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A 4x4-legged outdoor dining table and two matching benches, topped in sanded cedar pickets — with beveled corner blocking that quietly doubles every leg's screw count.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Table legs | 4 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 29 1/4" | 4x4 | ☐ |
| Table end aprons 1-1/2" pocket holes each end. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 28" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Table side aprons | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 73 1/4" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Table center support | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 77 1/4" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Corner blocking One end 45° bevel, long point; pocket holes on the straight end. These double each leg's screw count. | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 5" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Table corner braces 45° bevels both ends, long point to long point. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 12 7/8" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Table top pickets | 14 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 35" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Bench legs For two benches. | 8 | 3 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 17 1/4" | 4x4 | ☐ |
| Bench end aprons Optionally doubled with an inside second apron — recommended; benches get stood on. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 10" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Bench seat supports | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 14" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Bench side aprons | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 61 3/4" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Bench corner blocking | 8 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 5" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Bench top pickets Twelve per bench. | 24 | 5/8" × 5 1/2" × 17" | Cedar fence picket | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 4x4, 10 ft, red-toned or treated Table legs. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 4x4, 12 ft, red-toned or treated All eight bench legs. | 1 each | ☐ |
| 2x4, 8 ft, red-toned or treated Table and bench aprons, supports, and blocking. | 8 each | ☐ |
| Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, fine finished Table top (7) and two bench tops (6). Sand with medium grit before assembly. | 13 each | ☐ |
| Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2", exterior blue-coat | 85 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping Blocking to aprons. | 56 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, 1-1/4" Picket tops. Galvanized nails were being tested by the source — screws are the proven method. | 135 each | ☐ |
| Penetrating exterior stain, solid or semi-transparent Fence-rated. One gallon covers the set. | 1 gal | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, fine finished
Before anything is a table, sand every picket with medium grit on both faces and all edges. Flat pickets on sawhorses sand in minutes; installed tabletop boards sand in regret. This is the step that turns fence material into furniture material.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Miter Saw, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 4x4, 10 ft, red-toned or treated, 4x4, 12 ft, red-toned or treated, 2x4, 8 ft, red-toned or treated, Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2", exterior blue-coat
Pocket-hole the end aprons (two holes per end) and attach to the 4x4 legs, back edges flush — two table leg pairs, four bench leg pairs.
On the benches, consider the source's reinforcement: a second apron doubled inside the first, pocket-screwed AND self-tapped, putting extra screws into each leg. Benches carry standing humans; the upgrade is one offcut per corner.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, red-toned or treated, Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2", exterior blue-coat
Join each piece's leg pairs with its side aprons — 2-1/2" pocket screws — and add the table's center support down the middle. Square everything by diagonals now; the blocking is about to lock in whatever shape exists.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Miter Saw, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, red-toned or treated, Pocket hole screws, 2-1/2", exterior blue-coat, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping
Cut the corner blocking (45° bevel on the table's, square on the benches') with pocket holes on the straight ends. Screw each block to the APRONS with 2-1/2" self-tapping screws, then drive its pocket screws into the LEG.
Count what just happened: each leg now holds four pocket screws plus the block's fasteners. That redundancy is why this set survives being dragged across a patio by one end for the next decade.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, red-toned or treated, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping
Add the four 45° corner braces across the table's blocking, attaching to blocking and aprons. The source recommends them 'to keep the table square and added longevity' — triangles again, doing what triangles do. Re-check square before moving on.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander, Tape Measure. Materials: Cedar fence picket, 5-1/2" x 72", not dog-eared, fine finished, Exterior screws, 1-1/4", Penetrating exterior stain, solid or semi-transparent
With each frame squared and sitting on level ground, lay out the pickets — ends flush, gaps even — and screw down with the 1-1/4" exterior screws. (The source was mid-experiment on galvanized nails instead; until that verdict lands, screws are the proven answer.)
Stain everything with the penetrating fence stain, all faces. Then seat eight, feed them outdoors, and mention casually that the whole set is fence pickets. Watch nobody believe you.