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This is the least intimidating dining table in the catalog: a 2x4 box frame, four straight legs, and a top of fifteen 1x4 boards laid ACROSS the table with 1/2" gaps. The crosswise top is the design's quiet cleverness — short boards can't cup dramatically, the gaps drain rain instantly, and fifteen narrow boards read as intentional pattern rather than budget necessity.
Three construction notes carry the build. The frame gets squared by matching diagonals before the legs go on (everything after inherits this rectangle). The legs attach with MULTIPLE SCREWS DRIVEN AT AN ANGLE — the source calls this out because angled screws resist the racking pull that straight-in screws allow; it's poor-man's joinery and it works. And the top boards get laid against a CLAMPED STRAIGHTEDGE, which is the difference between fifteen boards with one crisp shared edge and fifteen individual decisions.
The last screw detail matters most: the two END top boards also screw horizontally into the ends of the frame — the source credits this with 'considerable strength,' and it's true; those two boards become the frame's end caps, boxing the whole top into the structure.
Cut the longest boards first (four 8-foot 2x4s cover the frame and legs with little slack). Sand generously, break every top edge — bare summer forearms live on this table — and finish with a penetrating exterior stain.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 2x4, 8 ftFrame and legs — cut the longest pieces from each board first. | 4 each |
| 1x4, 8 ftThe fifteen crosswise top boards. | 5 each |
| Exterior screws, 1-1/4" to 2", self-tapping, star driveTop boards. | 100 each |
| Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star driveFrame and legs. | 25 each |
| Penetrating exterior stain | 1 qt |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Frame long rails and center2x4 | 3 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 56 1/2" |
| Frame ends2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 28 3/4" |
| Legs2x4 | 4 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 29 1/4" |
| Top boards1x4Laid crosswise with 1/2" gaps. | 15 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 31 3/4" |
Buy 12 boards at 8 ft.
4 boards
8 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 →
Assemble the box — two long rails, two ends, the third long rail centered — with the 2-1/2" screws, two per joint. Then measure both diagonals and adjust until they match exactly. Fifteen top boards are about to reference this rectangle; give them a real one.
Flip the frame and attach the legs inside the corners. Drive several screws AT AN ANGLE through leg into frame from different directions — angled fasteners lock against racking in a way straight rows never do. This is the whole leg joint, so be generous.
Clamp a straight board along one side of the frame and lay the fifteen top boards against it with 1/2" gaps (a 1/2" scrap is the spacer). Screw down with the shorter screws, two per joint.
The two END boards get extra screws driven horizontally into the frame ends — that's the 'considerable strength' move; they cap the frame and tie the top into the structure. Sand hard, break the edges, stain, and start arguing about whose turn it is to grill.
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