How to Make a Campfire Coffee Table 2026

Isabel Gaines
How to Make a Campfire Coffee Table - grandgoldman.com
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On this occasion we will teach you how to make a coffee table with a bonfire in a simple way, so you can surprise all your guests.

You can safely have an indoor fire pit in any home, no fireplace needed!


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Using an ethanol burner (carefully following safety instructions), it is perfectly safe to have an open flame without the need for a vent.

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With the right type of fuel, there is no danger of harmful fumes contaminating indoor air quality.

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The companies that make ethanol fireplace burners also make some very nice freestanding fireplace accessories, but for the limited space in my Bay Area apartment, I need my furniture to be multi-purpose.

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Hence, the fireplace coffee table.

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Steps to make a coffee table with a fire pit

Step 1: Tools and materials

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Woodworking Tools

  • Wooden tap and die set
  • Wood workshop: table saw or circular saw, band saw or jigsaw, drill machine
  • Random orbital sander
  • Clamps
  • Concrete
  • Ladle and paint
  • Acrylic
  • Table saw or circular saw with plastic blade or blade and straight tip.

Materials

  • Hardwood for table slabs and wood nuts. I used 2″ thick and set them at 1 1/4″.
  • 1 1/2″Ø hardwood dowels.
  • Wood filler, wood glue, nails, liquid nails.
  • Linseed oil, polyurethane.
  • Crack-resistant cement
  • Pro Formula Mix Concrete
  • Concrete countertop polishing
  • Ethanol burner
  • Insert for Ignis EB1200 ethanol burner
  • Ethanol fireplace fuel

Step 2: Design

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This is the first piece of furniture I have designed using my wooden nuts and screws idea, so I based the table on 4 wooden legs threaded with nuts for added rigidity. I designed it to have 2 levels, because my current coffee table with 2 levels is really practical: you can move all the books, magazines and empty coffee cups to the lower level when you want to put a laptop on the upper level to watch a movie, or in this case, when you want to light a fire!

The manufacturer's instructions call for specific clearances around the burner surface for fuels. So to play it safe, I designed the table to have a 2 1/2" cast concrete frame for the burner insert. I wanted the top of the burner to be flush with the top of the table as well, so I designed the cast concrete part to have a 1/8" thick notch. I left a 1/16" gap on the model for wiggle room between the burner and the concrete.

Download File.

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Step 3: Wooden Pieces

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Table measures 16″ DX 33″ WX 16″ H when assembled. To make a 16″ wide solid wood table, I used two 9″ wide planks and glued them into a single panel, and cut the parts from that.

Forstner bits will give you clean, consistent holes, and it is important to use a drill for this project. The holes should be flush and perpendicular to the table surface, otherwise you will end up with crooked legs. When cutting these pieces, keep in mind that the top tier of the table (with the opening for the cast concrete) has threaded holes (meaning it starts with a 1 1/4″ Ø drill bit), and the bottom tier without the cutouts has 1 1/2″ Ø holes that allow it to slide freely up and down the legs.

For the legs, visit; Technique: Wooden Nuts and Screws. I cut the dowels into 16″ segments and threaded the entire length of each leg. This allows the levels to be adjustedstables, but I also really like the “wooden bolt” look that holds everything together. There are 4 legs and 8 nuts. 4 nuts to hold the lower level loose and 4 nuts to tighten against the threaded holes in the upper level.

Once the wood pieces were made, I took them to the router table to get a nice 1/4″ fillet all around.

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  • Layout 3.dwg
  • 3D table design

Step 4: Test

In my first test with cast concrete, I added some expanded mesh because I thought it would mitigate cracking. I have designed rebar designs many times for construction projects, and wrongly assumed that the principles are scalable without limit.

I sifted the aggregate from my concrete mix so it would flow through the screen easily. All the mesh did in the end was stop the concrete mix and prevent it from settling on the wood. The end result was only bought in one corner, the rest was a crumbled mess full of air bubbles.

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The other problem with the test casting was that I didn't seal the wood in any way before pouring the concrete. As a result, the wood grain absorbed all the water from the concrete and caused it to swell considerably.

Confirm that the mesh is not doing anything to reinforce the concrete at this scale. The other principle they pointed out is that the aggregate I've sifted is structural and plays a role in holding everything together, which is important even on such a small scale.

They recommended first sealing the wood to make it waterproof, then pouring the concrete. They also recommended their Pro Formula concrete mix – this helps mitigate cracking, increases drying time, and has the added bonus of coming in an amazing variety of colors.

Step 5: Mold

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Having designed everything in Fusion 360, it was easy to make the line work for all parts of the mold. The mold is basically a 1/8″ thick acrylic copy of the burner that is 1/16″ thicker than the burner itself. This allows an offset to give you a little wiggle room in positioning the burner.

ACRYLIC MOLD:

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  • I used acrylic for the positive mold because it is rigid and makes for a very smooth cast concrete surface that does not require grinding or machining. With acrylic cut to size and plastiweld welded, it's easy to get solid, airtight seals on all pieces.
  • For this mold, I cut the pieces to size using the layout attached in this step, then built the box so that it was enclosed on all sides. Since I had no plans to reuse this mold, I decided to make it into a monolithic piece and then separate it with a rubber hammer and putty knife later.

CONCRETE:

  • Seal the inside of the table cutout with several coats of polyurethane to prevent water from penetrating the wood and causing it to swell.
  • Next I aligned the table cutout with the positive mold, this was easy to align as I cut the bottom surface of the mold to the same size as the table. I tightened the top with more clamps than I thought I needed to get a tight seal.
  • Next, I mixed the Pro formula into the concrete mix. I used 7LB of concrete mix, because I figured it would fill the space half way, which would be enough. After stirring with a paint stirrer to get all the dry clumps out, I poured the mixture onto the cutout and let it dry over the weekend. 1 bag of Pro Formula is mixed in 120 lbs of concrete mix, so you need to do the math and the correct amount for a smaller mix volume. I have enough leftover Pro Formula for 20 more plaster concrete projects after this.

Acrylic Form Parts.dwg

Step 6: Results and Reinforcement

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

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How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

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How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

The concrete came out very well for the most part. The top surface was very smooth, without cracks or cracks.

However, having only sealed the cutout, there was a small amount of absorption on the top surface of the table from the edge of the concrete. Sealing the entire piece before casting would probably fix this. One of the guys at the store also suggested using Vaseline around the edge of the cutout, which seems like it would work.

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I added some tie pins to the inside edge of the cutout before pouring the concrete so that the dried concrete slab would not be completely dependent on the inside edges for structural support. Once the concrete was dry, I also added some additional wood framing to the bottom with liquid nails, better safe than sorry!

I also used the concrete polish for the finished surface: With a rag and this was done in 20 minutes. The result is a smooth, shiny concrete surface that would be perfect without absorption at the edges.

Step 7: Assembly

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

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How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

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How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

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  • Thread a nut to half the length of each leg. These positions must be consistent, as they will establish the height of the lower level.
  • Insert the leg into an unthreaded hole on the lower level.
  • Thread another nut 1 1/2″ onto the top of the leg.
  • Place the top tier and screw in the leg until its top is flush with the top of the table.
  • Tighten the second nut against the bottom of the table surface until rigid.
  • Repeat these steps for each of the other 3 legs. This is a good time to choose the pieces that were most perfect for the most visible placement.

The best thing about making this table with wooden nuts and screws is that it is infinitely adjustable. Turn the table to its upright position and tighten the nuts until everything is flush and level.

This construction is made of solid rock. It has serious lateral stability and can carry a lot more dead load than it needs to. The wooden nuts and bolts scheme makes it a very robust finished product.

Step 8: Light it up and relax

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

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Without a doubt this coffee table with a fire pit will capture the attention of all your visitors.

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with a Campfire

How to Make a Coffee Table with Fogata

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This is a very versatile piece of furniture. The ethanol burner is closed with an included steel tool and after 15 minutes it is cool to the touch. You can use it as a fully functioning coffee table with a level surface 95% of the time, then wipe the top, add some fuel, and read a book by the fire on a cold night.

The burner is guaranteed by the company and comes with a complete set of safety documentation. Follow the instructions and use common sense, and this is an amazing addition to the house you don't own.

Remember that you can make a coffee table with a campfire with the measurements you think are necessary.

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  • Coffee Table
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Isabel Gaines

Author

Isabel Gaines

As a former restaurant owner turned reporter, Isabel brings a unique perspective to Grand Goldman. With decades of experience, her articles on cooking and homemaking are both informative and engaging, reflecting her deep knowledge and love for all things culinary.


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