Build your own outdoor table! This simple plan requires on special tools and is beginner friendly! Build and enjoy this weekend! Free plans by ANA-WHITE.com
Preparation
5 – 1×4 Boards, 12 feet long (Cut Tabletop Boards from these)
5 – 1×4, 8 feet long (Supports and Aprons)
1 – 2x4, 12 feet long
1-1/4″ self tapping exterior wood Screws
2" self tapping exterior wood Screws
2-1/2″ self tapping exterior wood screws
Wood Glue
Wood Filler
Finishing Supplies
2 – 1×4 @ 32 1/2″ (End Aprons)
4 – 1×4 @ 64 1/2″ (Supports)
2 – 1×4 @ 60 1/2″ (Side Aprons)
17 – 1×4 @ 35 1/2″ (Tabletop Boards)
4- 2×4 @ 29 1/4″ (Legs)
Work on a clean level surface. Check for square after each step. Use good straight boards. Predrill and countersink your screws. Use glue unless otherwise directed. Use proper safety precautions and equipment.
Instructions
Step 1
Aprons and Support. Build the aprons and supports for the tabletop as shown above. Use glue and 2″ screws. Make sure the project is very square.
Step 2
Outer Side Aprons. Fasten the outer side aprons to the sides, as shown above, keeping top and bottom edges flush. There will be a 2 3/4″ gap on both ends, as shown above.
Step 3
Tabletop boards. Use 2″ screws and glue to fasten the tabletop pieces to the aprons and supports. It is wise to mark all the joints on the undersides of the tabletop boards before fastening. There will be a 1/2″ gap between boards. If you happen to have a Kreg Jig™, you can fasten from underneath. (Kreg Jig™ K4 Pocket Hole System). This will hide all of your screw holes. As one reader mentioned, examining your boards and facing the board so the bark side is up will help prevent cupping in the future, and also create better water drainage.
Step 4
Legs. Screw the legs on with 2 1/2″ screws. If you leave the glue off or use bolts, you can make the legs removable.
Step 5
We apologize if there was an error in this plan. Please help us out and report any errors here.
Comments
Tableguy (not verified)
Tue, 07/31/2012 - 11:02
Agreed
Yeah, I had to buy an additional 6 foot 1 x 4. But maybe I'm just bad at math;)
JODY FRIEDMAN (not verified)
Thu, 08/16/2012 - 20:08
Table - Ana White
Hi Joe,
What did you find out about this?
Did you screw in 8 screws to each table top plank?
if so, how did you hide the tops of the screws that were showing on the top of the table?
i'm considering buying a Kreg for this, but it seems I'm stuck using the Kreg screws only?
any help is appreciated thx!
Joe C (not verified)
Fri, 08/17/2012 - 06:37
Kreg needed?
Hi Jody,
I did not screw from the top, my handyman suggested against that and I'm glad he did. I screwed in from the bottom. I did not buy a Kreg jig either. All the kreg does is helps you angle your drill precisely. I chopped a couple of little blocks and built my own jig. Just something to hold the angle consistent - but halfway thru it- I had the angle down pat and didnt need it. The Kreg is expensive, if you can afford it - go for it - it will make it easier. If you're crafty and handy you can work around it.
If I were to do it again I'd figure out how to do all that with the table upside down, perhaps building a brace of some sort - equally spacing out the top boards is challenging - i used some spacers - but after a few boards the fraction of an inch differences add up - so in the end I made lots of eyeball adjustments - but it all came out great.
So... some other things... when I was building this, I had it out on my back patio, with the plans and everything all laid out. I had a handyman at my house a few days doing other work. He offered to help me if I needed it on the patio (he was more interested in fun carpentry than hanging drywall). Anyhow - he told me one day that he was looking at the plans and disagreed with some things. For one, he suggested some corner braces, he pointed out that there was nothing to prevent twisting. So I very simply cut a couple of scrap pieces into small triangles and screwed them on the inside corners - it helped alot. The other thing I would do differently, is add a second board to each leg. The boards used for the legs are pretty thick - so there isnt much flex to the boards themselves, but since they are all fixed in one direction - another board perpendicular, (hard to describe) so the legs look like an L shaped piece of molding standing on its end.
Feel free to contact me with other questions.
Here is my finished table: http://i45.tinypic.com/1z4frf8.jpg
GnomeKing
Sat, 12/14/2013 - 20:56
Using scraps you can do it as listed
You only need 17 tabletop boards. These are about 3' each so you get 4 out of each 12' board. That means 4 of the boards will be cut into tabletop pieces and only one tabletop piece will come from the last 12' board. So you use the last 8' board to get one side apron and end apron and the 9' left over from the 5th 12' board to get the other side and end apron.
Guest (not verified)
Fri, 03/23/2012 - 15:30
wood...
What kind of wood should be used for this project? Would love to do it but need to price it out. What kind of wood did you use?
Thanks!
Lori N (not verified)
Fri, 03/30/2012 - 18:52
Love the table, have the pcs cut, concerned about stability
I love this table and have everything ready to begin construction. We are concerned that the legs are not going to be sturdy enough if someone were to lean on or push into it. The 2 x 4 leg only goes into a 3/4" thick board. We purchased 1/4" carriage bolts so that we can remove the legs for storage. Wondering what others might have done to add stability to the underside for the leg support.
In reply to Love the table, have the pcs cut, concerned about stability by Lori N (not verified)
windjamer812
Fri, 03/30/2012 - 22:13
Table Leg Stability
You can simply add a cross member (2" x 4") in between the legs at the ends of the table. For added support run another cross member the length of the table between the aforementioned supports. These could all be attached using bolts as well which would allow you to remove them for storage.
Tonya Tuntevski (not verified)
Tue, 04/10/2012 - 10:49
How to secure the table top
I'm a newbie but this looks pretty straight forward. The only question I have is when you secure the boards on top to the supports and apron how does it work with 2" screws? If you're using a 1 x 4 I know it's really not a full 4" but still a 2" screw isn't going to go through the support and partial way through the table top board. Are you screwing them in on an angle?
Tsu Dho Nimh
Thu, 04/12/2012 - 08:46
Straight down!
They are fastened down through the table top into the crosswise supports and apron. I assume they are countersunk. The screws would be visible, or you could use wood filler.
Visible brass screws look good in outdoor furniture.
Jessica W (not verified)
Thu, 04/12/2012 - 17:08
Kreg
Use a Kreg Jig for better stability and to hide those screws!