Broken Glass Table Top ? No Worries - Replace That Broken Glass With This Decorative Idea

Tools Needed For This Project:

1. Sheet of Plywood (large enough to overhang the table all the way around. I made mine much larger than my table. It hung over 6" all the way around. 

 2. Outdoor Fabric (large enough to cover your board and wrap around to the back with plenty of fabric to staple. My fabric was 12" wider and 12" longer than the board. 

 3. Mod Podge (you will be applying several coats so get a medium container) 

 4. Paint Roller (I just used what I had) 

 5. Stapler and Staples 6. Roman Shade Magnet Tape available at www.patemeadows.com 

 7. Screws and Pipe Hangers to attach top to table. (I used Pipe Hangers from Home Depot )

STEP 1

Cut The Plywood The Shape Of The Table And Sand The Edges

STEP 2

Dry Fit The Fabric

Don't cut the fabric until you are sure the design can be centered and you have plenty of fabric to wrap around to the back side.

Again, make sure you have plenty of fabric to wrap around the sides of the new table top - around the edge and onto the back side so that it can be stapled easily  MEASURE TWICE CUT ONCE!

STEP 3

Center The Fabric 

I used my T-square to make sure the design was centered and straight.  Marking the center of the board on all 4 sides helps with this step 

STEP 4

Put 1 (one) Staple At The Center Of The Fabric 

Putting one staple at the center point in the fabric helps to center it after the first couple of coats of Mod Podge is applied.

Then flip the fabric back off the table while you apply the Mod Podge

STEP 5

Apply 2 LIBERAL coats of Mod Podge To The Plywood Table Top

STEP 6

Flip The Fabric Up Onto The Plywood Table Top and Staple

This step is a lot easier if you have someone to help - one on either side of the table but it's not necessary.  It's just a little less messy because the Mod Podge will be wet.

Pull it snuggly and staple the other end in the center - then staple in the center of each of the sides.

I didn't staple all the way around because I didn't know for sure if the Mod Podge would cause the fabric to shrink so I just played it safe and only put a few staples in at this point.

STEP 7

Apply Mod Podge To Fabric Table Top

I applied at least 5 LIBERAL coats of Mod Podge to the table top allowing each coat to dry thoroughly.  Pouring it out in a big glob then spreading it with the roller seemed to go faster.  

It is REALLY important to apply the Mod Podge to the sides.  

Between coats, you can use a grocery bag to wrap your roller and you don't have to clean it between coats. The plastic bag  keeps it from drying out.  

STEP 8

Flip The Plywood Table Top Over and Staple

When all the coats are really good and dry, you can flip the table over and complete the stapling.

I stapled heavily around the corners but not so much along the sides since I was going to go back and staple again with the Roman Shade Magnet Tape.

STEP 9

Trim The Excess Fabric

STEP 10

Staple The Magnet Tape Over The Previous Staples  This Finishes The Edge of the Fabric Making It Secure and Professional Looking Underneath

This Step is not necessary but it really finished off the raw edges nicely and kept the fabric from fraying.  Not doing so will allow the fabric to ravel and birds WILL pull on the strings to make their nests.

YOU'RE ALL DONE !!!

Center The Top and Secure By Whatever Means Works For Your  Table

My table didn't have any holes that I could run a screw into nor did it have any of the clips that hold the glass in place so I used the pipe hangers and they worked great.