Building My First Slab Couch

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Highlights:
Intro: 0:11
Panels/arms: 0:50
Slab Backs: 2:50
Bottom support for cushions: 3:39
First look at structure: 5:00
Prepping for upholstery: 6:47
Upholstery drop off: 7:46
Epoxy work: 9:03
Live edge prep: 10:40
VIDEO SPONSOR: 11:56
Delivery/Final Look: 13:29
This is my first ever couch/sectional build, would love your feedback!
Products/Supplies:
Superclear Table Top Epoxy: amzn.to/3svXRB3
Superclear Pigment: amzn.to/3DYXmoJ
Rubber Furniture Feet: amzn.to/3LRk2cM
Festool RO 150: amzn.to/3ULQUY8
Festool TS 75 track saw: amzn.to/3fe0KBQ
Festool Domino Tool: amzn.to/3LNfh3A
Festool 12-100 Dominos: amzn.to/3BT0FLt
Festool 10-50 Dominos: amzn.to/3UM2TVG
Wire Wheels: amzn.to/3LNds6K
Restorer Tool: amzn.to/3SEYIZUz`
Disposable Brushes: amzn.to/3DZ9lCI
Raven disposable gloves: amzn.to/3cRrvbP
Mirka DEROS: amzn.to/32LfulN
Mirka Sand Paper 180 GRIT: amzn.to/3s99Jp8
Mirka Sand Paper 220 GRIT: amzn.to/2NrrscM

[@ambermorgan1340]

As a seamstress & mother of 3 grown children, I'd add Velcro to the base & back of the cushions. The cushions can start to slide or slump & Velcro can help keep them in place while still allowing for cleaning underneath. I LOVE that you can see the gorgeous wood back through the windows! 😍

[@chrisgogreve8743]

This is a gorgeous piece!! I wish it were a part of my home!!! Thanks for all your hard work

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you Chris, had a blast making this one!

[@brentjenkinsdesigns]

The woodwork is simplistically awesome. I think all the colors allow the furnishings to blend into the room, while adding a 'pop' due to visual design & imagined comfy-ness.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Great feedback, thank you!!

[@mauriceryton]

That is beautiful, what great build. It looks even better in place.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you for your feedback Maurice!

[@maddieadams75]

Nice piece, beautiful design ❤ personally I would want that back on display. If your customer is happy it was a success

[@MattsWoodworks]

I agree! Atleast there is glass on the backside 😅 haha. Thank you!

[@jerrywoodlee2345]

What craftmanship, love it.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you Jerry!

[@eeeskwa]

Absolutely sick looking couch

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thanks Evan!

[@janelenihan3307]

Love it! Well done and so you chose down with the foam core mush more comfortable! My guess at least 15 hides

[@MattsWoodworks]

Yep! More down, less amounts of foam. Thanks!

[@traviswilliams1801]

Awesome couch. I wouldn't change a thing! Great work.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you Travis!

[@timmaggard8862]

KNocked it out of the park dude! Beautiful! Love your choices! Maybe 12 hides?..LOL no idea...

[@trulslarsen9820]

Really nice back and sides! That slight taper one the sides makes all the difference! Lether looks really good, but I just get too sweaty sitting on it, so my favorite is wool upholstery. The rake on the back seemed steep, but those thick back pillows totally hides it! For harder coushioning I had success with 3-5deg on the seating (inward) and 15-20deg on the back. Great design!

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you! I wanted to do a wool or differently upholstery but they have young kids so cleaning up messes was top of mind haha

[@bmm9538]

I like the couch. Leather choice is great and love the live edge back. I think the only thing I might change is the arms. Where they don’t come all the way to the floor and you use legs for support. Might just have a more open feel to it when looking at it from the side profile.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank. you for your feedback my friend!!

[@capone_rd_809]

Would definitely put this in my dream man cave couch and the table

[@MattsWoodworks]

Right on! 🤘🏻

[@veronicawilliams7793]

I like the couch, my only critique is try having two couches would have been amazing…so you don’t have that awkward “corner angle”. If it would have been two couches it opens up the space visually and elevates your workmanship!!!

[@ericthomson6518]

Awesome build. Would have liked to see a more eye-catching finish on the mappa (eg spray lacquer to a high gloss) to further modernize the look, as you said you wanted that, since knots and holes give a 'rustic' vibe. I happen to have made a mappa headboard and upholstered a queen bed frame in brown leather - my lesson from that is the amount of full side hides needed really just depends on whether you can make more surface area fit in the odd shape of the cow hide, not a calculation of sq ft. So I'd guess it took one full hide per cushion. Keep up the ambitious builds!

[@MattsWoodworks]

Hey thanks Eric! Yea I thought about that too, but since it was backup up to glass I figured it would be a little overkill. Appreciate the feedback and the support man, I really want to do a mappa table someday, wicked cool looking stuff!

[@ericthomson6518]

@@MattsWoodworks good point! A high gloss finish would have probably made a mirror effect from the reflective glare on the glass when the sun comes in.

[@radlamb593]

This is amazing!! Thank you for sharing your project!! As for how many hides used, my guess is 13 😬 Keep up the great work!!🙏

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you very much! I really appreciate the feedback!

[@Nathan-cx2wg]

5 hides. Looks like it fits well with the space. Might be a little on the deep side for my taste but Im kinda short. Looks real comfy and built well to stand the test of time. Hope the leather holds up to the sun coming through that window. Mappa always looks good to me, it has a lot of character.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you for your feedback Nathan!! I’m happy they have automated blinds on all of the windows, so when they’re not there it’s all closed down thankfully.

[@bradymcphail9690]

Matt,Such an insane piece of art man! It’s going to be hard to top that with #2 bro…

[@MattsWoodworks]

I really appreciate that Brady, thank you!

[@JS-wc4xs]

I did notice that 1 of the couch arm base wasn't quite flush with the wooden floor (maybe it was a trick of the camera). Also to keep the wood floors from getting marred a heavy duty felt can b adhered to the surfaces that come in contact with the floor. However the addition of the heavy duty felt may allow the couch to move more freely (which might not b wanted). From the looks of the covered pieces it appears that at least 13 hides were used, however the bottom cushions may b large enough to require multiple hides per piece. So my guess is 15 hides.

[@MattsWoodworks]

So it definitely was the camera, I had installed 1/4" rubber furniture feet so it wouldn't slide everywhere, on the entire bottom side of the structures. Usually I'll use felt, but in this case being a couch I didn't want it sliding back into the windows as the kids jump around on it haha. Thank you for the feedback!!

[@JS-wc4xs]

@@MattsWoodworks when will you announce how many hides were used?

[@JasonPeltier]

@@JS-wc4xs it was from 1 large cow

[@randyanderson5653]

OUtstanding!!! Thanks for posting. Subscribed!!

[@madeleinegombert661]

Love The sofa and table.😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@slc801]

Great job 👏🏼

[@janiceshira91]

15 The cushion design is impressive with the down most High end or should I say expensive high-end has the down very impressed on the corners where they did the 45 in the back pillow With anything being artistic you have to find the proper word for the proper design that might take some time , but with your design skill you will be able to come up with some beautiful pieces once you see the pieces they will click into the design you’ve already saw within who you are well it’s going to be amazing when you do go out and look at the wood . Back in the 80s or late 90s the big thing in Oregon was digging up the boroughs and drying them and I always wanted to get the one that’s been over 100 years in a little town the tree still alive cell I’m sure it will be a beautiful one but it’s underground who knows and my daughter probably will get the property and hopefully do something with it ! Blessings from Oregon !

[@bored2121100]

From an engineering standpoint that is a solid build👌. However, from an aesthetic point of view; it would have been really if you could see just a little of the woodbacking over the backpillows, and there is too much brown going on in the color scheme. Seems like you used some premium wood & upholstery materials, but they are so close in color that the visual texture details of the materials get drowned out by all the brown.. also didnt help that the color of your client's living room was predominantly walnut lol. But on the whole it is an excellent design that was executed excellently, especially considering you were experimenting with a new concept & collaborating with someone new.👏👏👏👏

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you for this feedback Ricky! I originally wanted to do a softer white or off white leather to pop against all of the brown however, they have kids and that was their only stipulation is to have it darker. I hope someday I can make another one, bigger and in a more open space with different wood species. I think Wenge/Walnut and white leather wold be so slick!

[@JamesWelbes]

I think the colors worked well together. Not everything has to be super high contrast

[@somebuddy507]

Live edge couch? Are you kidding meeeee it's awesome!!! Great job 👏 I assume 12 hides are used 🤔🤔🤔

[@MattsWoodworks]

Haha thank you! I always had the vision of doing this, so glad I was able to!

[@stevemcfarland4661]

Nice to see a couch made of real wood instead of OSB or plywood for a change

[@MattsWoodworks]

Heck yea Steve! 🤟

[@RazDaz74]

Only 1 major thing I would have changed. The live edge on the back should of been much higher so you could see it from the front view. Just peeking above the cusions.

[@ambermorgan1340]

I was thinking something similar, but when he sat on the couch & leaned back, for a second I thought he would hit his head. As the couch is, you have to go outside to see the beautiful back, but you won't knock your head. 🤷‍♀️

[@starner1640]

Nice video Matt. What product did you use to stain the base black?

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you! I stained it with Varathanes ebony, the 1 hour dry version from HD.

[@cdavis23]

Very cool build! Was wondering what type of wood is that coffee table at the end?

[@MattsWoodworks]

It’s a cypress cookie!

[@JasonPeltier]

@@MattsWoodworks that's a big cookie! I have a couple cedar cookies that are about 22" x 4". They have a similar outer edge, but none of the voids in the center.

[@djohnson493]

How often does your couch look better from the back? Nice.

[@dannyhorein5832]

Looks great through the window. If you're looking for opinions, maybe could have made the corner column and end plates taller to completely cover the end grain of the slabs. Flush would be mint.

[@RazDaz74]

Agreed 💯

[@mariushegli]

I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.

[@MattsWoodworks]

Appreciate that Marius

[@One6zips]

@@MattsWoodworksI notice your views must've have dropped being I watch a few vids from channels like yours and don't understand how you haven't been recommended before... hope my like and sub gets you back in algorithm where you belong

[@yaboyJ64]

How did you attach the arm cushion to the couch thr keep them from sliding off

[@landinpetz]

Matt do you think routing a design into the face of both ends (and possibly the trim underneath the bottom cushion) would take away from the design? I think it looks great and really accents the room it is placed in. My creative gears just turn. [Idk much about leather, but I'm going to make a logical guess of 13] Keep making the world more beautiful bro!

[@MattsWoodworks]

What kind of design were you thinking? Like some detail work? Potentially could be cool if so, but probably nothing too busy yea? Appreciate the love and feedback Landin!

[@landinpetz]

@@MattsWoodworks yeast, something minimal as the room it's in isn't very "busy". I just had had a thought when looking at the finished piece the way trim and crown molding accents a room. Maybe something similar but geared specifically to the piece itself. Maybe it works better the way it is, as I haven't stood in the room. Just a dreamer bro 😎. And I love engaging fellow creators creative nature.

[@MattsWoodworks]

@@landinpetz I love the idea of new things like this, it definitely could have been cool if done right! I’ll keep it in mind for the next one someday haha. Thanks again man!🤘🏻

[@buildingcreative]

Did you put finish on the mappa slabs? If not, would you need to worry about it not being sealed? I love this build, great job, really like the creative ideas coming from you. Was there a reason you went with alder wood and stained it instead of maybe matching the walnut?

[@MattsWoodworks]

Yep! I did a satin clear on it, kind of hard to tell through the windows thought, Thank you for your feedback! I honestly wanted something darker to break it up, because there was so much brown throughout the whole space.

[@mackpruitt5547]

i think I saw that at Ashlys

[@MattsWoodworks]

Mr. Funny guy over here, always with the jokes 😘

[@mjl7023]

Did you think about employing joinery for all your panel attachments? 11 hides I'm guessing

[@angelatsikalaki8794]

What is the name of this wood????

[@MattsWoodworks]

Mappa Burl are the slabs, the arms/legs are eastern walnut, bottom support is knotty alder.

[@JoJo-edge]

Hmmmm..I’m just not feeling it. The best part of the slab is covered with cushions, looking at a beautiful slab through the window just doesn’t cut it for me- I’m assuming it was not cheap. I do appreciate your craftsmanship!

[@Lets_Bastel]

Ist aber nen desingter Tisch, kein Designer Tisch ... Deshalb machen unterschiede soooooo viel aus!!!! Ob klein oder wie hier groß. 😘😘

[@kidherder]

Very talented craftsmanship. I think the customers wasted their money on a slab. You can’t see any of it from the front and you can only see it from the back from a window.

[@kencase2179]

8

[@yaboyJ64]

12

[@MegaPsychosquirrel]

Couch is nice and sturdy but sucks the back is pretty much pointless since it's hidden by all of the cushions.

[@papaguche]

Could have been plywood

[@buffalojones341]

I thought this too until I realized it was visible from the outside through the big windows.

[@MattsWoodworks]

You didn't see it through the windows?? ;)

[@ruggieroyardley1949]

𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐦 😢

[@josephjames5362]

16 hides maybe 17

[@sharonromer6606]

Very masculine...12 hides🐃

[@MattsWoodworks]

Thank you for your input Sharon!

[@lilo6]

لانريد ان تتحدث...نريد ان نشاهد العمل فقط):

[@MattsWoodworks]

Really? Maybe I’ll do a video like this someday

[@markalexander5124]

Leathe?, no, thats plastic.

[@MattsWoodworks]

No Mark, Italian euro leather. Almost the most expensive stuff around in upholstery world.

[@hammernnails7314]

Ummm NO, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY WRONG!!! Whenever you're adding a pigment to epoxy, whether that be a liquid pigment, a powder/metallic, ALWAYS add the pigment to the part A(Resin) and mix them together first, then add the part B(Catalyst/hardener) Low speed when mixing too

[@MattsWoodworks]

I absolutely disagree. Ill explain why: When mixing any A/B resin system you initially see how cloudy they are, as the part B is working into the mixture, as a few minutes go by you see it clear up but almost every single time there are still phantom striation lines of part B that haven't been scraped from the sides of the mixing cup properly, so that being said if there is any pigment liquid or metallic, you would never know during the mixing process. It just makes sense to add it after the resin components are thoroughly mixed first in my eyes.

[@MP-br4pj]

When giving feedback it really helps bring a point across when it is said in a respectful manner instead of an attack. there's better ways to say whatever you're saying, instead of being all degrading with the "ummmmNO YOU WRONG I RIGHT". Next time maybe trying saying stuff in a respectful manner if you disagree with someone that is open enough to ask for feedback from their viewers.