How to Build a DIY Outdoor Coffee Table

Before you begin, make sure you have these tools and materials:

• 1 x 6 board
• 1 x 4 board
• 1 x 3 board
• 4 x 4 board
• Saw
• Drill/Driver
• Sander
• Pocket Hole Jig
• 1 1/4-inch Pocket Hole Screws
• 1 1/2-inch Pocket Hole Screws
• 3-inch Deck Screws
• Stain or paint
• 6 x 8 x 15-inch planter (or 2 if you want to switch between a drink cooler and a planter)

Cut your wood to the following dimensions:

• 1 x 6 board - (2) pieces at 25 inches long; (2) pieces at 26 inches long
• 1 x 4 board - (2) pieces at 15 inches long; (8) pieces at 5 1/8 inches long
• 1 x 3 board - (2) pieces at 16 incges long; (2) pieces at 26 inches long; (1) piece at 10 inches long; (2) pieces at 6 inches long
• 4 x 4 board - (4) pieces at 18 inches long

Give everything a good sanding with an orbit sander.

Drill two pocket holes at each end of your 25-inch long 1 x 6 boards, 15-inch long 1 x 4 boards, and 5 1/8-inch long 1 x 4 boards.

• Working with the tabletop upside down (you will flip it later), position your pieces so that your 1 x 6 pieces frame the perimeter of the tabletop.
• Center your planter upside down in the center, and place your 15-inch long 1 x 4 pieces on each side of the planter.
• Position your shorter 5 1/8-inch long 1 x 4 pieces horizontally between the longer 1 x 4 pieces and the 1 x 6 edge pieces, spacing them evenly and leaving a little bit of space for drainage in between.
• Attach everything using 1 1/4-inch pocket hole screws.

• Drill 2 pocket holes at each end of your 16-inch long and 26-inch long 1 x 3 boards. These pieces will form the table apron.
• Attach them to your 4 x 4 legs using 1 1/2-inch pocket hole screws.

• Position your base in the center of your upside down tabletop, leaving 1 1/2-inch around the perimeter.
• Pre-drill holes into your table apron using a countersinking drill bit (three to four on each side), and then attach using 3-inch deck screws.

• Using pocket hole screws, attach a 6-inch long 1 x 3 piece to each end of a 10-inch long 1 x 3 piece, creating a “C” shaped brace.
• Attach this to the center of your planter opening using pocket hole screws.

Flip your table right side up (you can give it another sanding if you want to), and add stain or paint of your choice. This table is stained with Varathane in the shade Early American. It is sealed with Varathane Spar Urethane in a satin finish. (Be sure to seal your table with an appropriate exterior sealer.)

If you are using this table as a planter, we recommend drilling some holes for drainage. Plastic planters are inexpensive, so get two separate ones to swap out if you want the table to double as a drink cooler and planter.