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Concrete Tire Coffee Table: A Leaf-Print Top on a Tree Stump

ByCozy Room Co Published
A woman pouring concrete over a large leaf inside an old tire on a patio next to the finished round white table with a green leaf print on a tree stump.
The finished round white table with a sage green leaf print on a tree stump, on the same patio at golden hour
Slide the line to compare Same patio, a few days later. The old tire is now a table.Save

Picture a golden October evening on the patio. A mug steams on a round white table with a soft green leaf pressed into its top, sitting on a twisted old tree stump.

The string lights come on, the dog settles on the rug, and a friend runs a finger over the leaf: "Where did you buy this?"

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That's the concrete tire coffee table from our video. An old tire is the mold, a big leaf makes the print, and a tree stump becomes the leg. You can pour it in an hour, cut it free the next morning, and paint it a few days later. Leaf-print concrete tables from a furniture maker sell for $975 to $1,800; with a free tire and stump, this one comes to about $80 to $130.

When a tire table video goes around, the comments ask the same things. How do you cut a steel-belted tire? What stops it cracking? How do you flip something that heavy? Every answer is below, with 7 steps and a picture for each, plus the five mistakes that give a tire table away as homemade.

At a glance

  • Time: an hour to pour, overnight to set, a morning to cut and flip, then paint a few days later
  • Skill: beginner, with one power tool: a reciprocating saw for the tire.
  • Cost: about $80 to $130 with a free tire and stump, not counting tools
  • Best time to build: now. On Pinterest, searches for a DIY coffee table run highest in October. Poured this week, it's on the patio for the last warm evenings, and ready to move under cover for winter.
Watch the whole build (20 seconds).
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If you buy one thing

Start With a Metal-Cutting Saw Blade

Most tires have steel belts inside, the top complaint about the video. A metal-cutting blade on a reciprocating saw is what gets the tire off cleanly.

See options on Amazon →

How the Tire Coffee Table Works

Diagram of the tire coffee table: the mold cut through the middle with the tire, caulk, leaf, concrete, mesh and stump with lag screws, and the finished table turned over, about 18 inches tall.

The tire is only the mold. The top is a disc of concrete, the stump is the leg, and screws join the two.

  1. An old tire lies flat on a board covered in plastic, sealed at the bottom edge so no concrete leaks out.
  2. A big leaf lies veins up on the plastic, and concrete fills the tire about 2 1/2 inches deep, with wire mesh pressed into the middle.
  3. A dry stump with four long screws in its cut end is pushed into the wet concrete. Next day, the tire comes off and the table turns over.

In the original video, the tire is cut with a hand saw and there's no seal and no real reinforcement. Here a metal-cutting blade does the cut, a bead of caulk seals the mold, and a round mesh holds the top together.

What You Need, and What It Costs

An old tire on a plastic-covered board on a patio with pale set concrete inside and a tree stump standing in the middle.
  • Old car tire, about 25 inches across, worn out and free.
  • Sand mix (also sold as topping mix), two 60-pound bags.
  • Hardware cloth, a piece about 18 inches square, cut into a circle.
  • Tree stump, dry, about 15 inches tall with a wide base, sanded and sealed.
  • Lag screws, four, 3/8 inch by 4 inches.
  • Silicone caulk and a sheet of thick plastic, for sealing the mold.
  • A large leaf, about as wide as the tire's center, like an elephant ear leaf.
  • Masonry paint in white, a small can, plus a sample pot of sage green and a fine brush.
  • Clear wood sealer for the stump.
  • Tools: reciprocating saw with a metal-cutting blade, drill, trowel, mixing bucket, plywood board, nitrile gloves and safety glasses.

What it costs: about $80 to $130 in all with a free tire and stump, not counting tools. That's with prices we found at US stores on October 21, 2026. The two bags of sand mix are about $22. The mesh, screws, caulk, plastic, saw blade, paints and sealer are about $60 to $110 together.

Two buying tips:

  1. Ask a tire shop for an old tire. They often pay to get rid of worn ones, so they're happy to give one away.
  2. Pick a stump whose base is at least half as wide as the top. A narrow stump under a heavy top tips when someone leans on the edge.

Step 1: Seal the Tire Mold and Pour the Concrete

Close-up from above of a hand smoothing wet concrete inside an old tire with a steel trowel.
  1. Cover the board with plastic, set the tire on it and run a bead of silicone caulk around the inside bottom edge.
  2. Lay the leaf in the center, veins up, flat on the plastic.
  3. Mix the sand mix with water to a thick paste, pour it in about 2 1/2 inches deep, and smooth it with the trowel.

Watch out: wet concrete can burn skin without hurting at first. OSHA's guide on portland cement recommends nitrile or butyl gloves, not cotton, plus eye protection and a dry board to kneel on.

Step 2: Press the Wire Mesh Into the Middle

Close-up from above of hands holding a round piece of wire mesh over the smooth wet concrete inside the tire.
  1. Cut the hardware cloth into a circle about 2 inches smaller than the opening.
  2. Lay it on the wet concrete and press it down with flat hands until it sits in the middle of the layer.
  3. Smooth the surface again over the mesh.

Watch out: keep the mesh away from the edges and the bottom. Mesh that shows at the surface rusts through the paint.

Step 3: Push in the Stump and Let It Set Overnight

A woman kneeling to lower a tree stump with four lag screws in its cut end into the wet concrete in the tire.
  1. Drive the four lag screws into the stump's flat end, leaving about 2 inches sticking out.
  2. Push the stump, screws down, into the center of the wet concrete, twisting it so it sits level.
  3. Check it with the level, then leave everything overnight, covered with plastic.

Watch out: hold the stump straight while the concrete firms up. A stump that leans now gives you a tilted table later.

Step 4: Cut the Tire Off With a Reciprocating Saw

A woman kneeling with a cordless reciprocating saw, its blade resting on the tire wall around the set concrete.
  1. Fit a metal-cutting blade to the reciprocating saw.
  2. Cut straight down through the tire wall in one spot, wearing safety glasses.
  3. Make a second cut about a hand's width away, so the tire opens easily.

Watch out: a hand saw won't cut a tire. Most tires have steel belts inside, which is why the metal-cutting blade matters.

Step 5: Peel the Tire Away and Turn the Table Over

A woman crouching to rock the concrete top up and over so the table stands on its tree stump.
  1. Grip the cut end and pull the tire away from the concrete, all the way around.
  2. With a helper, tip the whole piece onto its side, top edge and stump on the board.
  3. Stand it up by the top's edge, rocking it over onto the stump.

Watch out: never lift the top above your waist. It weighs about 65 pounds, so rock it over with a helper instead of lifting it.

Step 6: Peel the Leaf and Paint the Top White

A woman rolling white paint over the gray concrete tabletop with the leaf print, a small dog lying beside the table.
  1. Peel the leaf off the top in one slow pull from the stem.
  2. Brush away any leaf bits from the print.
  3. Roll two thin coats of white masonry paint over the top and its rounded edge.

Watch out: let the concrete dry for a few days before painting. Paint on damp concrete peels.

Step 7: Paint the Leaf Print Green

Close-up from above of a fine brush painting sage green into the leaf print on the white tabletop.
  1. Load the fine brush with sage green.
  2. Paint along the center vein first, then out over the leaf to its edges.
  3. Let it dry, and seal the stump with a clear coat if it isn't sealed already.

Watch out: paint inside the print only. A slip onto the white top shows, so keep a damp cloth close for quick wipes.

The Mistakes That Make It Fail

A woman pulling the cut tire away from the set concrete disc, the reciprocating saw on the board.

People who see a tire coffee table look for what's wrong. These five give it away:

  1. No caulk under the tire. Concrete leaks out and the edge is ragged.
  2. No mesh. The thin top can crack under weight.
  3. A hand saw on the tire. It won't cut the steel belts.
  4. Lifting instead of rocking. The top is heavy; rock it over with a helper.
  5. A narrow stump. Pick one with a base at least half as wide as the top.

Get those five right, and it looks like the furniture-maker version for a tenth of the price.

Keep the Tire Table Looking New

A smiling woman painting the last tip of the sage green leaf on the white table, a small dog lying nearby.
  • Keep it on a covered patio, or bring it in for winter.
  • Wipe spills quickly; masonry paint resists water but stains if left.
  • Touch up the white and the green each spring.
  • Check the stump for cracks, and reseal it every year or two.

Then set down the mug, switch on the string lights, and let the next friend ask where you bought it.

Watch this build, and the next ones, on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.

Start here

Want it on the patio for the last warm evenings? Start with the blade: the rest is an old tire, two bags of mix and a night.

See options on Amazon →

FAQ

Can You Pour Concrete Into a Tire?

Yes. Lay the tire flat on a plastic-covered board, seal its bottom edge with caulk, and pour inside it. The tire comes off the next day.

How Do You Cut a Tire Off Concrete?

With a reciprocating saw and a metal-cutting blade, because most tires have steel belts. Cut through the wall in one or two spots and peel it away.

How Do You Make a Leaf Print in Concrete?

Lay a large leaf veins up on the bottom of the mold and pour over it. When you turn the piece over and peel the leaf, the print is in the top.

Does a Concrete Table Top Need Reinforcement?

Yes. A circle of hardware cloth pressed into the middle of the wet layer stops cracks.

How Heavy Is a Concrete Tire Table?

The top alone is about 65 pounds, plus the stump. Turn it over by rocking it with a helper, not by lifting.

How Much Does a Concrete Tire Coffee Table Cost?

About $80 to $130 with a free tire and stump, at US store prices in October 2026.

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