Photos by Ron Burkett.
Chad Lindsey in his home workshop.
Concrete, with its qualities of great strength and durability, is now making a statement for its beauty.
Custom furniture builder and hobbyist Chad Lindsey started building his concrete-topped, pine base coffee and console tables about three years ago. The Stockton resident started the venture more out of necessity than anything else.
“In our first home here, we didn’t really have any furniture,” Lindsey said. “So, I knew I wanted to build it and started trying things out. I had always wanted to try the concrete, too.”
The Lindseys moved to another home in the same neighborhood, and he now builds out of their single-car garage.
By day, he works as an appraiser for Safeway Insurance. By night, he does what his grandfather did — honing his love of building and creating.
“My grandfather did it as a hobby, and I hung out in his shop with him every time I was there,” Lindsey said. “I love it because I’m able to be creative. You start with a piece of wood and turn it into something; I really enjoy that.”
To date, he’s built large-scale wood wall clocks and coffee tables and console tables. It usually takes about two weeks to build a piece.
Lindsey’s wife, Leah, helps with taking orders and communicating with buyers.
But adorning tables with stained concrete tops is where Lindsey said he definitely has carved out his niche.
“What sells it is the concrete,” Lindsey said. “Our dark concrete with dark wood is the most popular right now.”
Using melamine to make the form and then pouring the concrete mix in upside-down, Lindsey then caulks the edges of the table. Trial and error have taught him to use a lighter-weight concrete mix that has enhanced his overall product. He uses concrete sealer and stains the concrete. To stain the wood, he uses a method with steel wool and vinegar, and brushes it on the wood to rust it, creating the popular aged look.
Some people want even more of a distressed look, he said.
“This is why we call it Southern Rustics,” Lindsey said with a laugh. “Because there’s not an entirely smooth edge. I can fix the chips in the concrete if needed, but some people even ask for chipped edges. They don’t realize how rough it will be.”
He custom builds to certain sizes, but his biggest pieces have been a 6-foot-long console table and a 3-foot by 3-foot coffee table.
“A few people have asked for concrete countertops, and people have asked us to ship to California,” Lindsey said. “But I really don’t have the space for that, and shipping isn’t something we can do now.”
His goals include providing more of a variety of furniture in the future.
“No financial goals or anything, I just want to continue providing affordable furniture for people who love custom built furniture. It’s therapeutic for me,” Lindsey said.
For more information, go to their Facebook page at Southern Rustics.
