Materials: Lack coffee table
Description: I had read guides on how to do this on a few websites, but the laminate surface of the Lack table made a mess of their recommendations. Fortunately my brother is a tile and granite mason.
Here's what you'll need:
1. Lack coffee table
2. 1000 Scrabble tiles
3. Tile adhesive (bucket)
4. Notched trowel
5. Urethane
6. Paint brush (minimum 4")
7. Paint thinner
8. Sandpaper (rough grit)
9. Glass table top
10. Little plastic glass grips
11. Wet cloth
12. Patience
Whatever you do, do not trick yourself into thinking that wood glue will work - this is a Lack table. Swedish scientists worked for years to ensure that hardly anything will stick to the laminate surface. You just don't mess with Swedish scientists.
Here's how it works:
1. Order 1000 Scrabble tiles off eBay
2. Wait for them to arrive
3. Sand the laminate in the areas you wish to apply Scrabble tiles
4. Use the notch trowel to apply tile adhesive to a small area of table
5. Apply tiles
6. Continue until complete, allow to dry
7. Use the paint brush to apply 2 coats of urethane over the tiles and un-tiled surface, working to fill all the cracks, and do your best to keep the brush strokes long and all in the same direction
8. Use the wet cloth to clean up all the urethane that runs down the sides
9. Use the paint thinner to get the urethane out of the brush, especially if you ever want to use the brush again
10. Put the little plastic glass grips on the corners of the table
11. Put on the glass top
12. Clean up yer goldarn mess
13. Enjoy your new coffee table, which now weighs a metric tonne
14. Get your feet off the table
~ Dan, Toronto
