My favourite side tables in my backyard living room are made from tree stumps.  They are one of the easiest and most inexpensive pieces to create for your deck or backyard.

 Throw a little cushion on top and they also make for some extra seating during a backyard party.

Start with a stump from an old tree.  You can call your local arborist and they will often give them to you for free.

Get out your belt sander (or rent one for a couple of hours).

Now sand until they are smooth…you really need to spend some serious time on this part.  Sand, sand and sand until you can sand no more.

Add a few coats of paint.

Add one more coat plus a top coat and – voila!

The end result is a functional and pretty piece of furniture.  You can put your drink on them or use them as extra seating. I love these ones here, because these stumps were from a fallen tree at the cottage.  It’s a nice way to mix our cottage life with our city life.

To prevent the paint from dripping down the sides of the stump, you may need to dab the paint on like this:

In the past, I’ve cut them level with a chainsaw and added furniture legs.  They are a bit more functional when they’re level (as in, your wine won’t tip over), but the off-level height does add character.