Maisy Dawson
This DIY truss beam farmhouse style outdoor table and benches are perfect for dining and entertaining on a deck or patio! It was so fun to have people to share the excitement with, and I am thrilled to be back today with more details about one of the things we’ve gotten the most questions about: our DIY farmhouse style outdoor table! As I was searching far and wide for the perfect table to use in our space, I came across this beauty from Restoration Hardware. And even if I was willing to spend a hundred bajillion dollars on a table, theirs was not made to be used outdoors anyway, so I was out of luck. I was moping around one day, all depressed about the table that was not meant to be and Donnie, aka my knight and shining armor 😉 , took one look at it and said, “I can build that.” So I will let him take it from here and tell you all about the amazing table he built with his own two hands (and also power tools) because he is pretty awesome.
One of the things I was most looking forward to with our new deck was a nice, large table for family meals. I offered to build one, and Abby’s friend Jen Woodhouse pointed her to these Ana White plans for the style of table she wanted. When I went to the lumber yard, they had just sold out of pine 4x4s, so I ended buying cedar 4x4s for the table base. I want the ability to take the table top apart next year and re-join if there is a lot of cracking or movement.
This table will be for outdoor use, so I didn’t finish it to the level I would if it was for a dining room or indoor use. Originally, I thought about staining and polyurethaning the table, but Abby has two outdoor chairs that were oiled, and I love how they’re holding up.
This table has a lots of ten degree cuts which gives the base a unique look. Instead of taking the time to drill pocket holes, I just used long GRK trim head screws at an angle and lots of glue on each joint.
I was able to complete the benches and attach the tops in the basement and then carry them up to the deck, but I knew I would need to attach the table top to the supports outside on the deck since the full table would’ve been too big to carry up the stairs.
Abby helped me carry the table top up to the deck where I attached the legs, then measured and cut the final support bar and angled pieces. During the table and bench build, I did notice that the bread-board ends were a bit wobbly, and that made me nervous. I solved this problem by cutting wedge supports out of my cedar 4x4s and attaching them to the understand of the bread-board.
With all of my pieces securely fastened into place, the table and benches were complete and ready to enjoy! We are expecting the color of the wood to fade and gray a little bit over time since the table will be exposed to the elements, but I think that will give it even more character.
😉 I had fun dressing up the table a little bit for the deck reveal post last week, so I thought I’d share a few of those pictures again! We chose Outdoor Oil for our protectant, but there are other products such as varnish, shellac, or polyurethane that can be applied depending on the style you may be after.
Outdoor table covers are also great but may be a pain if the patio and deck area is used very often. In terms of sealing wooden tables on both sides to protect against the weather, the choice is yours.
