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This is the versatile piece in a modular outdoor set — build it once and it's an ottoman when you want to put your feet up and a side table when you set a tray on it. It matches the scale of a simple 2x4 sectional, so it reads as part of the set rather than an afterthought.
Construction is dead simple: a 2x4 seat frame, four short legs, and a slatted top, all fastened with exterior deck screws. The one technique worth knowing is toe-screwing the legs at a slight angle from inside the frame — a small angle on the screw pulls the leg tight and kills the wobble that straight-in screws leave.
Build it from cedar or another outdoor-appropriate species and use exterior screws throughout, since this lives outside. Space the top slats evenly with small gaps so rain drains and the top doesn't cup.
| Item |
|---|
| Qty |
|---|
| 2x2, 50"End trim. | 1 each |
| 2x4, 8 ftFrame, legs, and tabletop slats. Cedar or another outdoor-appropriate species. | 3 each |
| Exterior deck screws, 2-1/2"Self-tapping, exterior-rated. | 1 box |
Overall cost: $. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Seat frame long sides2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 22" |
| Seat frame ends2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 19" |
| Legs2x4 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 13 1/2" |
| Tabletop slats2x4 | 6 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 22" |
| End trim2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 25" |
Buy 4 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Attach the seat frame boards together with 2-1/2" exterior screws, two per joint, to form the rectangular frame. Keep it square.
Attach the legs from inside the seat frame into the back of each leg, two screws per joint. Drive the screws at a slight angle — that little angle pulls the joint tight and prevents wobble.
Lay out the six tabletop slats, spacing them evenly with small gaps for drainage, and screw them down. Mark the screw locations first for a neater finished look.
Attach the 2x2 trim to the ends of the tabletop slats and across the tops of the legs to tie the top together and finish the edges.
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