I made this one several years ago to see if I could make the rim/grout seal withstand multiple temperature (ie freeze thaw, or direct sunlight exposure)  cycles.  The sanded grout I generally use sometimes falls out arround the rim after exposure to multiple temperature cycles. Its easily patched, but its a feature I'd like to get rid of.

So:  I took some spectacurlar slabs of pudding stone and made a small (12" diameter) top with silicone a silacone grout arround the rim and sanded grout between the interior spaces.  

I left it out in our backyard for the winter.  At the end I observed two things.  The  silicone grout/rim seal was intact!,  But there was a very glaring miss-match between the color of the silicone grout and the sanded grout that I really didn't like.  I decided to stick with sanded grout and tell my customers that if the grout drops out arround the rim, its easy to patch and re-seal.

The best thing I learned, however, took a couple more years.  The raw steel legs on the table rusted over the winter, acquiring the same patina as that of the rims.  Its a nice look.

I have the procedure down pat to put patina on the rims. Starting this year I'm going to put put the patina on both rims and hairpin legs.