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This table proves how far a bundle of Douglas fir furring strips will go. Furring is the cheapest softwood in the store — rough, sometimes damp, occasionally warped — so buy extra, sort for the straight ones, and let them acclimate a few days before you cut. Sand them smooth; furring comes fuzzy.
The top is spaced slats with breadboard ends, so water runs straight through instead of pooling — the right call for anything living outside. Note the deliberate detail in Step 1: the outer top supports use a different gap than the middle ones, and there's a 1-1/4" inset at the ends. Follow the given numbers rather than eyeballing even spacing, or the breadboard ends won't land where they should.
The bottom shelf is technically optional, but it roughly triples the table's rigidity by tying the four legs together low down. Build it. Finish everything with an exterior stain or paint plus a topcoat, and use exterior screws throughout — this table lives in the weather.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x4 board, 4 ftBreadboard ends. | 1 each |
| 1x2 furring strip, 8 ftBuy a couple extra and sort for straight ones. | 9 each |
| 1x3 furring strip, 8 ft | 10 each |
| Exterior wood screws, 1-1/4" and 2"Coated deck screws — plain steel rusts and streaks outdoors. | 120 each |
| Waterproof wood glue | 6 oz |
| Wood filler, exterior | 4 oz |
| Exterior paint or stain and topcoat | 24 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Breadboard ends1x4 | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 23 1/2" |
| Top supports1x2 | 8 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 45 1/2" |
| Front and back legs1x3 | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 17 1/4" |
| Leg sides1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 17 1/4" |
| Top side aprons1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Top front and back aprons1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 42" |
| Tabletop boards1x3Spaced 1/2" apart so rain drains through. | 8 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 41" |
| Bottom shelf supports1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 21 1/2" |
| Bottom shelf top pieces (1x2)1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 45 1/2" |
| Bottom shelf top pieces (1x3)1x3 | 6 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 45 1/2" |
| Bottom shelf side aprons1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 18 1/2" |
| Bottom shelf front and back aprons1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 42" |
Buy 19 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
10 boards
On the bottom face of each breadboard end, mark where the eight top supports land. The outer supports use a different gap than the middle ones and there's a 1-1/4" inset at each end — follow the plan's numbers, don't space them evenly by eye. Fasten with 1-1/4" screws and waterproof glue; screws are the right call here for strength.
Each leg is a 1x3 face with a 1x2 wrapping one edge, making an L that looks like solid stock from both show faces. Glue and screw them up, keeping the ends flush.
Fasten the legs to the top support assembly with 2" screws and glue. You don't need to drive through the top. If you want to beef the table up later, you can add screws down through the breadboard ends into the leg tops.
Fasten the side aprons, then the front and back aprons, around the perimeter to frame the top and stiffen the leg assembly. Keep the frame square as you go.
Space the eight top boards 1/2" apart. Flip the table and fasten up through the supports into the underside of each board so no screw holes show on top. Use glue and 1-1/4" screws. If you're skipping the bottom shelf, you're done — but the shelf adds real rigidity, so read on.
Fasten the shelf supports to the legs, then lay the alternating 1x2/1x3 shelf boards across them, fastening from underneath with 1-1/4" screws and glue. Wrap the shelf aprons around with 2" screws. This ties all four legs together low and stops the table racking.
Fill screw holes and gaps with exterior filler, then sand the whole table smooth — furring is rough, so budget time. Prime and paint, or stain and topcoat, with an exterior-rated product. This table lives outdoors; the finish is what buys it years.
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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 →