Here’s How to Create a Custom Patio Table

Warm summer weather provides you with the chance to add square footage to your home by creating an outdoor living space. Finding the perfect piece for your outdoor space can be difficult, so instead, consider a DIY. That’s exactly what we did when we created a custom outdoor dining table. 

Here’s what you need:

Materials:

(9) 2x6x8 pressure treated sienna

(2) 2x6x10 pressure treated sienna

(3) 2x4x8 pressure treated sienna

(1) 4x4x8 pressure treated sienna

3” Pocket screws

2.5” Pocket screws

Wood glue

Sandpaper

BeautiTone Wood Shield stain

Paint brush

Rag

Wood filler​

Tools:

Pocket hole jig

C clamps

Mitre saw

Cordless power drill

Here’s How:

When creating a table, it’s best to build the table upside down. This allows you to get all the proper supports in place to create a sturdy table. 

To build the tabletop, cut seven 2x6x8 boards to 6 feet in length and sand the ends.

Using C clamps and a pocket hole jig, drill 1.5" pocket holes into all of the boards, roughly 14” apart slightly offset from the neighbouring board.  ​

Attach the boards with 2.5” pocket screws.

Cut two 2x6x8 boards to 39”. These pieces will cap each end of the table for a finished look. 

Drill 1.5” pocket holes, attach with 2.5" pocket screws, and wood glue. 8 pocket screws were used on each end for additional stability.

Create the legs using two 2x6x10. Cut them into 30” lengths to create a total of 8 pieces. Add 1.5" pocket holes to the top and bottom of only 4 boards.

Next, glue a board without pocket holes to a board with pocket holes and secure it with 2.5" pocket screws. Continue the process for the additional legs. An optional step is to clamp these legs for 24 hours until the glue sets. In this case, screw the legs together from the inside, countersink and fill with wood filler, then sand.​

To create the apron, cut two 2x4x8 pieces at 59” and two 2x4x8 pieces at 25”. Drill 1.5” pocket holes and attach with 2.5” pocket screws, center to the leg. 

Create support boards by measuring the distance between each of the long apron boards, in this case, it was 29”. Cut three 2x4's to size and drill 1.5" pocket holes to both ends. Find the center and attach the first 2x4 with 2.5" pocket screws in the long apron. Repeat this step with boards two and three in the spaces between the center support board and the end aprons.

Next, cut two 4x4’s to 25” or the distance between the legs. Drill 1.5” pocket holes to each end. 

Tip: Use an 18” scrap piece of 2x6 resting on the top of the apron as temporary support while aligning your 4x4 to the legs. 

Place your 4x4 pocket hole side up on the top of the scrap piece. Level and attach the board with 3” pocket screws. Repeat this process with the second leg. ​

The table is now ready to flip over and sand with 120 grit sandpaper.

Clean surface to remove any sawdust.

Apply two coats of stain using both a rag and brush, following the grain of the wood.

​