Expert: Jamie Yocono - 5/2/2006

Question
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your prompt reply.
As suggested by u I'm thinking of doing plywood with tiles on the top, but the problem is this table already has a boat shaped frame and the glass was inlaid in it. Now if I use plywood as base for the tiles will this whole thing fit in the frame. And how should I cut the tiles to give it a boat shape(broad from centre and narrow from the sides).
Thanks. Neetu
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Followup To
Question -
Hi,
I have an outdoor cast-aluminium dining set, unfortunately its inlaid tempered glass top is broken. I tried to get another glass top but its costing me around $300. Is there a cheaper option for the table top besides buying a new table. Size of the table is 45in.w and 75in.l and its patterned.
Thanks for your help
neetu singh
Answer -
Hi Neetu,

Your question is really outside the scope of what I do, which is build wooden furniture. But I have a couple of suggestions, so perhaps I can help a bit, or steer you in a better direction.

I think you have two choices- to either replace the glass, or to change the top of the table to a more affordable one, like wood or something equally as inexpensive, compared to the glass. Unfortunately, I find situations like yours quite often, where it's almost cheaper to buy a new table, than buy the replacement glass. I needed a large mirror for something I was building, and to buy it, it was going to be pretty pricey. So I bought a cheesy mirror at Walmart, threw away the frame that came with it, and used that mirror for one quarter of the cost. Go figure!

Anyway- there are a few places that sell glass tops and sometimes they're reasonable. I think IKEA sells them in stock sizes, like 36" or 42" diameter circles, and various sized rectangles. So if you live near an IKEA, you might check out their store. Have you done a search for discount glass shops?

The other option is to cover the area with a different material, like making a wooden top or even a tiled one. Actually, a tiled one would be fairly easy to accomplish. It could sit right in top of the existing framework, and use that framework as support. A 4 x 8 sheet of plywood could be used for the tile base, and could be cut smaller to size, based on the tile you choose. This would be a fairly easy project, as you could buy the tiles, lay them out and figure out the exact dimensions of the plywood, and then have the place (where you buy the plywood) cut it for you. The only things you would need to add to the mix is buying adhesive and grout for the tiles, and some sort of nice wood for the edges, to cover up the plywood.

If you're not the "handy" type, you could look in your local phone book for woodworkers. This is a fairly easy project, and I don't think it's going to run you an arm and a leg. I belong to an organization called the Furniture Society, and there is a list of all the members on their site. (www.furnituresociety.org) You could visit their site, locate one or two people in your area, and then make a few calls, to see if anyone is willing to take on this project. I've done a few of these projects, and they're always a little interesting, because they break the monotony of my normal work.

Good luck, I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV


Answer
Hi Neetu,

You have two options if you want to use the plywood/tile solution that I suggested to you.

One is to make a new top of the plywood and simply lay it on top of the existing boat shaped framework. Since there would be a slight gap under it, where the original glass top used to sit, I would put some sort of filler strips in there, to keep the top from flexing down into that recess. If you decide to make a new top using this method, you're not stuck using only a boat shaped top, but rather- you can make the new top any shape that you wish. This might be easiest, as you can base the shape of your new top on the shape/size of the tiles you pick.

The second way is to lay the sheet of plywood down on the existing framework, and trace the inside edge directly onto the plywood. If you have the proper tools, probably a jig saw would be best, you can cut the plywood to the exact shape of the old top, so that it slips right into place. This solves one problem - you may not have to deal with the plywood edge, since it might be hidden by the frame's edge. But it may create another, as you will have to cut the tiles to fit this shape.

Actually, now that I think about it- you could cut the plywood so that it fits right inside the existing frame, and then make some sort of a mosaic, with broken tile pieces. This way, you're free to make the tile pattern on top any design that you might come up with.  After the shards are attached with adhesive, it would be pretty simple to grout them, using the framework as the final outside edge. I like this solution a lot, but I don't know what your feelings are about mosaics. Some people love them, but others don't.

Anyway- I hope this helps. Feel free to write back with any other questions you might have after reading this. I hope I made this easy to understand!

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
www.wooditis.com
Las Vegas, NV