Memorials, Tables and Reclaimed Boardwalk from Hurricane Sandy

Making memorials is an important part of being a human being. We make structures and objects that help remind us of the past; a reminder on a sunny day that a storm proceeded this time. Hurricane Sandy whirled into the lives of millions of people in October of 2012. The catastrophic effects of the storm will linger for years to come. One of the unique aspects of our humanity is the desire to turn the catastrophic into something beautiful. Art projects such as heartwalk have turned up all over the country inviting people to remember that beauty can emerge from ashes.

Tables are an everyday part of our life. They support our work, our food, and just about anything else we can accumulate in our homes. The roll that tables play in meals is especially important. How great would it be if you could use a common, everyday structure like a table to memorialize a significant event. That's exactly what Andy de Lannoy did when he constructed a table made with reclaimed boardwalk left over from Hurricane Sandy.

Andy's table has a depth of character and makes a common object into an object of discussion and remembrance. Andy made the table by bonding several planks of reclaimed boardwalk together. He finished the table with a high gloss varnish. The table is supported by a base made from Kee Klamp and pipe. The pipe base was painted black and then attached to special casters that go into the pipe.

Andy came to Simplified Building because he was looking for a way to support his custom table top. He found many of the other table projects on our site and decided to create his own pipe base for the table using Kee Klamp.

Adding a base to a custom table top is now even easier with our Simple Table kits. These kits are available in several styles and provide you with everything you need to support a custom table top. Here are some ideas for desktops that could be used to memorialize an event, person, or place.

• Turn a door from an old property into a table. What a great way to memorialize a childhood home or some other place of significance. Cover the door with a piece of tempered glass to provide a smooth working surface over the top.
• Use reclaimed wood from a favorite place that you've visited. Barn board is available from old farms. We know a guy who built a table using old bowling alley wood as the tabletop.
• Connect with an old university or college to see if they have any material that they are getting rid of. Like this desk
• from John Urban, building a desk can be a great way to memorialize those college days.

Even if you don't have anything to memorialize right now, building a desk on a base of pipe and fittings will ensure that it will last for generations! Passing down a table that you built with it's own unique character will mean so much more than a piece of particleboard junk from Walmart!

Inspired and just need a little bit of assistance? Tap into our projects team here at Simplified. Our helpful staff will help you find the parts you need to build the perfect table.