DIY Industrial Coffee Table

I came across a great table while perusing Pinterest last week.  It had a wood top and the base was made out of plumbing pipes.  I fell in love as soon as I saw it.  I've been looking for a table for the man cave that was cheap and awesome.  I loved the industrial look of this table so I sent my husband on a hunt to the nearest plumbing store to make it for me. He couldn't find the stainless look but he found this gun metal grey.  He did a great job because I love it even more!  And the best part was it only took him about an hour to put it all together.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy!

You'll likely have to go to a plumbing store to find these pieces.  It's best to find a store where you can walk the aisles so you can fit your pieces together to get the look you want.  Some people have asked about the grease on the black pipes but ours didn't have any on them!  I'm not sure if they are a special kind of pipe these ones have a matte finish and are not greasy at all.  Here are the pieces we used:

3 - 2 x 10 cedar planks cut to 5 feet lengths

8 - flanges (1 1/4 inch diameter)

8 - 5" length pipe (1 1/4 inch diameter) - These are the vertical pipes

4 - T shaped connectors (1 1/4 inch diameter)

4 - 2" threaded pipe connectors (1 1/4 inch diameter)

4 - 1 1/4 to 1 inch pipe reducer

4 - 6" length pipe (1 inch diameter) - These are the horizontal pipes

2 - 1 inch T connectors

1 - custom cut 51" long pipe (1 inch diameter)

Our final table height ended up being 15 inches to go with our low couch.  You may want yours higher and would need to adjust the length of your pipes and cedar planks accordingly.

We secured the cedar planks together using 8 - 1" x 12" flat, steal brackets, attached to the underside of the table. 

***Edited to add*** I've had a lot of questions/comments about where you can buy the black pipes.  We purchased ours at a local plumbing store but I've come across this seller if you're looking for pipes that are already cleaned and degreased, and he even has table kits!  https://www.blackfriarsironworks.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Carole Maher]

looks wonderful....any details about the wood top? the color is great!

[Priscilla Locke]

The top is just from Home Depot and was originally one long 16 foot piece. They cut it down to 3 5-foot long pieces. I simply stained it with some stain I had laying around.

[ChelseaHolbrook]

Love the coffee table!! You have totally inspired me..how did you attach the plumbing piping to the actual wood top?

[Priscilla Locke]

If you look at the bottom of the table, you'll see those circular pieces. We used those same pieces right under the wood and there are holes in those flat roundy parts. We then used flat (1x12inch) brackets to secure the pieces together (x8) :)

[Bianca Jmarie]

I absolutely love this! I saw this on google pics your style is definitely a well refined version of all the things I try to accomplish...you're soo inspiring :) I love your blog!!!

[Hushkinmug]

hi! this is great, however i wanted to know what the total cost was with all of the pieces? thanks!

[Priscilla Locke]

The total cost of all the materials was around $150.

[LokBilly]

hi, can i ask where you guys got the piping?

[Priscilla Locke]

I got all the pipes from a local plumbing store called Hillcrest Plumbing.

[Carlo Wahlstedt]

How did you attach the top wooden part together?

[plus.google.com/103995522790924012422]

LOVE!!!! have been looking for a new dining table for 4 years this is great inspiration. thank you for sharing your project!

[Ashley Wise]

ok so here's my question: my hubby says black iron pipe is greasy and no matter how many times i wipe it down their will be residual dirty oil on there. have you had any trouble with this? how did you clean yours up? thanks so much for the post, i really hope to make this table!

[Priscilla Locke]

@Ashley, these pipes are clean as a whistle! There isn't any greasy residue on them at all. They came clean and dry with a matte finish. Hope this helps!

[D]

I had the same question as Ashley. I'm surprised by the lack of issue with oil and residual metal residue from the manufacturing process. I deal with black fittings all the time working at a plumbing wholesaler and those things make a mess of your hands.

Did y'all use any pipe adhesive (called "pipe dope" by plumbers) on the fittings?

Thanks for the great example, btw. Looks just like I had envisioned.

[Priscilla Locke]

@D I don't know why but there was no residue or oil on these pipes. Not sure if this is some kind of special pipe because we just went with the ones that had the look we like.

No "pipe dope" necessary because all the pipes have threads and screw into each other.

[Matthew Friedman]

Priscilla,

I love this! Is there a more specific guide anywhere that you guys found? Or any advice you can give about assembling beyond what's posted?

[Nathan Morris]

Priscilla, did you have to cut the 51" pipe yourself or did Hillside do it for you? I live in the area and would love to make a coffee table like this as well, however, I have never cut a pipe myself.

[Renessa Ciampa]

Hello, awesome table. About how much was the total cost? Thanks!

[Priscilla Locke]

@matthew Looks like the original blog I linked to is no longer active. Sorry!

@Nathan Hillcrest cut it for us!

@Renessa About $150

[Mac East]

Ok i liked this table alot, however i did go out and buy all the stuff needed to make it, after looking at a plumbing store and home depot and lowes, and no joke you couldnt have walked out of there only spending 150. I got charge that much for the pipes themselves, and they were dirty as hell too. Also you got 1 1/4 pipes, those were twice as much as i paid for just 1 inch pipes, and 3/4 pipes. I strongly believe you took the total price and cut it in half.

[Priscilla Locke]

@Mac East - not sure what to tell you. That's what we paid. We get lots of emails from people who have made our table and they are able to find the materials for around the same price too. Maybe you just need to shop around your area more. Good luck!

[Kenneth Ernst]

This table looks great! Would you be willing to post a picture of the underside of the table to see how you joined the wood planks with the steel brackets? Thanks!

[Jethro]

My little business, Blackfriars Ironworks http://www.blackfriarsironworks.com and on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackfriarsIronworks sells all the same pipe and fittings as you can get from your local hardware store but cleaned and electrostatically painted (won't rust) and for a lot less. We have ready made things and are happy to create a custom kits of parts for your project.

Apologies if anyone is offended for this shameless plug.

[Justin Swanson]

What did you use to tighten all the joints? Was it hand tightened, or tools?

[Spencer_aston]

I’m pretty late to this party, but I thought I’d throw in my two cents. I just finished building this table. I’ll start by saying I love this table. It’s incredibly easy to put together, and doesn’t take long at all to construct. Honestly the longest part is the staining and then applying the polycrylic. Just some advice to those going out to purchase piping; you can get this same piping at Lowe’s for about $125. I saved close to $60 by not using the 4 threaded pipe connectors, and the second pair of Tee connectors that the original post says. You can create the same base without using 6 of the pieces listed in the original post.

[Spencer_aston]

Also, you can save more money by not using brackets to connect the planks. I drilled 20 pocket holes into the 2 outer planks and connected them all together using 1 1/2 pocket hole screws.