Stone Facing for Outdoor Buffet

Carter Oosterhouse shows how to add a stone facade to outdoor tables.

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Product Ideas

Adding stone facing to outdoor tables can be a fun way to create a unique look for a backyard or patio. You can use any kind of stone for this project, but this example uses sandstone to complement the flagstone patio.

Materials and Tools:

plywood
epoxy adhesive
landscaping adhesive
sandstone
mortar
pebbles
pine plywood
safety goggles
chisel
stone saw
mallet
2-inch screws

Steps:

1. Cut the plywood table facing to size, and set down on a flat surface. Make sure the facing is clear of all dust and debris.

2. Arrange the stones over the surface in the desired pattern. For the top and the sides of the facing, place the stones just barely over the edges. On the bottom, place them right at the edge.

3. If the stones are too thick cut them down to size with a stone saw, then chisel away material so they are about 1/2-inch thick (figure A). Using a variety of sizes of stone can create a more natural looking piece.

4. Once the stones have been laid out, turn over each and add epoxy to both ends (figure B) Next, add a dollop of landscaping adhesive to the center of the stone. (The reason for using the landscaping adhesive along with the epoxy is that the epoxy will set in five minutes, whereas the stronger landscaping adhesive takes 24 hours to set.)

5. Turn the stones over and set in place.

6. Next, it’s time to fill the gaps by adding pebbles. Take some mortar and fill in the spaces between the sandstones.

7. Take a generous amount of pebbles and add over the mortar, pushing as many of the tiny rocks into the spaces as possible (figure C).

8. To add pebbles around the edges, hold a beam against the side and place the pebbles. This will give the facing a clean look (figure D). Let stand for 24 hours.

9. Once completely dry, attach the facing to the front of the table using 2-inch screws. Insert screws from the back of the table through to the back of the facing.