A cheap marble top table idea

[2manband]

I've been thinking about my next project, and I'm considering a pair of marble top end tables for our living room.

Being frugal.....OK, CHEAP....I don't really want to pony up the big $ for custom cut marble slabs. I'm thinking about buying 18x18 or 24x24 marble floor tiles, and setting them in a "picture frame" of some nice hardwood so that the top of the stone is flush with the top of the wood frame. The stone would probably have to be adhered to some kind of backer board to give it the required strength and the stone/backer assembly would sit on some kind of cleat attached to the inside of the upper rails of the table.

Anybody ever attempt something like this? I've tried to find some information online, or pictures, to help me firm up my ideas, but so far, no luck.

Here's a picture that illustrates the general idea, although mine would be far less ornate.

[Ron309753]

Floor tiles are very strong and durable, so if you are going to frame them with wood, you wouldn't need to anchor them or use backerboard. It would also give you the capability to easily replace the tiles should one break or if you just want to change the look to suit the season (or your better half).

Sincerely,

Ron309753

[pennview]

2manband,

Your plan is on target and I think it would make an attractive endtable. I'd use something like 1/2" Baltic birch for the backer (not solid wood), attaching the marble to it with mastic or construction adhesive. Then support the marble/backer inside the frame using a cleat around the full perimeter of the interior of the frame, gluing and screwing it to both the frame and to the backer. Alternatively, you could simply use a second piece of plywood, sized to fit under the frame and again glued and screwed to both the frame and the marble/backer.

[pennview]

Adding to what Ron said, if you want the tile to be removable, simply forget the mastic, and drill a hole about 1" in the center of the backer board so that you can easily push the tile out from the bottom.

[2manband]

Thanks guys - that's pretty much what I had in mind - it's just nice to have some validation from my fellow woodworker types to make sure I wasn't totally out in left field with the idea.

I think I'd go with the tile fastened to some 1/2" plywood with construction adhesive or mastic. I'm leaning away from gluing in the cleats though to give me some recourse IF a tile breaks or WHEN the wife gets tired of the color. In that case, it wouldn't be too difficut to cut out another plywood backer square and glue it to the replacement tile - then just set it in place and screw the cleats back down.

[robinson46176]

Adding to what Ron said, if you want the tile to be removable, simply forget the mastic, and drill a hole about 1" in the center of the backer board so that you can easily push the tile out from the bottom.

Hey, I like that... That is how I would do it. Then my wife could keep changing the tile as the seasons or whims change.

[2manband]

Update:

Ordered the tiles over the weekend. After searching a lot online, and checking a few local flooring stores and tile distributors, I ended up just ordering them from the Borg. Nobody stocked them, and nobody else seemed to be too interested in putting in a special order for 5 tiles.

The color I selected was "Crema Marfil" and looks like this:



I really wanted to like a brown marble that they had available, but it was a "close but no cigar" match with the walnut I'd be using, so I went with a contrasting white marble.