Popular Woodworking – October 2019

POPULARWOODWORKING.COM ■ 41

Stain & Top Coat
This table benefi ts from fi nishing
before assembly for numerous
reasons. First, the pegged tenon
joints are diffi cult to brush or wipe
with fi nish and are prone to drips.
The top will be taped and grouted, so
pre-fi nishing helps protect the top.
Varathane makes an excellent black
walnut colored stain, which high-
lights the rays in the quarter-sawn
wood. After staining each surface,
let the stain dry overnight. Tape all
of the glue surfaces and then spray
three topcoats of polyurethane.

Clamping
Despite the pegged shelf joinery,
this table is not ‘knock-down’ and
must be glued up at once (excepting
the top). Because the table has stain
and fi nish on it, it is important to
protect the surface from marring.
Assemble the two sides with the
shelf stretcher fi rst, and then tip these
up and while fi tting the long aprons, fi t
the shelf at the same time. Clamp the
top fi rst, and after the shelf mortises
are inserted through the mortises in
the stretcher, drive in the pegs to hold
the shelf in place. Unclamp the table.
Because of the angles, the top and
bottom of the legs must be trimmed.
Mark lines parallel to the ground
plane. Trim the bottom with a Jap-
anese saw, and level the top with
a small belt sander. Touch up the
stain if necessary. Bore holes to at-
tach the top with Figure 8 tabletop
fasteners.

22

22 After the top fi nish has dried for

24 hours, attach the plywood sub

top to the frame, then tape off the

fi nished wood on the top. A fl exible

spatula helps push the grout into

the gaps around the tiles.

23 With the excess grout removed,

clean the grout fi lm left on the tile

using a damp sponge. A fi nal wipe

with a clean rag to dry the tiles and

let the top sit overnight.

23

Grouting the Top

After the fi nish on the top has dried

for 24 hours, it is ready for grout-

ing. The tiled plywood sub-top can

be fi xed in the rabbet in the top

with wood glue or adhesive. Wait

for the adhesive to set.

Apply painters tape to the top

frame, carefully fi xing the tape on

the chamfered edge of the frame,

which will protect the wood from

the moist grout. Using a fl exible

hand spatula, spread grout on the

tile, and carefully pack grout into

the gaps between the tiles.

After all of the gaps have been

fi lled, wipe all of the excess off with

the hand spatula. Clean the grout

from the tile with a sponge wet

with water. Remove all of the fi lm

with the sponge. Don’t let any fi lm

dry on the tile. Make one careful

pass with a clean rag to dry the

tiles, and let the grout set over-

night. Remove the tape, and fasten

the top to the bottom.

Use this tile top table in the living

room alongside an easy chair, or next

to your bed for morning coff ee. PW

Seth Keller is an independent furni-

ture designer and the director of the

Sullivan Fabrication Studio at the

School of the Art Institute in Chicago.

Aseese Grewal is a designer and furni-

ture maker also based in Chicago.