I’m certainly not the first person to take on a pipe-furniture project, but this DIY industrial coffee table is dear to me because it just so happens to be one of my first DIY conquests. And, yes, that means it came with a few learnings, which I’ll happily pass on here. (I’m never one to shy away from sharing my little snafus, especially if they can help someone.)
Working with steel pipe as a virtual beginner can be great because it’s almost like one of those build-it-yourself craft kits you got as a kid; you get a taste for getting your hands dirty with the built-in safety net that fixed combos of pipe configurations provide. Technically, you could thread the pipe yourself to your exact specifications — but again, I was a beginner, and that thought didn’t even cross my mind. Also, that’s a lot of extra work when so many beautiful, pre-threaded pipes are available for purchase.
Planning your signature industrial coffee table
I often talk about starting with that “one thing” to kickstart a project. In the case of this DIY coffee table, that one thing manifested via a serendipitous trip to Roundtop, TX. As soon as I laid my eyes on those four rickety, old jack stands, I saw the makings of an upcycled masterpiece. Being a fan of linear details, I loved the effect the inverted jack stands created as you peeked down into them. Not wanting to lose that detail, I knew I needed to tie in an element of transparency. That meant glass.
But, I also didn’t want a boring piece of glass on top of a standard based. So, I decided to go all-in on LINES to create more visual interest. Instead of using a continuous piece of wood as you would traditionally see, I decided to float narrow boards using intersecting pipe to (literally) tie it all together. I kept the boards plain to tie into the birch wood look of my living room, but you could also just as easily stain them if you’d like. And then, of course, I HAD to take it one step further with the addition of a black-and-white striped rug, creating a crescendo of lines that would make even Waldo go green with envy.
Putting it all together: building your industrial coffee table
Step 1: Prepare the metal legs and pipes.
First, you’ll need to create the desired finish for your metal pieces. You’ll want to clean the surface of the metal (more on this in my dos and don’ts below.) Then, I spray-painted each piece black, giving it plenty of time to dry before attempting to put everything together.
Step 2: Cut your boards to length and drill your holes for the pipe.
I used six 2x4s cut to equal length (36 inches) with this piece. You’ll then use a circular drill bit to hollow out the holes to pass the pipe through, making sure that the width matches the diameter of the pipe. You’ll also want to mark the holes so that they’re equidistant from the end of each board. That way, you don’t end up with boards that stick out at different lengths.
Step 3: Configure your pipes and secure them into place.
Now is the fun part. You’ll start by passing your long piece of pipe through the holes you just created. Once through, you’ll connect the end pieces using a 90-degree elbow pipe. If you’ve added any connector pieces for details (or to achieve your desired length), you’ll attach them now. Note: when using couplings, reduce or add length equally on each end to keep a symmetrical piece.
Step 4: Attach the legs.
In my case, (luckily) the jack stands already had holes drilled into the base of the stands. So I could screw directly into the wood from below without any trouble. If you’re not comfortable working with heavy-duty metal, I’d suggest looking for something similar.
Step 5: Have a glass top made to your specifications.
I worked with a local glass vendor to create a custom piece that worked with my dimensions. I let them know what it was to be used for so they could make suggestions based on the use case. It’s very substantial in terms of weight so that it can’t be easily moved, and the edges are also well-rounded to avoid injury.
Some industrial coffee table dos and don’ts
Do
- Do: Factor in the length any connectors will add to the overall piece.
- Do: Come prepared to spend some time, do some math, and test things out. I turned the aisle of Home Depot into my temporary workspace when working through all the dimensions. (Sorry, actual plumbers.)
- Do: Know that pipe comes in different diameters: 1/2 in., 3/4 in., and 1 in. being the most common. The size you choose will contribute to how delicate or beefy a piece looks, so you may want to keep in mind the overall weight, size, and look you’re going for when making your selection.
- Do: Make sure you double-check the size of EVERY piece! Every. Single. Piece. My guess is that others like me play around with the materials, and a few fall into the wrong boxes. Lesson learned.
Don’t
- Don’t: Think you can get to building right away. Some prep work is advisable. If you go with black steel pipe, it will be greasy and leave a residue. So, get ready to get a little dirty. I made the mistake of trying to jump right in and had some issues with the spray paint adhering to the surface because of it. Using a degreasing agent like dish detergent will help remove this outer film. I’ve also read about people following up with running vinegar over the dried surface after washing it. (I did not do this personally, but it might be worth trying.)
- Don’t: Get boxed in. Feel free to get playful with your supplies; add a cool connector or vary your lengths, even when you don’t have to. Technically, I didn’t have to add an iron pressure connector — I could’ve just gone with a longer straight piece on the ends. But, I thought it added a nice industrial detail and a contrast to the single pieces I used on the sides.
I’ve provided the overall specifications to give you a feel for the size without extreme detail about every piece used. With so many combinations of supplies out there, you really can’t go wrong. I encourage you to play around with the available materials to achieve the look and size that works best for you.
A trip to Roundtop for some unique industrial finds and the plumbing department of my local Home Depot, and practically overnight, I had a DIY coffee table for my cat to take over. So glad she approves, and hopefully, you will, too. Happy creating!
DIY coffee table supplies
- Plumbing department: Black steel plumbing pipe/galvanized pipe
- Black spray paint
- Connectors – 2 iron pressure or coupling/4 90-degree elbows
- Six 2 x 4 in. boards, cut to 36 in. lengths
- Four jack stands (for legs)
- Screws to secure the jack stands to the underside of the boards
- Glass top
- Circular bit for hollowing out the holes in the boards
Overall dimensions: 36in x 51in x 20in (length x width x height)
