The business in one offer
Who it serves
Homeowners furnishing a living room who want a statement coffee table and are prepared to wait several weeks. They often found river tables on social media, want to choose the slab and color themselves, and pay for a piece they watched being made rather than a factory copy.
What to sell first
One coffee table, about 48 by 24 inches, made from a pair of slabs the customer picks from your stock, with one of two resin colors and black steel legs from a supplier. Lead time is six weeks with progress photos. Excluded: dining tables, glow-in-the-dark or embedded objects, custom metal bases, and outdoor use.
One table size means one form, one leg set and a known resin volume, so you can price accurately and order supplies ahead. Customers choose slab and color rather than dimensions, which cuts design back-and-forth, and the six-week window covers drying, curing and finishing without rushing.
What could it cost to start?
This is an original example budget for the limited pilot described above. It is not a researched market average or a complete quote for every location.
| Item to price | Example allowance |
|---|---|
| Router, flattening sled and bits | $420.00 |
| Melamine form, sealing tape and release | $120.00 |
| Pair of live-edge slabs for the first table | $450.00 |
| Deep-pour resin and pigment for one table | $380.00 |
| Respirator cartridges, nitrile gloves and ventilation fan | $240.00 |
| Random orbit sander, abrasives and finish | $260.00 |
| Example total | $1,870.00 |
What this assumes—and excludes
Assumes a garage or shop you can keep warm and dust-controlled, a vehicle or delivery option for a finished table, and woodworking skill. Excludes a slab inventory beyond the first pair, kiln drying, owner pay, sales tax registration and insurance. Get resin and slab quotes locally before you buy.
Collect actual supplier, insurance and local-authority information. Add a reserve for delays and unexpected costs; the example total is not a funding recommendation.
How the unit economics work
At an assumed $1,600.00 per coffee table and $560.00 in direct costs, contribution is $1,040.00 before monthly fixed costs, owner pay and taxes. With 26 all-in working hours per unit, that is $40.00 per delivery hour before those deductions. These inputs illustrate the arithmetic; they do not establish a market price or expected earnings.
The example also allows $120.00 in monthly fixed costs. Include unpaid acquisition and administrative time when deciding whether the offer is worthwhile.
Try your own numbers
These are editable planning assumptions, not prices we have verified. Calculations stay in your browser.
Operating result = (price − direct cost) × units − monthly fixed costs. Before owner pay, taxes, financing and startup recovery. At these inputs, delivery requires 260 hours per month, plus any work not included in your per-unit estimate. Sales volume is a scenario, not a forecast.
How to find the first customers
Test a small offer before scaling traffic. Record the source of each enquiry, whether it fits the offer, and whether the buyer pays.
- Post short progress clips of the first table from slab to finish, with dates, on one social channel. Share real cure times so viewers understand why the lead time is six weeks.
- Offer to display a finished table in a local furniture or coffee shop for a month, with a small card and a sign-up link for people who want to pick slabs on a shop visit.
- Invite inquirers to a scheduled slab-picking session at your shop, where they choose wood and resin color. Take the deposit only after they approve a written spec sheet.
- Ask a local lumber yard that sells live-edge slabs whether they would mention your service to customers who buy slabs but lack the tools to finish them.
What to validate before spending more
- Pour one small test panel with your chosen resin at the depth you plan to use and watch for heat, cracks and bubbles. Check the manufacturer's maximum pour depth per layer.
- Measure slab moisture with a meter before any pour, and note how long air-drying stock needs before it is stable. Do not take orders on wet slabs.
- Read the resin safety data sheet and set up ventilation, gloves and eye protection to match it, including how to store and dispose of mixed leftovers.
- Time a full table build from flattening to final coat, separating active hours from waiting time, so you can judge how many tables a month the shop can handle.
The operational catch
Deep pours generate heat, and a pour that is too thick or too warm can crack, yellow or pull away from the wood. A shop that drops cold overnight can leave a soft or cloudy surface. Follow the pour depth limits, control room temperature, and seal the slab edges first so trapped air does not bubble into the river.
A practical way to fund the first step
Take a deposit that covers the slab pair and the resin before the first pour, and collect the balance on delivery. Start with a router sled you build yourself instead of a CNC, and keep the first slab purchase to one or two pairs.
Separate cash already available from money still to earn. Count only proceeds after direct expenses, and do not spend customer funds needed to fulfill their existing orders.
Questions before you start
How long does resin take to cure?
It depends on the product, pour depth and room temperature, and deep-pour resins can take several days before you can flatten them. Follow the manufacturer's data sheet and add time for a full cure before delivery.
Can I use any slab I find?
Only if it is dry enough and stable. Wet slabs can move after the pour and crack the resin or the wood. Measure moisture content and pick species with stable grain for your first tables.
Should I claim the table is heat-proof or scratch-proof?
Avoid broad claims you cannot support. Resin tops can mark from hot items or sharp objects. Give honest care advice, such as using coasters and trivets, and describe the finish accurately.
Source-backed checks
These references support the specific checks below. They do not endorse this business idea or substantiate the example prices, costs or demand.
OSHA's Hazard Communication standard relies on labels and safety data sheets to communicate chemical hazards. OSHA: Hazard Communication.
OSHA notes that wood dust exposure can cause skin and eye irritation and respiratory problems. OSHA: Woodworking: Wood Dust.
The FTC advises that objective advertising claims about a product must be truthful and backed by evidence. Federal Trade Commission: Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small Business.
- Hazard CommunicationOSHA · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Woodworking: Wood DustOSHA · Reference checked September 8, 2026
- Advertising FAQ's: A Guide for Small BusinessFederal Trade Commission · Reference checked September 8, 2026
Turn this into your own plan.
Start with this offer, then add your actual budget, skills, weekly hours and location. Your generated plan starts private.
Plan this business →