A couple of years ago I saw this awesome DIY Stump Table on The Art of Doing Stuff. I wanted to make one for myself so I trudged out to my father in law’s wood pile and grabbed a big ‘ol stump. I brought it back to my yard and tried to get the bark off of the outside of the stump. It would not budge. I attempted to pick it off with a crow bar and a hammer, then I tried a chisel but it was coming off so slowly that I gave up. The stump sat at the side of the house for about three years and my project was long abandoned. Last week I stumbled upon the stump and noticed that it had been outside for so long that the bark naturally broke off and the stump was now completely naked!! Ha! So if you don’t want to put in the elbow grease, just leave your stump long enough and nature will do the work. I think if you were to keep the stump inside your home the bark would break free sooner because the log would dry out faster indoors.
I brought the stump onto my covered front porch for a few days to dry out a little and clean off the mud and bugs that called it home. I gave it a good sand and wiped it off then brought it indoors. I didn’t bother staining or sealing it. I think it looks nice completely natural but I may stain it in the future. The original DIY for the stump table used Ikea legs drilled onto the bottom of the stump. I didn’t have the patience to search for the perfect stump legs or little wheels to drill into the stump, so I bought a plant stand from Target for $7 and plopped it on. Low and behold it actually worked great. I can wheel it around the living room easily and no power tools were required!
So simple and easy! You can use your stump table as a side table beside your bed or couch or as a plant stand!
I love my little table so much I may have to make another one. I will let you know how that goes in three years!
