Does anyone know where I can get a good coffee table that looks like a big hunk of wood?
Answers:
Google burlwood furniture. There are a lot of people in CA who make all kinds of grand furniture from this type of wood that looks similar to a tree trunk, though highly polished.
If you are around Escondido CA Sunday, May 21st there is a guy who will have a booth selling items similar to what you seek. If not, check out the HGTV website, the Carol Duval show for woodcraft artists. She recently featured someone out of No CAL who crafts furniture from tree stumps...
You could make one youself. Contact a local tree trimming or stumping service and ask them to either give you or sell to you a stump they removed. I'd offer to pay for them to deliver it because they are a mother-lode. Let it dry outside for at least a month or more until the wood is no longer "green".
Sand it on all sides and cut the bottom and top to make it even. Smooth or cut off any stray root structures. Coat it with a non-yellowing paint on polyurethane - at least 10 coats letting each dry thoroughly. Depending on the size, you could put a glass round on the top or simply use it as is. But, put little rubber bumpers (the stick on type) on the glass to protect it from scratching.
I made one a long time ago and got it from a construction site where they were building a freeway. Very unique!
Other answers:
a treestump in the woods.
a treestump in the woods.
Estate sales
garage sales
your local newspaper
call your local lumber yard it might be cheaper to get it from there since stores will charge you outragously! You can seal it or leave it natural personally I'l leave it natural.
use some 4by fours and a landscape timber get them in 10 foot and cut them in half drill a 1 inch hole through them in the end 4 inches back and in the center smear gorilla glue on a dowel rod 3\4 inch wide and slide it trough the ends and middle and then let set over night then the round timbered edge is on the edges and the 4by 4s are in the center and sqaure in the center you can beat the top wiwth a hammer and then finish with clear poly urethane