Exterior Wood for Furniture - Table

[Van G]

Would like to build a table for our Big Joe (like Big Green Egg) and wanted to get a few ideas for the top and drawers.

Will use western red cedar for frame but don't think it is durable enough for the top and drawers.

Have seen a number of tables built from Eucalyptus but don't think I can source locally.

Table will be on wheels and be covered (BBQ cover) when not in use.

Any suggestions on top material/finish for long lasting food application? Not cutting meat on it but grease/sauce stains.

 

[deepcreek]

There's only one answer in my opinion.  Stainless steel.

Find a restaurant fabricator and have them do it with a marine edge.  They can also fab the drawers for you.

 

[Cheese]

There's only one answer in my opinion.  Stainless steel.

Ya, I agree with this program. Have had all sorts of wooden tables outside, cedar, redwood, teak, Ipe and they all need to be treated/refinished every 6 months or so, otherwise they turn silver and become rough to the touch and stain easily.

I added a stainless side table surface to my grill and after 11 years you just wipe it off and you're done. You can cut on it (if you're carefull with your knives), put steaming hot pans on it, spill on it, the stuff just works.

 

[Van G]

Thanks for the replies. Will see if I can locate fabricator here in Toronto.

Stone like granite or Quartz would likely be similarly priced.

How do I frame to accept the top? Cross members along apron every 16" or so?

 

[HDClown]

I was just looking into SS countertop prices as I have a section outside where I want to install a countertop. Cheapest prices I could fine for SS counter top pieces worked out to $60-65/sq ft for 304SS.  You can granite starting in the $25/sq ft range, of course, it gets more expensive pretty quickly, and you can easily be at $60-65/sq ft like the SS.  However, that's all up to you on what kind of granite you want.  You could easily stay on the low end.  I just couldn't find fabricated SS any cheaper than that $60/sq ft mark.

 

[fperra]

Make a cement top for the egg. I have an extra larg and a large BGE and I poured a cement top for them. Here's what it looks like:

 

[Van G]

I've seen a few DIY on pouring cement top but lack the tools for doing edging or polish. 

Did you cut out your holes or template and pour?

 

[fperra]

Template and pour.

 

[tiralie]

Make a cement top for the egg. I have an extra larg and a large BGE and I poured a cement top for them. Here's what it looks like:

That looks very nice.
Why 2 cookers, one for turkey and one for ribs...?
Tim

 

[jacko9]

Make a cement top for the egg. I have an extra larg and a large BGE and I poured a cement top for them. Here's what it looks like:

I really like your cement top, why didn't you make it longer to get more work space?

Jack

 

[Van G]

How did you get edges rounded and top polished?

 

[Cheese]

[member=14192]fperra[/member]
Nice job on the concrete pour. Is that made from the lightweight GFRC version of concrete that's made specifically for countertops by Buddy Rhodes & Fu-Tung Cheng?

What did you use to join the 2 slabs together in the middle?

 

[deepcreek]

Thanks for the replies. Will see if I can locate fabricator here in Toronto.

Stone like granite or Quartz would likely be similarly priced.

How do I frame to accept the top? Cross members along apron every 16" or so?

For stainless, I would install a doubled up 3/4" plywood deck and stick the stainless down with silicone.  Weight it and clamp while drying.

Have the stainless fabricated with a 1-5/8 edge.

In my experience, commercial stainless fabricators who specialize in restaurants are much less expensive than the residential ones who do kitchen counters.

 

[fperra]

How did you get edges rounded and top polished?

The edges came out of the mold that way. I made the mold out of 3/4" white melamine and ran a bead of silicone along the bottom edges of the mold to get the rounded edges.

[member=14192]fperra[/member]
Nice job on the concrete pour. Is that made from the lightweight GFRC version of concrete that's made specifically for countertops by Buddy Rhodes & Fu-Tung Cheng?

What did you use to join the 2 slabs together in the middle?

Standard weight concrete from Lowes. The top is re enforced with rebar. I made it in two pieces because the weight of a single slab would be too much for two old guys with bad backs to lift. [big grin] The two slabs are connected with a stainless steel bar between them and glued with epoxy. 

 

[Cheese]

[member=14192]fperra[/member]
A lot of clever ideas here, melamine for a smooth surface finish & ease of release, silicone caulk for the radius, the SST bar with epoxy.  [thumbs up]

I can especially appreciate the old guys with bad backs statement.

 

[Van G]

Cool. If I don't need special equip to edge and wet polish then concrete is a cool top.

Did you use melamine strips for the sides and radius for Kamado?

 

[fperra]

Cool. If I don't need special equip to edge and wet polish then concrete is a cool top.

Did you use melamine strips for the sides and radius for Kamado?

Yes, melamine for the sides and the form screwed together so it can be taken apart to release the concrete. For the holes I used 2" thick foam insulation from Lowes. After you cut the foam circle to the size you need, wrap the edges with packing tape so the concrete doesn't stick. I did wet polish my top, but you could get by without that if you use a finer concrete mix. There is a lot of information on youtube about making concrete counter tops.

 

[leakyroof]

The early Big Green Egg tables were made from Cypress, which can be fairly rot resistant if the right boards are chosen for the project.  Now, I think they went Tropical on their Wood selection, and want even more money for the tables.
I've refinished a few of the Cypress Tables, I use Sikkens Cetol Marine Finish on them. No need to refinish or touch up every few months, and a lot of stuff can be removed with a damp cloth if the finish is still on decent shape.  Cypress isn't that expensive of a wood either usually. I use 5/4 for top boards or maybe 6/4 to match what BGE built in their tables.  Sometimes I run boards through my lunchbox planer to match an odd thickness after sanding original tops.
The support boards for the Eggs themselves on the bottom are always much thicker than the table tops and I added more bracing than BGE did when the tables were new.
If you want to go the Stainless steel or Concrete route for a top, I can see all the pros of doing so. 
If you do decide to build a wood top, please screw the boards from the bottom side of the table, taking care not to pop out through the boards with too long of a screw.
The boards will look better without screw heads all over the place on topside, and you prevent water from sitting in the screwhead depressions .

 

[Van G]

Got a few quotes on 16GA and 18GA 304 SS and its running at about $600-700 based on a 3x8 and 4x8 sheet. Little steep.

Concrete have the longevity? Since it's always getting stronger I'll assume it will last the test of time and maintenance would consist of resealing every couple years.

Looking at something like 36" wide x 72"-88" long.

 

[leakyroof]

Got a few quotes on 16GA and 18GA 304 SS and its running at about $600-700 based on a 3x8 and 4x8 sheet. Little steep.

Concrete have the longevity? Since it's always getting stronger I'll assume it will last the test of time and maintenance would consist of resealing every couple years.

Looking at something like 36" wide x 72"-88" long.

  Another way to go with Stainless steel is modifiying a used Restaurant or Hospital Table that you buy from a salvage or other type place. You can cut the table top with an abrasive saw, smooth out your cut line, and polish the top a bit if needed.
  As far as Stainless steel sheets that are new, which grade are you being quoted,
2B, 3B, 4B, ie, what finish is on the raw sheet?
2B is usually the cheapest since it's very raw and a dull grey that will get dressed up in the finishing process once the material is done being fabricated into whatever it's being used for.
Higher, prefinished grades are covered with a plastic protective sheet that gets peeled off during the building process, but you are paying for that prefinished material since it was more money to process that sheet at the mill.
Is wood still an option for you?