DIY Outdoor Table Plans

As part of my mom’s patio update, we built this easy DIY outdoor table. I know a lot of people get intimidated by dining tables because of their size, but this project really is pretty straightforward. There aren’t any angles to cut, so it’s a great beginner-friendly table.

The top is slatted to allow water to drip through the slats rather than just sitting on the tabletop for days after a rainstorm.

We also finished it with a Spar Urethane which is our favorite outdoor finish. It’s very water-resistant and holds up well even to the harsh UV rays outside.

Alright, let’s start DIYing!

Recommended Tools:

• Miter Saw
• Drill
• Kreg Jig
• Nail Gun
• Optional: Table Saw

New to DIY? Check out our post on beginner woodworking tools to determine which tools to get!

Cut list

Get the complete cut list in the printable plans.

How to Build an Outdoor Dining Table

New to DIY? Download our free 5 Steps to Getting Start with DIY guide!

STEP 1: MAKE THE LEGS

To make the legs, start by gluing (2) 2x4s* together using a generous amount of glue. Leave them clamped for 24 hours before moving any further. You can cut them to size before or after gluing. I’d recommend after so that both ends are flush.

*If you do not have a table saw, I’d recommend getting 4x4s for your legs instead of gluing together two purchased 2x4s. Due to the rounded edges of 2” lumber, it will be clear that you glued together two boards to make the leg. To achieve the look of a solid leg made from one board without a table saw, use 4x4s.

STEP 2: DRILL POCKET HOLES

Pocket holes are the foundation of most DIY furniture. Become a pocket hole pro in less than an hour in Pocket Holes: Explained.

All pocket holes will be drilled using the 1.5″ setting.

Drill two pocket holes on each end of the following pieces:

• sides
• leg beams
• leg supports
• 2 of the 6 of the short supports
• 1 of the 3 long supports

STEP 3: ASSEMBLE LEGS

Grab a leg beam and place it between two legs, 2” from the bottom.

Attach with glue and 2.5” Kreg screws. Make sure your pocket holes are facing down towards the ground.

Repeat with the other two legs and leg beam.

STEP 4: ASSEMBLE THE FRAME

Attach a 69” side between the 38” front and back pieces using glue and 2.5” Kreg screws.

Next, attach a 10” short support using glue and 2.5” screws. Pre-drill using a 1/8” drill bit before adding your screws.

The 10” support should be flush with the corner of your side and front pieces and indented 3/4” up. Your top slats will eventually sit on top of these supports, so we want to indent them the correct amount so that the top slats are flush with the top of the frame in the end.

To get the correct spacing without measuring, place some of your 1×4 slats underneath your short support board as you screw it in place.

Once your first short support board is in, grab a 35” leg support and line it up with the side, top and bottom of the support board you already have in place. Secure it in place using glue and 2.5” Kreg screws.

Then grab a 42” long support board and attach using glue and 2.5” screws. Remember to pre-drill before adding your screws.

Then add the second 35” leg support using glue and 2.5” Kreg screws. Finally, attach a 10” short support board using glue and 2.5” screws.

As you’re attaching each of these boards, place some 1×4 top slats underneath them to ensure you’re maintaining the proper spacing. Each of the boards should be indented 3/4” from the top of the table (which is currently facing down towards the table or ground).

Once your first short support board is in, grab a 35” leg support and line it up with the side, top and bottom of the support board you already have in place. Secure it in place using glue and 2.5” Kreg screws.

Next we’ll attach the middle supports using glue and 2.5” Kreg screws.Your supports will be placed 15.25” from the supports you already installed.

Once you have the middle supports installed, we can move onto the second side.

First attach the 69” side to the front/back of the table using glue and 2.5” Kreg screws.

Then add each of the support boards, working your way from front to back: 10” short support, leg support, 42” long support, leg support, 10” short support.

As you attach each board, make sure that they are still indented 3/4” from the top of the table.

STEP 5: ATTACH THE LEGS TO THE TOP

Place your top on the legs, making sure that the side where the supports are indented 3/4” is facing up.

The legs will be lined up with the leg support boards and should be indented 3.5” in from either side of the leg support boards.

Using a 1/8” drill bit, pre-drill 3 holes through the leg supports and into each of the legs.

Secure with 2.5” screws. Each leg will have 3 screws.

STEP 6: STAIN AND SEAL

You can decide to do this step at the very end, but with all the slats on the table, I think it’s much easier to stain and seal everything before finishing assembly.

Before staining, sand everything with 120-220 grit sandpaper.

For this table, we used Minwax Water-Based Wood Finish tinted to Weathered Oak. We then sealed it with Minwax Water-Based Spar Urethane in Satin. It’s a really beautiful color, but I had a lot of trouble photographing it in different lighting. Below is the most true-to-life color.

The Spar Urethane makes this table pretty much waterproof and suitable for outdoors. The Spar Urethane is great for protecting your wood again water and UV rays.

STEP 7: INSTALL THE SLATS

Before attaching your slats, mock up the spacing. In an ideal world, there should be a 1/8” gap between the front/back frame and your slats on either end as well as a 1/8” gap between each of your boards.

It’s important to mock-up the spacing ahead of time because not all 1x4s are exactly 3.5”, which means your gaps might need to be larger or smaller than the ideal 1/8” spacing.

Once you have everything spaced out, use glue and (4) 2.5” nails to secure each of your slats to the supports, (2) nails on each end. Try to keep all of your nails in a straight line as you work your way down your tabletop.

STEP 8: INSTALL THE LEVELING FEET

Install the leveling feet according to the instructions provided for the particular ones you purchased.

There you have it! Now you know how to build your very own outdoor dining table! This DIY outdoor table can very comfortably sit 6-8 people.

The slats allow water to fall through the cracks rather than sitting on the tabletop for days after a rainstorm, making it perfect for outside.

Don’t forget to grab your printable plans for this table!