This project was built and designed by Mike Montgomery from Modern Builds. It features a beautiful blend of live edge olive wood and epoxy resin, combining natural elegance with contemporary design for a striking coffee table.
Mike carefully selected olive wood slabs for their unique character and natural voids, perfectly suited to showcase the vibrant clarity of epoxy resin. Throughout the build, he demonstrates precision, patience, and creativity, resulting in a distinctive piece ideal for any living space.
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Selecting the Perfect Wood
Mike begins by choosing olive wood slabs, notable for their pronounced grain patterns and intriguing natural voids. These voids create visual interest and interact beautifully with epoxy, making olive wood an excellent choice for resin projects.
Before moving forward, he carefully removes any bark and loose debris. This preparation ensures the epoxy adheres correctly, preventing bubbles or structural flaws that might otherwise compromise the finished product.
Constructing the Mold for the Epoxy Pour
The epoxy requires a well-made mold to create a clean pour. Mike builds this mold from melamine—a smooth, non-stick material ideal for epoxy resin due to its easy release after curing.
He reinforces the mold corners with screws and hot glue, ensuring it withstands the considerable pressure and weight of the epoxy during the curing process. Applying paste wax to the mold surface also helps guarantee a smooth release, simplifying later steps and ensuring minimal cleanup.
Executing the Epoxy Resin Pour
For this project, Mike chooses Smooth-On Smooth Cast 310 epoxy resin, known for its exceptional clarity, durability, and bubble-free finish. He opts for one large pour rather than multiple smaller pours to minimize the likelihood of bubbles and imperfections.
Mike places the olive wood slabs carefully within the mold, positioning them to create a visually pleasing arrangement. Once satisfied, he pours the epoxy slowly, ensuring it thoroughly fills every void and recess, encapsulating the slabs beautifully.
Flattening the Tabletop
After letting the epoxy cure fully for about two days, the tabletop is ready for flattening. Mike uses a router sled—a precise tool for leveling large surfaces evenly and efficiently.
This technique gradually reveals the gorgeous grain of the olive wood, alongside the crystal-clear epoxy. The result is a perfectly smooth surface, showcasing the seamless integration of natural wood and resin.
Addressing Minor Imperfections
Despite careful pouring, small bubbles or imperfections may occur. Mike tackles these by applying additional epoxy to fill any noticeable gaps or voids, ensuring the tabletop’s surface remains pristine.
He applies painter’s tape to the underside of the slab to prevent leaks during this touch-up phase. Once the fresh epoxy cures, Mike sands the surface again, achieving a flat and uniform finish that fully highlights the epoxy’s clarity and wood’s beauty.
Cutting and Trimming the Tabletop
Mike uses a circular saw equipped with a high-quality finish blade to trim the tabletop down to its final dimensions. Masking tape along the cutting line helps prevent chipping or tear-out, ensuring crisp, clean edges.
This step is crucial for maintaining a refined and professional look. Attention to detail here guarantees the tabletop edges remain clean and sharp, complementing the overall sleek aesthetic of the table.
Creating a Modern Steel Base
The coffee table’s base is crafted from steel, providing both sturdy support and a modern appearance. Mike cuts and shapes steel tubing, creating interlocking joints to increase stability and structural integrity.
He welds these joints carefully, ensuring the base is rigid and strong enough to safely support the heavy epoxy-and-wood tabletop. Once the welding is complete, the base receives a protective coat of paint, further enhancing its polished appearance.
Mounting the Base Securely
To achieve a sleek, seamless look, Mike recesses the steel base slightly into the underside of the tabletop. He uses precise routing to create a snug-fitting channel, ensuring the base aligns perfectly and evenly supports the table.
This recessed design detail enhances the stability of the entire structure and contributes to the overall modern aesthetic, making the table appear professionally finished from all angles.
Finishing and Protecting the Tabletop
For the final protective coat, Mike applies a penetrating oil finish. This finish enriches the natural color and grain patterns of the olive wood, accentuating the beauty of both the wood and epoxy resin.
The oil finish is buffed thoroughly, ensuring any excess is removed to prevent tackiness or uneven spots. This step provides lasting protection against daily use, preserving the table’s stunning appearance for years to come.
A Stunning Centerpiece for Any Room
This live edge epoxy resin coffee table beautifully demonstrates how woodworking and epoxy can merge to create extraordinary furniture pieces. Mike’s methodical approach, from slab selection to final finishing touches, results in a functional work of art that’s both durable and eye-catching.
Ideal for modern interiors, rustic settings, or contemporary living spaces, this project provides inspiration and practical guidance for woodworkers interested in exploring epoxy resin furniture.
Please support Mike by visiting his website: https://www.modernbuilds.com/.