After reading multiple DIY's on penny furniture, I saw problems in my project that weren't written in others. In this DIY, you are going to get detailed information on how to create your own penny furniture.
For the record, I did not build this nightstand. In future DIY's I could show you how to custom build one, but today is not that day.
What you'll need:
- An old night stand you seriously hate
- low and high grit sandpaper
- Approximately $3 in pennies, but make it $5.
- A lovely wood stain. I used Minwax Red Oak 215 ($4.38)
- A sealer. I used Minwax water based Polycrylic protective finish. Clear Satin ($8.98)
- epoxy. I used Parks Super Glaze ($22.98)
- metal snips (price varies)
I bought everything here from my local Home Depot
What you'll do:
First, Sand your stand. The most tedious, yet most important step. If you're taking the finish off of your stand, use medium grit sand paper
I think it goes without saying, but sand with the grain of the wood.
Once you're done, do it again; you probably missed a spot.
Next, stain your stand.
You have the option of using a pre-stain wood conditioner. What this does is it "helps prevent streaking and blotching to help ensure a beautiful, even stain".
Or you can skip straight to staining.
With staining, I've been taught to use a rag when staining. A brush it more likely to leave bristle marks and more often you'll use a lot more than you need. With a rag, the stain is a lot more even and you won't be left with drip lines.
Leave that to dry for a few hours to over night.
When using the finish,
apply it just like the stain.
You don't NEED to use this. The wood stain above should seal it (as shown on the can), but I like an extra layer of protection.
To clean or not to clean?
You have a few options at this point. You can either wash the pennies to give them a brilliant copper finish, or not wash them and leave them as is.
I included a lovely DIY on cleaning the pennies if you choose to do so.
Placing the pennies:
Just like how you'd place tile, place the pennies starting from the middle of the stand.
DO NOT GLUE DOWN THE PENNIES!
Cutting the pennies:
This process is a LOT easier than it sounds. Every DIY regarding the penny counter, table, floor that was written by a woman describes the task being so hard, she had to get her husband or boyfriend or brother to do it for her. You don't have to be that DIY woman.
The pennies to pennies to use:
Fun fact about pennies, according to the US mint, pennies were pure copper from 1793-1837. For twenty years after that, it was bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc). From 1857, the cent was 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel, giving the coin a whitish appearance. The cent was again bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc) from 1864 to 1962. In 1943, the coin's composition was changed to zinc-coated steel. This change was only for the year 1943 and was due to the critical use of copper for the war effort. In 1962, the cent's tin content, which was quite small, was removed. That made the metal composition of the cent 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. The alloy remained 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc until 1982, when the composition was changed to 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper (copper-plated zinc). Cents of both compositions appeared in that year.
If you didn't care to read all that, this is what you need to know:
The newer the penny = the easier to cut.
If you can, use only pennies with the shield on the back.
Anything after 1982 should be fine, but seriously, aim for the shield pennies.
Actually cutting the pennies:
Take your shield penny and put it up to the surface. do you see how much you need to snip off? Take a pencil and draw a line. Take your snips, and cut before that line.
Important: Do not let the cut pennies go beyond the edge of the table. It will barely be covered by the epoxy and it will be sharp. Allow at least a 1/8" space between the edge and the coin.
If you notice the penny is very sharp, take the sandpaper and sand it down.
Once you've finished all of one side, you'll glue the outside pennies. Once you pour on the epoxy, it will push the smaller pieces off of the table unless it's secured.
Prepare your surroundings:
Get a couple papers and layer everything. Put layers upon layers on the ground and tape layers on what isn't going to be epoxied. It WILL pour on your project and on everything you love. LAYERS AND LAYERS OF NEWSPAPER.
Pouring the epoxy:
These directions rely on the manufacturer of your epoxy. Fallow the directions perfectly. If it says not to use power tools, don't. If it says to mix for three minutes, 2 minutes and 30 seconds isn't okay. If it says use three mix containers, just do it. It's well worth the extra effort rather to be stuck with a table you're not satisfied with.
First, use more than what you think you need. It's well worth to use more than to realize you don't have enough. Once poured, you will be watching for bubbles for at least an hour. You may think you got them all, but they will reappear.
let dry for at least 24 hours.
You don't NEED to use this. The wood stain above should seal it (as shown on the can), but I like an extra layer of protection.
Congratulations! You're half-way there!
Applying the pennies
To clean or not to clean?
You have a few options at this point. You can either wash the pennies to give them a brilliant copper finish, or not wash them and leave them as is.
I included a lovely DIY on cleaning the pennies if you choose to do so.
|
| The look of the uncleaned pennies. Notice the green and brown hues. |
Placing the pennies:
DO NOT GLUE DOWN THE PENNIES!
Cutting the pennies:
This process is a LOT easier than it sounds. Every DIY regarding the penny counter, table, floor that was written by a woman describes the task being so hard, she had to get her husband or boyfriend or brother to do it for her. You don't have to be that DIY woman.
The pennies to pennies to use:
Fun fact about pennies, according to the US mint, pennies were pure copper from 1793-1837. For twenty years after that, it was bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc). From 1857, the cent was 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel, giving the coin a whitish appearance. The cent was again bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc) from 1864 to 1962. In 1943, the coin's composition was changed to zinc-coated steel. This change was only for the year 1943 and was due to the critical use of copper for the war effort. In 1962, the cent's tin content, which was quite small, was removed. That made the metal composition of the cent 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. The alloy remained 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc until 1982, when the composition was changed to 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper (copper-plated zinc). Cents of both compositions appeared in that year.
If you didn't care to read all that, this is what you need to know:
The newer the penny = the easier to cut.
If you can, use only pennies with the shield on the back.
Anything after 1982 should be fine, but seriously, aim for the shield pennies.
Actually cutting the pennies:
Take your shield penny and put it up to the surface. do you see how much you need to snip off? Take a pencil and draw a line. Take your snips, and cut before that line.
Important: Do not let the cut pennies go beyond the edge of the table. It will barely be covered by the epoxy and it will be sharp. Allow at least a 1/8" space between the edge and the coin.
If you notice the penny is very sharp, take the sandpaper and sand it down.
Once you've finished all of one side, you'll glue the outside pennies. Once you pour on the epoxy, it will push the smaller pieces off of the table unless it's secured.
Prepare your surroundings:
Get a couple papers and layer everything. Put layers upon layers on the ground and tape layers on what isn't going to be epoxied. It WILL pour on your project and on everything you love. LAYERS AND LAYERS OF NEWSPAPER.
 |
| You see those wet spots? IT WILL GET ON EVERYTHING. My mistake was not putting newspaper on the legs of my project. |
Pouring the epoxy:
These directions rely on the manufacturer of your epoxy. Fallow the directions perfectly. If it says not to use power tools, don't. If it says to mix for three minutes, 2 minutes and 30 seconds isn't okay. If it says use three mix containers, just do it. It's well worth the extra effort rather to be stuck with a table you're not satisfied with.
First, use more than what you think you need. It's well worth to use more than to realize you don't have enough. Once poured, you will be watching for bubbles for at least an hour. You may think you got them all, but they will reappear.
let dry for at least 24 hours.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You've completed your penny nightstand DIY!
Before After!!
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