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Simple Outdoor Dining Table

A four-board-type outdoor dining table: 2x4 frame and legs, fifteen 1x4 top boards laid crosswise with drainage gaps — three steps, one afternoon.

Cut list

Part	Qty	T × W × L	Material	✓
Frame long rails and center	3	1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 56 1/2"	2x4	☐
Frame ends	2	1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 28 3/4"	2x4	☐
Legs	4	1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 29 1/4"	2x4	☐
Top boards Laid crosswise with 1/2" gaps.	15	3/4" × 3 1/2" × 31 3/4"	1x4	☐

Item	Qty	✓
2x4, 8 ft Frame and legs — cut the longest pieces from each board first.	4 each	☐
1x4, 8 ft The fifteen crosswise top boards.	5 each	☐
Exterior screws, 1-1/4" to 2", self-tapping, star drive Top boards.	100 each	☐
Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive Frame and legs.	25 each	☐
Penetrating exterior stain	1 qt	☐

Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.

1. Build and square the frame
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
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.
2. Legs, angled screws, upside down
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
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.
3. Top boards against a straightedge
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander, Tape Measure. Materials: 1x4, 8 ft, Exterior screws, 1-1/4" to 2", self-tapping, star drive, Penetrating exterior stain
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.