The water element in Greg Klassen's wood and glass tables - modern designer furniture will decorate a stylish interior. How to make money on the manufacture of tables from epoxy and wood? glass river table

Those who pay great attention to the decor of the room, as a rule, use the most non-standard and original ways of decorating rooms. Serial store furniture does not satisfy the needs of people with creative thinking, so apartment owners who want their home to be unique are often looking for unique designer items.

Wooden pieces of furniture, created using modern technologies, will undoubtedly surprise guests. Such unusual, but at the same time beautiful things include a table called "glass river". Few people know what a river table is, and it is this fact that makes these pieces of furniture so special.

Peculiarities

This item received an unusual name due to an insert made of glass or epoxy resin in the center of the tabletop. Visually, the table resembles a mountain gorge, in the hollow of which a river flows. It turns out an insanely beautiful effect that instantly wins the hearts of everyone who sees the masterpiece for the first time.

In the classic version, the table-river is a weighty unit made of natural wood with a glass insert in the center. Glass can be colored or transparent. Sometimes the glass insert is replaced with a mirror. The highlight of the product is an insert of small width with uneven edges.

In almost every house you can see a coffee table or a desk, each has an interesting design, the main function of which is to “enliven” the living space. But not a single table can compare with an amazing table made of elm (a kind of elm) or slab (a cut of a tree trunk, the edges of which remain intact in the finished product) with built-in blue ponds.

The first creator of an amazing product was a furniture designer Greg Klassen (USA). The material for his creation was the waste of sawmills and construction sites, wood with various damages, which could not be used in the furniture industry due to a serious defect. In the hands of a skilled craftsman, all seemingly inconspicuous elements that they wanted to get rid of quickly turned into a real treasure.

At first, the tables were quite simple, but when Greg made a complex pattern of glass in wood, perfectly imitating the incorrigible natural flaw of wood, the man got those very voluminous rivers with ornate banks and crystal clear waters. Each table created by Greg is a unique and original item, and there is no other like it in the world.

Of course, a designer thing is not cheap. But due to the fact that the master never hid the technique of producing original furniture items, the river table has become public property. If desired, the original thing can be done by each person.

Original tables with a river bed come in a variety of configurations: rectangular, square, oval, round, made from glued wood or from a whole trunk.

The core, if the table is made from a trunk, is carefully removed and blue glass is “installed” into the resulting opening, following the contour of the trunk’s irregularities.

The result is the very real river or lake, the bottom of which can be seen with the "naked" eye.

Manufacturing methods

The river table is a new trend in the world of furniture production, and it is called Live edge ("live edge"). Products created in this direction give a feeling of closeness to nature, therefore, among people living in the modern realities of megacities, they are very popular. Many designers and just lovers of unusual interiors are delighted with tables that imitate a piece of wildlife.

As mentioned earlier, for the manufacture of an unusual table, wood with various flaws is often used, which is considered a marriage in industrial production, however, skilled craftsmen with experience and boundless imagination can turn flaws into virtues.

To ensure that all the natural features of natural material are preserved unchanged, each trunk, slab or saw cut is carefully processed by hand using a manual woodworking machine - a fraser. Then the core is carefully removed, and blue or transparent glass is built in its place, following the contour of all the irregularities of the tree trunk. The end result is a real deep-water lake.

There are several options for the execution of the table with the river:

• The glass is placed in a groove, which is pre-cut under the glass insert. Bonding is done with transparent glue.
• Glass is inserted into the groove, which was formed naturally.

The insert in the barrel is made of epoxy. You will learn more about how to make a river table yourself from the following video.

disadvantages

All pieces of furniture produced in the Live edge style are almost perfect. Disadvantages can only be if the table was made with technological violations. That is, the cons do not belong to the product, but to its manufacturer.

Especially difficult to work with resin. During the production process, air bubbles may appear (poorly executed filling), which are unacceptable in the finished product, this is considered a marriage. But unscrupulous performers may try to hide this fact.

The second disadvantage is the inability to correct the error. Making a river table using epoxy resin takes place in several stages. First, the first layer of the thickener is poured, additional decorative drawings are made on the resin, then all the art is poured with the second layer, and if something goes wrong, it is impossible to correct the resin that has frozen by mistake. This moment significantly affects the pricing policy, so epoxy resin products are very expensive. Every wrong step is a spoiled material.

Transparency does not tolerate any errors. For this reason, tables with imitation of the flow of water are created in conditions of absolute purity.

The production facilities must have an ideal air filtration system, otherwise dust particles, hairs and everything that will bring all the work to nothing will be visible in the picture.

Place in the interior

A table whose top is filled with liquid glass, epoxy resin, processed and decorated with metal, phosphorus or in another original way is a new approach to the production of exclusive interior items. A decade and a half ago, no one could even think about such methods of processing timber, and most importantly, assume that from defective, at first glance, raw materials, you can get amazing furniture that will decorate any room.

Original tables made from materials of natural origin can make "revolution" in the interior. Created from solid wood and glass, polymer or resin, river tables create the illusion of being in a forest, a medieval castle, somewhere far from modern life.

Modern and non-standard furniture manufacturing techniques are becoming more and more in demand. For example, a table made of wood and epoxy can be an excellent alternative to conventional products. With the right approach, you can create real designer things. This can be a great idea to start your own business. First of all, you need to figure out how to make a table out of epoxy and wood with your own hands and where to start.

Our business valuation:

Starting investments - from 100,000 rubles.

Market saturation is average.

The complexity of starting a business is 4/10.

Features of tables made of wood and epoxy resin

Epoxy resin furniture has a unique appearance and transforms the home environment. The working surface of the table made of epoxy material has the following advantages:

1. Excellent performance.
2. Affordable price.
3. Humidity resistance.
4. Simple care.
5. Variety of design solutions.

Epoxy resin is a transparent substance with a 3D effect. When solidified, this substance solidifies and retains the desired shape. Epoxy resin comes in different states. Some are suitable for working on flat surfaces. When dried, the composition retains its original volume. The advantage of the material is its price. Approximately 200-280 rubles per kg.

Types of tables made of epoxy resin

With epoxy resin, different forms of wood can be used. It can be saw cuts, trimming boards, logs and old wood. The design of the product can be supplemented with spruce branches, pebbles, shells, corks and coins.

It is worth noting the following design options:

1. To make a glowing table, you can add luminescent powder to the resin.
2. Resin is used as a finishing option for countertops to fill in imperfections.
3. The table-river made of epoxy resin looks spectacular. The role of the coastline is played by wood of an unusual configuration. It turns out the effect of a river flowing over the surface. This uses an insert of poured resin between two pieces of wood.
4. An interesting solution could be a table filled with epoxy resin. In this case, resin is used as a canvas, and wood as an additional decor.

Tables - rivers were first invented by Greg Klassen, but the designer uses glass and black walnut as the material. Epoxy resin technology requires care and diligence.

How to make a table?

To make money on the manufacture of unusual tables, it is worth understanding what the technology of their production consists of. To make a table out of wood and epoxy, you need a base.

The manufacturing process includes the following steps:

1. As a base, you can take a piece of wood or plywood. In the latter case, the product can be given any shape. The future tabletop can be round or oval.
2. In order for the fill to remain on the surface, the sides should be attached to the base. They may be plastic.
3. The base must be dry and clean. Then you need to lay out the design blanks on the surface.
4. Then the table is filled with epoxy resin. If the thickness of the countertop is not more than 0.5 cm, then the liquid mass is poured immediately.
5. If the thickness is greater, then the filling is carried out in several stages.
6. After pouring the first layer, you need to wait two days. Then the procedure is repeated.

If bubbles appear in the process, they are dispersed with a hot hair dryer. To avoid the occurrence of bubbles, it is necessary to process each workpiece with resin. After the layers have hardened, the sides must be removed and the edges and surface sanded.

Epoxy can be used to renew old furniture. To do this, you need to clean the surface, remove the varnish, apply a layer of paint, and then fill with resin. It takes a week to complete the polymerization process.

You can do a partial fill. Flaws in wood can be natural, that is, the surface is eaten away by bark beetles and fungus. They can also be made artificially. When pouring the mixture, the holes on the reverse side can be sealed with mounting tape so that the resin does not leak out.

Features of the business of manufacturing tables based on epoxy resin

Before starting a business in the manufacture of epoxy resin tables, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the specifics of this production. First of all, you will need to rent a room with an area of ​​at least 50 sq.m. There are no special requirements for the premises. But it is important to consider that it is often necessary to make countertops of a non-standard configuration.

Equipment

Therefore, you need to choose the right tools and equipment. It is worth stocking up on the following inventory:

1. High power cutter.
2. Jigsaw for cutting sheets.
3. Grinder machine.

The obligatory equipment of the mini-workshop is the assembly table. To make a table from solid wood and epoxy, you will also need a certain consumable. These are sanding skins, a glue gun, trimmers and clamps.

Suppliers

Raw materials and suppliers are also important. You can purchase chipboard panels, plywood or wood sheets. It is worth considering different offers and choosing the most acceptable option. Elm saw cuts, as well as ash and oak boards are suitable for production. In addition to wood suppliers, you need to find good sellers of resins, varnishes and oils. For some designs, you may need the services of a welder and carpentry workshops, where basic processing is carried out - sawing and grinding.

Despite the seeming simplicity of such furniture, special skills and knowledge are required for the manufacture of countertops. You may have to take a special course in carpentry. The sales market deserves special attention. Manufacturers often work directly with furniture companies.

Expenses

The amount of costs depends on the volume of production. The price of a table made of epoxy resin and wood is most often three times higher than its cost.

At the stage of starting a business, expenses can be as follows:

1. The purchase of materials is 50-200 thousand rubles.
2. Payment for renting a room - 15-20 thousand rubles.
3. Conducting an inexpensive advertising campaign - 3-10 thousand rubles.

The approximate cost of finished tables per linear meter varies from 12,000 rubles. By calculating the number of products manufactured in meters per day, you can find out the revenue and profitability. The approximate value of profitability is not less than 40%. You can buy a table made of epoxy resin and good quality wood at a price of 30 to 100 thousand rubles. The cost depends on the material used and the craftsmanship. 25-30 thousand can cost a small coffee table, and the price for a dining table can exceed 110 thousand.

You can find customers through social networks. networks or ads on Avito. With a large production, you can create your own website. It is not the best option to sell products through furniture boutiques, where they can get lost among the variety of all kinds of products.

The nuances of the production of tables at home

Before you start making tables from epoxy and wood at home, you need to familiarize yourself with some of the intricacies of the process. It is important to decide on the choice of epoxy resin. This product should be transparent and have a low viscosity. This will provide excellent fluidity and dense filling even in hard-to-reach places. Due to the transparency of the resin, you can achieve different effects:

1. Pour all kinds of decor items - dry leaves, stones, pictures and shells.
2. Organize original lighting.
3. Tinted resin.

The room must be well ventilated. You can create forced ventilation. The temperature should not exceed 22 degrees. Dust and high levels of humidity can ruin a slab and epoxy table.

For formwork, you will also need a certain material. The form or formwork is made of plexiglass, plastic or plywood. You will also need release agents, such as wax.

To mix the epoxy resin, you will need a special bowl, a stirring stick and two measuring containers. Read the instructions before mixing. The proportions of the components may vary depending on the manufacturer. First you need to measure the resin, and then the special hardener. Then you need to wait until the resin reaches a suitable consistency. The composition in a liquid state is suitable for filling all corners and depressions. The thick consistency is used as an adhesive.

To make a high quality epoxy table, it is recommended to follow some rules:

1. Resin does not harden well at high humidity. Condensation can get in from the air. To prevent an unpleasant phenomenon, you can hang a film over the countertop.
2. The mixture will harden faster if the countertop is placed on the battery. It is impossible to heat from above, as the surface may become uneven.
3. It is necessary to prepare personal protective equipment - a respirator, goggles and gloves.
4. From exposure to ultraviolet rays, the countertop may turn yellow.
5. All horizontal surfaces in the area of ​​"resin damage" must be covered with polyethylene.
6. If the bubbles do not come out well, then it is recommended to warm the surface with a building hair dryer or inject acetone from the spray gun. These manipulations will reduce surface tension.

Slab - a cut of a tree trunk, the edges of which remain intact in the finished product. The term was borrowed by the carpentry industry from the stone industry. Initially, slabs were called monolithic slabs, which were obtained by sawing stone blocks. In the woodworking industry, slabs are called a solid longitudinal saw cut of a tree - an array that excludes gluing and other types of joints.

The exposed section demonstrates the unique natural structure of the material - color transitions, small knots, natural growths - burls and burls. When processing a slab, the natural lines of the saw cut are preserved - the free geometry of the slab repeats the natural bends of the tree trunk. The edge is not only not leveled, but its natural original relief is additionally emphasized.

More often, slabs are made from the lower part of the tree - it is distinguished by a large width and increased strength. Saws are especially valued in places of bends and branches of the trunk. The thickness of the wooden slab is usually 5-15 cm. Slabs made of solid wood species - elm, oak, larch, walnut, poplar, acacia, mahogany, ebony, rosewood, teak, wenge, merbau and others look most impressive.

The material is used for the manufacture of unique designer furniture and interior items: massive tables, kitchen worktops, chairs, benches, bedside tables, bar counters, shelves, headboards, racks, window sills, lamp bases. The production of products from slabs is singled out as a separate design direction Live edge - "living edge", "natural edge". It implies an underlined miraculousness and an emphasis on the uniqueness of wood.

Today, the furniture market is experiencing "slebomaniya". Interior items made of slab create an atmosphere of native proximity with nature, therefore they are extremely popular among residents of megacities. Live edge elements look organic in loft and eco interior styles. They are also used as accents in minimalism, eclecticism, rustic and ethnic interiors.

Particularly popular are combined tables made in the style of Live edge made of slab and figuratively cut glass or a layer of epoxy resin, called the “flowing river”. Slab tables look extremely impressive in the interiors of offices and meeting rooms, as dining, coffee and magazine models.

The author of the idea is Greg Klassen, a furniture designer from the USA. When creating tables, he used waste from sawmills and construction sites - wood with defects that did not meet the standards of furniture production. He turned the apparent shortcomings of the material into advantages. Intricate patterns of glass imitated riverbeds with ornate banks and crystal clear water.

Each river table is unique. It is logical that the price tag in this case is also exclusively "cosmic". However, the master never hid the technology of making his masterpieces, so the table-river became the public domain. If desired, almost anyone can do it.

Stages of self-production of a table from a slab of wood with a fill

Tool preparation

In order to make a table-river from solid wood with your own hands, you do not need professional equipment and skills. You will need:

• manual frezer;
• table circular saw;
• eccentric grinder;
• electric drill.

Material selection

Elm or elm slab is especially popular as a base - it is strong, does not rot, can be processed well, has a dark brown core, light underbark and moire texture of wood. The residual moisture content of the array should not exceed 10%. Pre-heat-treated wood acquires an even more juicy and bright shade.

The cheapest resins - such as ED-20 - are capricious in work, viscous, and have a yellowish tint. A good value for money epoxy, a two-component cold curing compound Cristal: colorless and optically clear. Due to the low viscosity of the composition, bubbles come out of its volume on their own.

The resin can be given any color with the help of special tinting pastes. In this case, it is not recommended to choose water-based formulations, as they contribute to the formation of bubbles.

Preparation and processing of wood

Depending on the functions of the table, determine the size and make a sketch. The slab is milled, after which the traces of the cutter are carefully sanded with a belt grinder and polished. At the same time, the natural curvature of the edges is preserved as much as possible.

After that, with a manual milling machine with a special carriage, the slab planes are aligned, which will be installed parallel to each other. At this stage, the largest irregularities are removed and boards of the same thickness are obtained.

After that, formwork is made from a chipboard sheet. The joints of the materials are coated with transparent silicone sealant so that epoxy does not flow between them. To prevent the resin from getting on the outer surface of the countertop, the edges of the slabs are glued with masking tape.

After that, the "channel" of the river is primed with a thin layer of epoxy. This closes the pores and stabilizes the wood. The resin is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.

In order to prevent air bubbles from forming in the voids, the epoxy is poured in small doses - layers ~ 1 cm thick every 24 hours. If air bubbles form on the surface, they are heated with a building hair dryer and they burst. Gelling time of Cristal epoxy is 60 minutes, full polymerization is 1 day, full curing is 5 days. After that, the formwork is dismantled.

At the final stage, the tabletop is ground with a step-by-step reduction in grain - from P40 to P320. Before final grinding and polishing, the legs are screwed to the product. Finishing wood sanding - P600 grain, resin - P1500. After that, the wood is coated with a protective oil, usually in 2 layers. Its shade is selected taking into account the type of wood and the color of the "river". After drying, the countertop is rubbed with lint-free textiles.

Loft style table made of oak slab and epoxy

The cost of the finished table will depend on the selected material (beech, oak, elm) and will average 50-70 thousand rubles. Budget can be viewed in our catalog.

Tables have always been considered an integral part of the interior and occupied an almost dominant role, since we need them not only as an interior item, but also as a very comfortable surface that serves as a workplace for us.

An object: Glass Rivers And Lakes Flow Across Beautiful Tables
Country: United States of America (Washington)
Design: Greg Klassen(Greg Klassen)
Size: 52x19x33

Glass rivers on your table

They come in different shapes and sizes, in our time an immense amount of materials from which they are made, but the dominant role is occupied by wood. Glass Rivers And Lakes Flow Across Beautiful Tables - Glass Rivers And Lakes Flow Across Beautiful Tables. A very intriguing title that gives free rein to our imagination. This is a table by Washington DC artist and furniture designer Greg Klassen who created this stylish table with a river flowing through it. The perfect combination of natural and industrial forms. Most tables are made of maple, sometimes with the addition of walnut or birch bark. The river flowing across the table is made of glass, and the legs are made of steel.

Truly unique furniture is hard to find, Greg Klassen, the man who designs and builds all of his pieces from start to finish. For the convenience of your home, glass river tables are designed in different sizes; in proportion to the size of the table top, rivers flowing through the table change shape and size. The perfectly cut layer of glass that covers the river allows it to remain 100% functional, although at first glance it looks too pretty to be useful. Table surfaces with water simulation and amazing texture will give you a pleasure to work with; water you can confidently rely on).

In modern interior design, extraordinary and exclusive interior items are increasingly being used, capable of focusing on themselves all the attention of the people present in the room. Such an original interior solution includes tables decorated with epoxy resin.

This interesting thing can be done with your own hands, turning an ordinary piece of furniture into a genuine work of art.

Properties

In the furniture industry, epoxy resins are not used in their pure form, since the magical qualities of epoxy are manifested as a result of its contact with a special hardener. By changing the ratio of these two connected parts, you can get a composition of different consistency. Depending on the purpose for which it will be used, it can be:

• liquid essence,
• viscous or rubbery substance;
• solid;
• high strength base.

The manufacturing process of any furniture with decor using epoxy resin involves coating the wooden base with this polymer and carefully polishing the product after the resin has hardened, as a result, a product with high wear resistance will be obtained. The general properties of the entire composition will depend on the correct ratio of ingredients. The wrong amount of hardener can significantly reduce the strength of the finished product, as well as its resistance to environmental influences and household products. Therefore, it is so important when preparing a mixture for work to observe the ratios recommended by the polymer manufacturer, most often these ratios are 1: 1.

According to the method of use, epoxy resin can be hot cured or cold cured. When creating pieces of furniture at home, the second type is most often used.

Advantages and disadvantages

Compared to conventional natural wood tables, epoxy treated tables have a number of advantages:

• the composition of the resin, when dried, has practically no shrinkage, keeps its shape well, retains its original color, does not deform and is not subject to mechanical damage;
• exclusivity of each product and unlimited design options;
• the ability to use various additional materials for decoration (coins, tree cuts, shells, stones, starfish, etc.);
• the possibility of adding multi-colored dyes to the mixture, including phosphorescent paints;

• impermeability to moisture and dampness;
• excellent tolerance of cleaning chemicals.

The main disadvantage of these tables is the very high cost of the product. To cover one copy, depending on the size and shape of the product, it can take up to several tens of liters of a polymer substance. Another possible unpleasant drawback is the presence of air bubbles that form in the epoxy mixture as a result of non-compliance with instructions and technologies during production.

Manufacturing process

The very first and one of the most important steps in preparing a wooden structure for pouring with epoxy resin is the thorough removal of dust and all other contaminants from the surface of the tree. After that, the surface of the table, which will be poured, must be primed. If this is not done, then the resin, absorbed into the porous wood, forms air bubbles that will spoil the appearance of the product.

Only after the preparation stage is completed is the required amount of mixture of epoxy resin and hardener prepared. At this stage, the most important thing is strict observance of the proportions specified in the instructions for use. Depending on the chosen design, dyes or additional decorative materials can be added to the finished mixture. Next, the resulting mixture is applied to the prepared wooden surface.

If a certain design is conceived on the tabletop from additional materials, then they must be placed on the surface of the table even before pouring. Moreover, light materials, such as wine corks or shells, must first be glued to the surface in accordance with the intended pattern. It is necessary, so that during the pouring of the mixture they do not surface, thereby turning a well-thought-out composition into a disorderly and uninteresting structure. If unwanted air bubbles appear during the pouring process, they can be removed with a building hair dryer by directing a jet of hot air to the problem area.

The mixture will begin to set after fifteen minutes, but the final stage, namely the grinding of the product, can only be started after the resin has completely hardened. It is advisable to withstand the product for a week, since after this period it will have completely settled down and will be ready for use.

After grinding, it is desirable to cover the product with several layers of protective varnish. This will prevent the release of toxic substances into the atmosphere, which in small quantities may be contained in resin compositions.

Variety of options

To create a table with an original tabletop decorated with epoxy resin, you can take absolutely any type of tree, including a variety of fragments, cuts, chips and even sawdust, the main thing is that everything, even the tiniest particles of the future tabletop, be thoroughly dried. In epoxy resin, old and rough wood looks amazing. For decor, you can also successfully use sea and river shells, pebbles, dry herbs and flowers, coins, and other inclusions that can give the product a special originality or a certain theme. And by mixing luminescent dyes with epoxy resin, you will create a magical glow effect.

A tree that has been eaten by bark beetles or damaged by dampness looks very unusual in resin. Natural damage, filled with epoxy with the addition of dye or luminous paint, can create unrealistically beautiful space patterns on the countertop. All kinds of holes, cracks and paths in wood can also be created artificially, creating your own pattern. All small holes are filled with the prepared mortar using a construction spatula. After curing, excess resin is removed using a grinder.

The process of manufacturing countertops by pouring is the most expensive and time-consuming, and also requires special care in work. It is used in the manufacture of worktops with attachments, as well as to create original design pieces with fantastic ideas and unusual solutions. Like the famous American designer Greg Klassen, which creates original models of tables with "natural landscapes". The “river” or “lake”, frozen in the tabletops of his amazing tables, amaze with its grandeur and incredible beauty.

How to make a wooden table with an epoxy resin river with your own hands, see the following video.