DIY Garden Tables
Having nice looking furniture out on the patio or lawn area is something desirable to everyone. When company comes over it is great to be able to show off your outdoor tables and chairs. If you have a bit of do-it-yourself (DIY) in you, this can be done at a substantial savings over the cost of purchased furniture. Here is how to make a table.
You will need:
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Square
- Saw (preferably a power saw)
- “C” clamps
- Drill with 3/8, 7/32, 7/64 and ¼ inch bits
- Adjustable wrench
- Hammer
- Large screwdriver
- Sanding block and coarse, medium and fine grit sandpaper
- Redwood stock in 2 x 6 and 2 x 4 sizes that are 5 ½ inch wide by 3/8 widths.
- Carriage bolts, lock washers and locknuts
- 10-penny common nails
- 5 ½ inch x 3 inch flathead brass wood screws
- Cut (two) 2 x 6’s to lengths of 28 ½ inches and use the square to keep them even. Cut (four) 2 x 4’s to a length of 36 inches the same way. Repeat this process for the other leg assembly.
- Place (two) 2 x 4’s 15 inches apart and parallel to one another. Now place (two) 2 x 6’s at a right angle to those two forming a square letter “A.” Place (two) more 2 x 4’s directly over the first two. Square them up and clamp into position. Drill in each joint at a diagonal angle 3/8-inch holes and insert the 5 ½ inch carriage bolts. Repeat for the second leg.
- Cut a 2 x 6 inch board to place between the two legs. Cut this board to a length of 68 inches. This is called the stretcher. Stand the legs up and place the “stretcher” on top of the lower 2 x 4 on each end and make it flush with the outside board. Center it on both ends and clamp it down. Drill two 3/8-inch holes in the “stretcher” and into each of the 2 x 4 boards underneath. Insert 3/8 x 5 ½-inch carriage bolt into each of the four holes with a washer and locknut on each end and tighten with the adjustable wrench.
- Use a scrap board, line up the leg assemblies and temporarily nail the scrap board near the top to hold them in place. Cut seven pieces of 2 x 6 board to a length of 72 inches. These will overhang the leg assemblies by two inches on each end. Mark the boards underneath where they line up on the ends and start on the first piece. Line it up and clamp it down.
- Drill two 7/64 inch holes down in each plank,into the cross piece beneath it to a depth of 2 ½ inches. Now use the 7/32 inch bit and re-drill the same holes to a depth of 1 ½ inch. Each board will have two holes in each end. To secure the boards, screw a 5 ½ inch #12 x 3 flathead brass screw into the holes and tighten until heads are flush with the wood surface.
- Complete by attaching the other six boards. When completed you will have seven boards on the tabletop and each edge should overhand about ½ an inch. You can put finishing touches on at this time by sanding rough places. Do not put finish on it as redwood should be allowed to naturally weather itself.