DIY - Outdoor Coffee Table with Planter

This post is sponsored by The Home Depot

"All gave some... Some gave all. Remembering them this memorial day"

I'm joining forces once again with a group of blogger friends led by Katie from Addicted 2 DIY to bring you another DIY challenge, this time it's all about outdoor projects. At the end of this post, you can find the links to visit the 12 awesome outdoor projects my friends have created.

As for me, well, I partnered with my nephew Julian to bring you this awesome outdoor coffee table.
The design and plans are his, I just built it. The modern and asymmetrical design plus the planter are some of the features I like the most.

However, I have to warn you about
the fact that I mostly used pocket hole joinery for the table construction. As you all know, wood expands and contracts as its moisture content changes. Using pocket holes leaves the wood without the freedom to expand or shrink freely and that can cause the pocket holes to fail over time and/or the wood to split, crack or warp.

I decided to give it a try because I love the design and because pocket holes are way easier than creating mortises & tenons which would've been the way to go.  I'm gonna do a follow-up on how the table holds up over time.

CUTTING LIST: (Use pressure-treated material)

BASE:           4 - 2X3 @ 39 1/2"  *  4 - 2X3 @ 10 1/4"

TOP:              2 - 1X4 @ 41"  *  3 - 1X4 @ 33 3/4"  *   8 - 1x4 @ 15"  *  10 - 1X4 @ 15 1/4"

PLANTER:   10 - 1X2 @ 9 1/2"  *  10 1X2 @ 11"  *  4 - 2X2 @ 8 1/2"  *  4 - 1X2 @ 11" (long point - 45-degree angle)

SHELVES:    2 - 1X4 @ 14 3/4"  *  2 - 1X4 @ 11 1/2"  *  8 - 1X4 @ 7 3/4"  * 1 - 2X3 @ 7"  * 1 - 2X3 @ 4 1/4"

                

TOOLS & MATERIALS:  (Affiliate links for your convenience)

- DeWalt Atomic Drill & Impact Driver   -  Circular Saw  -  Brad Nailer  - Tape Measure  - Speed Square  -  Kreg Jig  -  Clamps  -  Safety Glasses  - Chisel -  Pocket Hole Screws  - Outdoor Paint  - Get the plans here.

       

DIRECTIONS:

1. CUT THE MATERIAL

Use a circular or miter saw to cut all the boards from the cutting list.

|  DeWalt Miter Saw  |

2. DRILL POCKET HOLES

Drill two pocket holes on both ends of all the tabletop boards (except the two longest boards) and shelves cross pieces.

3.  MAKE CROSS HALF-LAP JOINTS 

You need to make cross-lap joints to create a continuous line on the crossed pieces for the base.

• Measure and mark the cross laps - right on the top center, the 1-1/2" you need to remove from all boards. 
• Measure and mark on the side of the boards how deep the blade needs to go (Halfway through - 1-1/4")
• Adjust your circular saw's blade to cut up to that depth: 1-1/4"
• Use the speed square to help you keep a straight line while you use the circular saw to make a good amount of cuts through the material.
• With your hand, remove the fillets. - That's my favorite part. :) and use a chisel to smooth out the floor of the cut.
• Repeat these steps with the three remaining boards.

4. PAINT OR STAIN BOARDS AS DESIRED

I used Behr Outdoor paint - Graphic Charcoal to paint some of the tabletop boards, the base, and the planter. You can paint, stain or leave the wood as is.

5.  ASSEMBLE THE BASE

I used pocket hole joinery once again to put the base together. The holes were filled and painted to make them disappear.

6. ASSEMBLE THE TABLETOP

Start by assembling the outer frame. Then, install the long middle board followed by the two smaller middle boards.
Bring all the other pieces inside the frame and start drilling the 1-1/4" screws to attach them to the frame.

This part takes time, make sure to leave a 1/4" gap in between boards which is the little space the wood has to expand and contract.

For the most part of this entire project, the tools I kept on using, again and again, were my DeWalt Atomic Brushless Cordless Compact Drill / Impact combo kit. I loved working with these tools, their small size and the power they have made them the combo you want to have for your next DIY project.

DEWALT ATOMIC 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 

Compact Drill/Impact Combo Kit (2-Tool) 2 Batteries 1.3Ah and Charger

7.  ASSEMBLE THE PLANTER & SHELVES

I used 2" brad nails to put together the planter. Pocket holes were used for assembling the shelves.

8. ASSEMBLE THE ENTIRE TABLE

• Place the tabletop upside down on the floor or flat surface.
• Center the base on it.
• For attaching the base to the top, pre-drill holes for the screws using a 16/32 drill bit, one on each end piece.
• Drill one 3" wooden screw on each of the pre-drilled holes.
• Install one anti-skid pad on the end of each leg.

Anti-skid pads

Bring the table right side up. Hey, you can stop here, it's a beautiful table!

• I continued installing the planter right in the center of the table. Two-pocket holes/screws were more than enough to secure the planter to the tabletop.
• Then, using my Ryobi brad nailer and 2" nails, the planter top border was attached.

• Use the brad nailer to install the shelf supports. Make sure they are aligned with the base posts.
• Mount the shelves and attach them to the supports with brad nails.
• Use pocket hole 1 1/4" screws to attach the shelves to the planter
• Drill a couple of holes on the tabletop - inside the planter to serve as drainage. (not shown)

And well, they should look like this:

I'm using a plastic container inside the planter to hold the plants.

I'm loving it!!

Here are the other 12 outdoor projects my friends have created:

DIY - Pool Towel Rack  -  Addicted 2 DIY

DIY - Brass and Wood Outdoor Planters  -  Jaime Costiglio

DIY - Outdoor Chandelier  -  The Created Home

DIY - Outdoor Dining Table - Anika's DIY Life

DIY - Outdoor Window Shutters - The Inspired Workshop

DIY - Outdoor Cooler Deck Box - The Awesome Orange

DIY - Modern Planter with Hose Storage - DIY Huntress

DIY - Porch Planters - My Love 2 Create

DIY - Gas Meter Cover - My Repurposed Life

DIY - Outdoor Corner Table - Ugly Duckling House

DIY - Chippendale Planter - House Becoming Home

DIY - Cedar Window Boxes - Joyful Derivatives

I acknowledge that The Home Depot is partnering with me to participate in the promotional program described above (the “Program”). As a part of the Program, I am receiving compensation in the form of products and services, for the purpose of promoting The Home Depot. All expressed opinions and experiences are my own words. My post complies with the Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) Ethics Code and applicable Federal Trade Commission guidelines.

*This post contains affiliate links.

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