Patio Table Plan

You can design and build a simple patio table from any type of wood that's been treated for outdoor use, like treated lumber, redwood or teak. Plan your table design before you buy the lumber, and you will save time by having the boards and plywood cut to size for you at the time of purchase. Does this Spark an idea?

Materials

To make a rectangular patio table measuring 4 feet wide and 6 feet long with a tiled top, you'll need four 4-inch-by-4-inch treated wood posts for the legs and four treated wood planks for the side frames that are at least 2 inches thick and 6 inches wide. Two of the planks for the frame should be 6 feet long and two planks should be 4 feet long. If you'd like a different size patio table, adjust the dimensions accordingly. A 2-inch thick sheet of plywood cut to fit the dimensions of your table frame will work for the table top. You'll also need three support braces to span the width of your table, decking screws, a screw driver, a drill and a drill bit so you can make pilot holes before you insert the screws. You can use L brackets to attach the side planks together and the table legs to the table top, for a total of eight L brackets to make your patio table. You can tile your patio table with 2-inch square tiles to match your patio decor and thinset mortar. Select a grout color to complement the tile.

Assembly

Make your patio table by joining the four sides of the frame as if you were making a rectangular box. Attach the L brackets to join the corners together, held in place with decking screws. The face of each 6-inch wide board is facing out to become the sides of your patio tabletop frame. Add your support boards every 16 inches across the width of the table frame. You can attach one table leg to each corner of your top frame. Attach the plywood top to the frame with decking screws placed every 3 inches around the perimeter of the table.

Finishing

Finish your patio table with stain or paint before you begin tiling the top. If you prefer to leave the wood natural, you must apply a coat of wood sealer to protect against moisture; remember to finish the underside of the table top as well. To stain or paint your patio table, first sand the wood with medium grade sandpaper followed by light grade paper before applying the finish.

To tile the table top, apply a thin layer of mortar and then press the tile into place. You can use tile spacers to ensure a uniform grout line. Wait until the thinset mortar is dry before you grout the patio tabletop and make sure that you clean the grout residue from the tiles before it dries.