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How to Make an Outdoor Tree Trunk Side Table

When you need an outdoor side table, instead of buying one, use a nature made tree trunk table.

How-to-make-an outdoor-table-from-a-tree-trunk

A tree trunk stump makes the best outdoor table for a deck in a wooded setting. I even made it easy to move. 

How Do You Turn a Tree Trunk into a Table?

To make my tree trunk table, I asked the guy at my local nursery if I could buy one of the cut sections of logs that he was chopping up to make firewood to sell. He sold me this chunk of trunk for $10.  Look for stumps with a wide diameter and about 18″ – 22″ high. 

plant caddy

I placed my stump on a wheeled plant caddy so that I could easily move it around.

Outdoor dining

The tree trunk stump table works perfectly to hold a plant or plate to place an afternoon snack on when I find myself needing a break and want to relax outside.

How to make a rolling outdoor table using a tree trunk

The tree trunk also looks great with a pot of flowers on the top. 

Tree trunk table on deck with a pair of binoculars and flowers on it.

My tree trunk table is going on 4 years. It has greyed with age, but still looks good. 

How Do You Seal a Tree Trunk?

Since my tree trunk table is on my deck that is surrounded by trees, I wanted to keep it as natural as possible. I didn’t remove the bark or seal it with polyurethane. 

If you do want to seal or stain a tree trunk stump:

  • First remove the bark using a crowbar.
  • Once the bark is off, clean the stump well with a hose and scrub brush and let dry.

To seal the tree trunk stump:

  • Use a small to medium-sized paint brush, apply stain, let dry.
  • Then apply two or three coats of polyurethane wood sealant over the surface of the stump. Be sure to get the top and all sides.

  • When finished, allow at least 48 hours for the sealant to dry.
  • This should keep the stump preserved for many years.

how-to-decorate-a-deck

Outdoor decorating idea. How to make an outdoor table using a tree trunk. Find out where I found it and how I made it easy to move around my outdoor living space. | In My Own Style

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2 Comments

  1. I don’t want to take the bark off, love to keep it as is. But don’t want it to turn gray or attract bugs. What can I use to preserve it?

    Reply

    1. Hi Alisha – My stump is going on about 4+ years now. I thought over time the bark would come off, but it never has. I didn’t have a problem with bugs, but understand why that could be something to deal with. If you want to seal yours, I would use the spray version of Thompson’s water seal. It would help to stop the weathering process and keep it looking nice. You can check it out here: https://amzn.to/3iMtKPw

      Reply