. You may have to travel to pick up an item, but by expanding your search region you’re sure to find even more gems.
7. Use your imagination: Sometimes it does take a little imagination to see an item’s full potential. There may be some signs of wear and tear on the outside, but with a touch up and a coat of paint, it could become a key piece in your home and you’ll forever be able to tell the tale of how you lovingly restored it.
8. Ask questions: While most sellers will include key information, don’t be afraid to contact the seller to ask questions. It’s always worth asking about the condition of the item, why it’s for sale, the dimensions and if there are any receipts or warranties available. It’s easy to contact a seller via the Gumtree My Messages feature.
9. Negotiate: Don’t be afraid to negotiate a price you think is fair but don’t go too low – nobody likes an unrealistic offer!
10. Meet in person: Meet face-to-face with the seller so you can inspect the item, with an in-person payment made once the goods have been seen.

I love it when a DIY turns out right. Now who is up for creating their own outdoor dining table? ♥ KC.