How to build a table: Add a feature to your grill, deck, or outdoor space

There’s never enough space for all the stuff when I cook on the grill, so I set out to build a table to solve that problem. For a unique look, I used round poles for the legs and 2×6 for the frame and top.

First thing I do is make a box. Front and back are 36-inches. The left and right sides are 17-inches.

To build a table with a square frame, I make sure the sides are perpendicular to the front and back before installing the legs. It’s not super critical but it helps. Using a diagonal brace to hold the boards in place while you build (you can’t see the brace in this photo) helps a lot.

The legs are pressure treated Southern Yellow Pine round poles (6-inch diameter). My lumber yard stocks them so they’re easy to get and the look is cool. With the table frame squared up, I install the legs using 5/16 x 5-inch Spax PowerLags.

Assembly tip: I hold the legs in place by first sinking two 3-inch deck screws on each corner. Then I remove one screw and replace it with the larger structural screw. The smaller screws sink into the wood without moving it and leave me with a nice pilot hole for the larger screw. And they hold the leg in place while the larger screw is set.

The top is made from 2×6 cut 23-inches long. I used 3-inch deck screws to secure them to the frame. I like to build a table with even ‘reveals’. That means the tops over-hangs the frame evenly on each side, 1 1/2-inch on the front and back. A 2-inche overhang on the sides lets seven boards fit nicely.

Tip: This is framing grade lumber and sometimes the sawmills’ blades get dull and leave us with some ends a little too rough to build a table with. No big deal. For a project like this, I usually cut the ends nice and square on the miter saw before assembly.

Tip: To get the ends of the table top super-even, borrow a tip from this project: Run the top pieces a little long, then—like a deck—mark the reveal on each end. Draw a line and cut all the pieces at once with a circular saw.

Mark

A licensed contractor, tool expert, wood and outdoor enthusiast, and elite Spartan Race competitor, he writes about home improvement and tools for national magazines and websites, and teaches hands-on clinics for other remodeling professionals. Check out his book, The Carpenter's Notebook.

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