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This table is built to live outside, and two details matter more than the joinery: leave a 1/4" gap between tabletop boards (a carpenter's pencil laid on edge is a fast, repeatable spacer), and orient every board bark-side down. A flat-sawn board cups away from its bark side as it moves with humidity, so bark-down keeps the top shedding water instead of cupping into a bowl that holds it.
The X-base itself only has one real load path to worry about: the top screws where each X crosses take real leverage whenever the table gets dragged by an end, so a center stretcher between the two X's is what keeps the legs from splitting apart under that load. The source deliberately skips a diagonal cross-brace in favor of a plain 2x2 stretcher, on the reasoning that it's the simpler build for a first-timer — a valid trade worth keeping unless the table will see unusually rough handling.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 2x6, 12 ft | 3 each |
| Pine, 2x6, 8 ftX-leg pieces. | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x4, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x2, 8 ftCenter stretcher. | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 8 ft | 7 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Wood screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Wood screws, 2" | 1 box |
| Wood screws, 2-1/2" | 1 box |
| Exterior wood filler | 1 can |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 4 sheet |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tabletop boardsPine 2x6 | 7 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 72" |
| Side apronsPine | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 61 3/4" |
| Apron endsPineEnds cut at 45°, long point to long point measurement. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 33 3/4" |
| X-leg piecesPine 2x6Compound-angle both ends — measure and cut to fit your desired table height. | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 26" |
| Leg trim piecesPineFinish caps over the leg screw holes. | 8 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 6" |
| Center stretcherPine 2x2Measure and cut to fit between the two X's. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 36" |
Buy 13 boards at 8 ft.
9 boards
1 board
3 boards
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 →
Cut the two apron ends as shown, with 45° angles on the ends. You'll need two of these.
Mark the side aprons every 10" (this doesn't need to be exact) and use the marks as a guide to attach supports with 2" screws and glue. Screw the side aprons to the mitered apron ends from the previous step, checking for square as you go.
Fasten the tabletop boards to the frame with 2-1/2" screws and glue. Leave a 1/4" gap between boards (a flat carpenter's pencil works as a spacer) so water can drain, and orient bark-side down on every board to help the top shed water and resist cupping.
Cut the X-leg pieces with compound angles so each pair crosses evenly, and attach at the center with 2-1/2" self-tapping screws.
Attach the leg trim pieces to finish the legs, using 1-1/4" screws and glue, fastening from the insides to hide screw holes. Then fasten the legs to the side aprons with 2-1/2" screws, centering each leg on its apron.
Add a 2x2 stretcher from the center of one X to the center of the other, to keep the legs from spreading apart under load. Fasten with 2-1/2" screws, using a level to line up the second end once the first is fastened.
Sand every surface and finish with an exterior-rated product.
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