Homemade glowing table. Glow in the dark table with your own hands Table with glowing paint

Glow in the dark countertop is not only original, but also practical. Especially if the table with it is set in the garden, in the gazebo or near the window. The light effect created by the luminescent coating can last up to 12 hours.

In this article, we will not fully describe the process of making the table itself, but will focus only on how to make the countertop luminescent (luminous). The process of making a luminous coating is extremely simple, but in this case there are some points that should be considered in advance.

Materials and tools

From the materials you will need the countertop itself (in our case, cypress boards were used, which had congenital flaws in the form of resin chambers), as well as transparent epoxy resin and organic luminescent powder. So that you do not look for it in stores, we will give a link to a completely high-quality option with free shipping. This powder can keep a glow from 7 to 12 hours and serve faithfully for 7-10 years.

We will also need masking tape and disposable cups. In addition, the surface at the final stage will need to be varnished.

Of the tools: a semicircular chisel, a grinder (or sandpaper), a knife and a pair of brushes.

Training

In our case, the preparation process consisted in cleaning the natural resin chambers of cypress from the remnants of dried resin. To do this, we used a regular screwdriver and airflow. But if you use a ready-made countertop, you will have to cut the cameras yourself using semicircular chisel. We would recommend cutting depth from one to one and a half centimeters. In this case, the resulting hollows will contain more luminescent composition, and, consequently, the glow will be brighter and longer.

Cypress has fairly deep chambers, which in some places form through holes in the 25 mm boards we have taken.

Of course, the surface must be sanded, and then acrylic plates must be fixed at the ends so that the applied luminescent composition does not leak out. The edges of the tabletop can also be pasted over with masking tape.

To prepare a luminescent composition, it is necessary to mix the components epoxy resin in a disposable container. It is most convenient to use 200-gram paper cups, but you can also take half a liter. We poured half a glass of resin and separately half a glass of hardener. Powder was added to each of them and stirred.

After combining the two resin components in one glass, you have about 5-7 minutes to fill the hollows made and processed on the countertop with the resulting composition. We used two liters of epoxy and 100 grams of luminescent powder on a 100 by 50 cm tabletop with deep hollows (which you can see above in the photo). It is better not to save it and pour more, so that the glow is brighter.

Now everything is ready for applying the luminescent composition.

Application of the composition

The resulting composition should be carefully poured into the slots and hollows made with a chisel. It is important to note that the epoxy will soak into the wood, so you will need to apply at least a second coat.

The whole process took us about an hour. After which we waited about 12 more hours, allowing the epoxy to harden properly.

Further work consisted of trimming the edges of the tabletop to get rid of bumps and resin buildup, as well as sanding. In order to achieve a point effect, we had to remove a sufficiently large layer of the surface with a grinder, where the epoxy got outside the hollows.

The final stage is processing the edges and coating the surface with two layers of varnish.

The original "little thing" luminous table is positioned by the author of the development as outdoor furniture. This makes a lot of sense, since evening gatherings at a luminous table are really great. However, it seems to us that the development deserves more. After all, this is uniqueness as it is - the table cannot be repeated: the idea - yes, to make a double - no. The pattern of the luminous pockets will be different each time: the tables may be similar, but not identical.

The author of the development is Mike Warren, one of the enthusiasts of the Instructables community - a fun close-knit team that changes the world with their ideas. They do it with pleasure. They share it with people. They are the first among those who sew, plan, solder, craft, fry and anything.

Mike Warren created a glowing table and gave it to people. Everyone can make this table with their own hands (or force the dearest spouse). The author of a bright idea kindly provided a whole master class.

How to make a glowing table with your own hands

The most important aspect in creating a glowing table with your own hands is the material. Mike used "pecky cypress" - cypress, affected by a fungus from the inside. The fungus multiplies in the body of the wood. From this, its segments rot. Damaged pockets must be removed (this is easy, the wood is softened), fill the formed cavities with a fluorescent composition consisting of resin and phosphor.

Rough wood is supplied to shops and markets. To assemble the table, you first need to process the boards with a jointer. This must be taken into account when choosing. It is necessary to process all the edges: the joints will be tight and even.

And here we come face to face with the Russian mentality: the photo shows good equipment, and for Americans it’s normal - such equipment is in the house (basement, garage, shed: they don’t have anything there). Our average man not only has a manual grinder, but also does not have a charger for the battery of his favorite car, what can we say about carpentry stuff? So this stage will have to be ordered: in any woodworking workshop, these boards will be brought to the desired state quickly and inexpensively. The next step, most likely, is best done right there and done, because after processing the edges, you need to fit all the boards to the same length.

Rotten wood in the lesions is carefully removed with a small improvised tool (for example, a screwdriver), and then the liberated cavities are blown with compressed air. This stage of work is dirty, dusty, so you need to use protective equipment(goggles, respirator).

The process itself

Result (before and after photos)

Now the boards need to be assembled into a table. Docking on a rail (grooves are knocked out in both boards, a rail is inserted into them with glue, the boards are connected). Mike used "cookies" (pasted slats are rectangular, triangular, and they have cookies). Next, you need to clamp the joints with everything that can be clamped (the ideal is shown in the photo), and leave for a day to dry (the glue should dry completely). If we don’t want the table to fall apart later, we don’t touch it for 24 hours (despite the hellish impatience of the creator).

After the glue dries, the surface must be sanded (in the photo it is disk, Mike writes that the fraction is 80; apparently, this is a P 80 disk, emery - electrocorundum; there is no certainty). Then thoroughly clean: impeccable cleanliness is required - not a speck of dust.

We need a super clean surface to pour the resin on.
Mike Warren

Before pouring the resin, it is necessary to secure the surface: some cavities may be through; so that the resin does not pass through and does not spread, reverse side countertops need to be pasted over with masking tape, fixed at the ends with acrylic strips; press the strips.

Then the mystery of the glow itself. You will need resin for pouring (just say: give resin for pouring), easy to mix (proportions 1: 1). Mike advises to use it, so as not to be mistaken with the proportions of the catalyst and resin. There will be no advice on the phosphor: just choose which one you like. There are a lot of powders, they different colors, and your table may not glow at all blue. Mike used 100 g of powder for 2 liters of resin, but this ratio is optional - you can take more powder, and the table will glow brighter.

The resin for pouring does not come ready-made: you need to mix it with a catalyst. Resin and catalyst must be poured into different containers. Pour the powder into the resin and mix thoroughly. Then pour in the catalyst and stir vigorously for 2 minutes. This must be done quickly, because in 5–7 minutes an irreversible chemical reaction. A homogeneous composition must be obtained up to this point. We must not forget about safety: do not work with resin without gloves.

It is better to knead the resin in small portions, since its viscosity is insufficient, and the powder may settle, as a result of which the glow will not be uniform. The finished mixture needs to fill the cavity. They can behave differently: in some resin will be absorbed, and in some not - this is normal; you just need to add the resin to where it has been absorbed. Mike spent an hour filling his pockets in the wood. Waxed paper cups can be used as a container for resin (easy to make a spout, convenient to pour).

After the resin has dried (the next day), you need to remove the acrylic strips and masking tape. Acrylic peels off easily, but with tape you have to tinker a bit.

The reverse side of the countertop also needs to be sanded. Grinding of both sides should be carried out in several stages, changing the abrasive to a finer one on each (Mike used discs: P 120, P 180, P 220, P 320, P 400). After the surfaces, it is necessary to process the ends.

After sanding, the countertop must be varnished (Mike used a glossy polyurethane; applied with a foam brush) and allow the layer to dry completely.

After the layer dries, it must be sprinkled with water and walked with fine sandpaper, and then thoroughly cleaned, dried and again applied a layer of varnish. And so several times to achieve maximum gloss. Each layer of varnish must be dried completely.

On this they finish with the table top and then they are already engaged in fittings - they screw the legs. And here everyone is already going their own way: someone can make the same simple ones to use the table on the site, and someone can screw something fantastic and turn this table into the center of the room in the house.

Table made of oak planks. Moreover, the table is not simple, but glowing in the dark. The order of manufacture of this is undoubtedly interesting product let's consider in more detail.

A form is made of fiberboard (a round base and a side glued around the periphery), you can use any other material that is available.

A bunch of oak pieces of wood are sawn, about the same thickness. Their sizes can be arbitrary, but the shape is approximately square.

Scraps are laid out in a form, first in a circle, and then evenly fill the interior space.

After fully laying out the entire surface of the future table, all the cracks are filled with epoxy, but not to the full depth, about 5 mm remained unfilled. After the resin dries, the surface is polished in one level. For grinding, a grinder with a petal grinding wheel was used.

Then the epoxy is mixed with the phosphor (the BLO-7D phosphor is better to take about 50 microns, you need 300 grams. I ordered it on the Internet) (Alternatively, you can order the phosphor on Aliexpress) and the slots are filled from above. After drying, we grind again, varnish and it's ready - you can take the countertop out of the mold.

It turns out like this (in the light)

How to do wooden table? Everyone can make such an unusual designer table made of wood at home! This requires cypress boards, luminous powder (phosphor), wood resin, some tools and the desire to make a beautiful wooden table with your own hands.

Luminous table «Glowing table»

Mike Warren is the author of this fancy table idea that we found on dollarstorecrafts.com. He mixed the luminous powder with tree resin and filled the voids with which cypress wood is rich. The result is a beautiful wooden table with patterns glowing in the dark. However, first they need to "charge" in the light.

The simple form of an unusual luminous table

If you are the proud owner necessary tools and skills, follow Mike Warren's directions. His video instruction is at the end!

The process of making the original wooden table

Thoroughly sand the surface of the design table

Cracks left untouched

Fill cracks with luminous powder mixed with resin

Let there be light! Always and everywhere! Transparent, white, blue. May it illuminate our path to a miracle. May it warm our peace. The road is bright for those who hold it, their thoughts and dreams are bright. Let there be light that gives goodness to those who seek the light of purity.

And here is the light: soft, mysterious, calm, evening. Reminds me of a night cricket in the bushes fragrant raspberries chirring about the peaceful, good, eternal and illuminating its appeal with a gentle flicker. So that it was not only heard, but also seen that EVERYTHING WILL BE GOOD! Well, everyone already, of course, is aware that creativity is the most The best way come to good in the right and pleasant way! This incredible tabletop is very easy to make thanks to modern materials. Of course for working surface kitchen table best option- this is a table top natural stone Here you can choose the best option for yourself. They chose, installed, prepared to eat - now you can relax, enjoy a pleasant meal at a luminous table.

This is a board of swamp cypress with very noticeable cracks, which the author of this work beat. Unfortunately, I did not find the original source, as there are a lot of reposts. If someone knows, I will be glad to have a hint and, of course, I will indicate the master.

From the photos it can be seen that the master prepares the selected board by grinding it with an orbital sander. And then covers it with a special mixture.

This is a mixture of epoxy and phosphor-based fluorescent paint, which, by the way, come in different colors and can work wonders. It must be poured into the cracks, so many times that the solution completely fills them. The tree absorbs liquid, so you need to wait until it gets drunk and stops absorbing the substance that glows in the evening.

Video for clarity. Creative success!