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XL Cedar Table with Concrete Top

jasonmcmillan
jasonmcmillan Posts: 9
in EGG Table Forum
Wanted to say thanks to all the inspiration on these forums and show off my Egg's new seat.  I'm not near creative enough to have done this without having all you guys ideas to steal from.  Hope you all like it, and it inspires someone else to build a table for their Egg.  











Special thanks to these two in particular, I pretty much copied and pasted your builds.
- @GT_Egg http://https//eggheadforum.com/discussion/1199681/cedar-and-concrete-table-almost-done/p1
- @NC_Egghead http://https//eggheadforum.com/discussion/1197699/xl-table-a-labor-of-love/p1



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Comments

  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    I'm REALLY disappointed in your design and build quality...I expected much better!
    I'm going to help you out by hauling away that scrap pile of material at no charge and give you a chance to redeem yourself on your second table...
    Please go back and re-read this when you are very drunk and give me a call to set up a time for pick up.

    Amazing looking table!
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • hogfan412
    hogfan412 Posts: 75
    Very nice quality.   You know what you are doing and it shows.
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  • Lowcountrygamecock
    Lowcountrygamecock Posts: 416
    Where did you get the cedar?  I'm about to build one after Christmas and would love to use Cedar but I can't seem to find it locally.  
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  • SaltySam
    SaltySam Posts: 887
    Solid!

    LBGE since June 2012

    Omaha, NE

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  • johnmitchell
    johnmitchell Posts: 6,569
    That is one sweet set up. Great build and that brisky isn't too shabby either. Welcome to the forum.
    Greensboro North Carolina
    When in doubt Accelerate....
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  • jasonmcmillan
    jasonmcmillan Posts: 9
    Thanks for the kind words.  @hogfan412 I have no idea what I’m doing but between here and YouTube I managed.  @Lowcountrygamecock got the cedar from McCoy’s here in Texas.  They tend to have better quality than the other big box stores.  It’s all 1x4. 
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  • bucky925
    bucky925 Posts: 2,029
    You've got SKILLS!  Very Nice!

    Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.

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  • dbCooper
    dbCooper Posts: 2,078
    Some real talent there, very nice!
    LBGE, LBGE-PTR, 22" Weber, Coleman 413G
    Great Plains, USA
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  • AnothaStolenGenrator
    AnothaStolenGenrator Posts: 287
    Lowcountrygamecock said:
    Where did you get the cedar?  I'm about to build one after Christmas and would love to use Cedar but I can't seem to find it locally.  

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  • GoooDawgs
    GoooDawgs Posts: 1,060
    Love the concrete top!  One of the best tables I've seen.  You should be very proud! 
    Milton, GA 
    XL BGE & FB300
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Very impressive!
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Tspud1
    Tspud1 Posts: 1,486
    That's a work of art, impressive.
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  • GT_Egg
    GT_Egg Posts: 22
    Nice work. Looks really good!
    Roswell, GA

    Large BGE
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  • speed51133
    speed51133 Posts: 691
    edited December 2019
    are you concerned with the cedar expanding and contracting with humidity and the rigidity of the concrete??

    Did you cast it in place? I want to do the same, but cast in place to avoid carrying it and cracking it. Is it solid or did you use a foam plug?? what is on the underside of it? does it rest directly on the cedar 4x4's??
    XL BGE and Kamado Joe Jr.
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  • speed51133
    speed51133 Posts: 691
    Lowcountrygamecock said:
    Where did you get the cedar?  I'm about to build one after Christmas and would love to use Cedar but I can't seem to find it locally.  
    where are you located?? I have a cedar table I am going to be scrapping when I make my stone one this spring (was supposed to be a 2019 fall project but reasons...)
    XL BGE and Kamado Joe Jr.
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  • Tspud1
    Tspud1 Posts: 1,486
    speed51133 said:
    are you concerned with the cedar expanding and contracting with humidity and the rigidity of the concrete??

    Did you cast it in place? I want to do the same, but cast in place to avoid carrying it and cracking it. Is it solid or did you use a foam plug?? what is on the underside of it? does it rest directly on the cedar 4x4's??
    I thought most concrete tops were cast upside down to get a smooth surface. I thought about having some done but I like you have some questions first. What about stain in concrete when pouring or is that something done later to surface. I did some stainless work for a guys outdoor kitchen that has concrete tops.

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  • speed51133
    speed51133 Posts: 691
    Yes, cast upside down for smooth top, BUT, with some trowel work and diamond pad polishing I am not concerned with it. I can also press down a foam or melamine board onto it to get it flat enough.

    With respect to the staining, you can stain it on the surface or stain the wet concrete before it is poured. I prefer staining the whole batch so it is colored throughout. The thing is it is hard to get that marbling effect if you are not staining the surface. 
    XL BGE and Kamado Joe Jr.
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  • jasonmcmillan
    jasonmcmillan Posts: 9
    edited December 2019
    speed51133 said:
    are you concerned with the cedar expanding and contracting with humidity and the rigidity of the concrete??

    Did you cast it in place? I want to do the same, but cast in place to avoid carrying it and cracking it. Is it solid or did you use a foam plug?? what is on the underside of it? does it rest directly on the cedar 4x4's??
    I'm not concerned about the wood expansion causing the concrete to crack.  It is just caulked down to the wood.  I imagine the caulking will give before the concrete cracks.  I did use lap joints on all the paneling to avoid gaps formed during changes in weather.

    I used the reverse cast in white melamine to make the countertop.  There are some awesome youtube videos on this guys channel with all sorts of ways to pull this off.  

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9aRTgvFLqnK1S0RsWZzlMw

    The concrete was super heavy and took some friends and neighbors to get to the back yard.  You just have to factor in an extra case of beer and some brisket for the friends when calculating the cost of the table.  

    Used a foam plug for the Egg section of the concrete.  Reinforced the narrow section of the concrete with some rebar.  It turned out pretty solid.  

    Here is a picture below just the structure side of the table before bringing the countertop in.  All legs are two 1x4's laminated together.  The runners are 1x4s using a mortise and tenon joints.  I was concerned with all the weight so I bought some 2x4s and and installed some additional support for the big countertop.  Used some lap joints on the runs across the depth of the table.  Did a jump test on it before bringing the countertop.  

    With all that said, I'm no expert at any of this.  Just watched some youtube videos and winged it.  This thing may fall apart by next summer, but I had fun building it. I'm willing to give it another go if it does.  


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  • RajunCajun
    RajunCajun Posts: 1,035
    Man that is very nice indeed.
    The problem with a problem is that you don't know it's a problem until it's a problem, and that is a big problem.
    Holding the company together with three spreadsheets and two cans connected by a long piece of string.
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  • NC_Egghead
    NC_Egghead Posts: 786
    Awesome build! It looks like you will enjoy your set up for many years to come. 
    Charlotte, NC

    XL BGE, WSM, Weber Genesis 2, Weber Kettle
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  • jasonmcmillan
    jasonmcmillan Posts: 9
    NC_Egghead said:
    Awesome build! It looks like you will enjoy your set up for many years to come. 
    Thanks.  Wouldn’t have been able to build it without yours to model it after.  
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
    Damn nice build. That’s a great eggdom you have. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Botch
    Botch Posts: 15,463
    Stunning job, Jason!   B)
    _____________

    Remember when teachers used to say 'You won't have a calculator everywhere you go'?  Well, we showed them.


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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    speed51133 said:
    Yes, cast upside down for smooth top, BUT, with some trowel work and diamond pad polishing I am not concerned with it. I can also press down a foam or melamine board onto it to get it flat enough.

    With respect to the staining, you can stain it on the surface or stain the wet concrete before it is poured. I prefer staining the whole batch so it is colored throughout. The thing is it is hard to get that marbling effect if you are not staining the surface. 
    Could you not add the stain to wet concrete and then stain the top as well for effect?
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • speed51133
    speed51133 Posts: 691
    Haha. I guess so... Good point
    XL BGE and Kamado Joe Jr.
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  • 2beast
    2beast Posts: 50
    Beautiful job!


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  • loco_engr
    loco_engr Posts: 5,765
    nice build!, like the extra counter space
    aka marysvilleksegghead
    Lrg 2008
    mini 2009
    XL 2021 (sold 8/24/23)
    Henny Youngman:
    I said to my wife, 'Where do you want to go for our anniversary?' She said, 'I want to go somewhere I've never been before.' I said, 'Try the kitchen.'
    Bob Hope: When I wake up in the morning, I don’t feel anything until noon, and then it’s time for my nap
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  • Matt86m
    Matt86m Posts: 471
    Strong work!

    Makes me want to get my backyard started
    XL aka Senior, Mini Max aka Junior, Weber Q's, Blackstone 22, Lion built in, RecTec Mini 300, Lodge Hibachi, Uuni, wife says I have too many grills,,,,how many shoes do you have?
     
    IG -->  matt_86m
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  • speed51133
    speed51133 Posts: 691
    how level was your slab? Did you cut the 4x4's differently to accommodate for it? I am having some issues with mine. I need to account for about a 1.5in slope over 9 feet. I was going to use composite shims, but I don't like that idea anymore. I am thinking of forming a mortar wedge on the slab to level it out.
    XL BGE and Kamado Joe Jr.
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  • alaskanassasin
    alaskanassasin Posts: 7,642
    Just throwing this out there but if you make a 9' long wedge of mortar may deteriorate, crack, fail, with freezing and thawing.
    South of Columbus, Ohio.


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