Planting Table
Project by Vickie Morrow
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Planting Table

Garden Rooms can be a little piece of your paradise. 

One piece of outdoor furniture placed in just the right spot can turn a mundane storage area into a fun outdoor room. Hang your tools on an interesting rack or in an attractive arrangement. 

Photo of Planting Table digital 099

Add a planting or garden table, store your potting soil in a galvanized trash can with a lid and stand your wheel barrow near by to complete the room.

A garden table like this can one is all you need to pot your plants and store your tools and unused pots. Make it another piece of yard art by using some great aged wood or painting it in bright colors.

This one is easy to build. The only tools you need is an electric drill/screwdriver. If you use new wood, the lumberyard will make your cuts. If you have old wood, you'll have to make the cuts yourself. Even a jigsaw will work. (See bottom of page for online resource). 

Does it have to go in the garden? Shorten the legs for a coffee table or to put behind the sofa... It may be just right to use as a casual buffet table. 

Supplies you need:

You can use any wood you like. This garden table is pine.

· 4 pieces of 1 x 6's cut 60" long (3 for the top, 1 for the lower shelf)
· 2 pieces of 1 x 3 1/2 's cut 48" long (front and back stretchers)
· 2 pieces of 1 x 3 1/2's cut 16 1/2 " long (side top stretchers)
· 2 pieces of 1 x 3 1/2's cut 15" long (side bottom stretchers)
· 4 pieces of 2 x 4's cut 33" long (legs)
· 2 pieces of 1 x 2's cut 13" long (to attach top)
· Ruler and pencil
· Ice Pick 
· Electric drill/screwdriver
· 8 each 2" drywall or wood screws
· 16 each 1 ½" drywall or wood screws
· 8 each 1 ¼" drywall or wood screws 
· wood glue
· sand paper, palm sander if available
· acrylic paint of your choice and brushes or clear non yellowing latex lacquer 

Steps:

1. Cut your pieces of wood into the lengths you need or have them cut at your home center when you purchase the wood.

2. Sand the raw cut ends and any rough places on your wood. 

3. If you are going to paint your table or finish the top paint all the wood on all sides first. You can add your decorative designs after you have assembled the table.

4. Prepare your front leg stretchers. Take the two 48" pieces of 1 x 3 ½ 's lay the wood down with the 3 ½" side up. Measure and mark on the 3 ½" side. Measure in from each end marking 6 3/4" on the top and 6" from the bottom. Connect the two marks making an angle from top to bottom toward the outside.

5. For the table legs, take your 33" long 2 x 4's. Work with one leg at a time.

6. Lay the 2" side of your two by four leg along the line you just marked. Your leg should be toward the center of the line on the stretcher. It should be at an angle. Draw a new line on the inside of the leg. 

7. Do this on both stretchers for all four legs. Each stretcher should have two markings on each end showing where the leg goes angled to the outside.

8. Mark and drill the screw holes. Take each of your stretchers and mark for drill holes. Starting at the top of the angled markings measure 1" down and mark, then measure two inches below the first mark and mark again.

9. Drill a hole at each mark with a 3/32 bit.

10. Mark the drill holes on each leg. Take each leg one at a time lining it up on the marked side. Hold the leg in place on the stretcher. Take an ice pick and stick it through the holes on the stretcher sticking into the leg to mark.

11. After you have stuck each leg you may want to mark with a pencil in case you can't distinguish the prick when you get ready to drill.

12. Now drill each leg in the 2 marked spots with the 3/32" bit two inches deep. 

13. Attach the legs to the stretchers. One leg at a time, using the 2" screws, screw the leg to the front stretchers by lining the drilled holes on the stretcher to the holes in the leg. Repeat for the back legs and stretcher.

14. Attach the front legs to the back legs. Take one of your two 16 ½" long side top stretchers. Line it up below the front stretcher on one leg and below the back stretcher on the back leg. The stretcher will not be flush with the sides of the legs. The stretcher overhang the legs the width of the front and back stretchers. Be sure your legs are on the inside of the stretchers. Mark each of the legs on your side stretcher.

15. Mark in the center of each area marked where the legs will go. Drill a 3/32" hole all the way through. Mark the leg with an ice pick as you did on the front and back stretchers.

16. Now screw the top side stretchers to the front and back legs using 1 ½" screws. You may want to put a dab of wood glue in the hole before you put in the screw.

17. Attach the bottom stretchers to the front and back legs. Measure down 15 ½" from the bottom of the top stretcher on each leg and mark. 

18. Take your 15" long bottom stretchers lining them up on the legs on the markings you just made. These will align flush to the sides of the legs.

19. Mark in the center of each area marked where the legs will go. Drill a 3/32" hole all the way through. Mark the leg with an ice pick as you did on the front and back stretchers.

20. Now screw the bottom side stretchers to the front and back legs using 1 ½" screws. You may want to put a dab of wood glue in the hole before you put in the screw.

21. Attach the bottom shelf. Take one of the 60" long boards center it over the two bottom stretchers. Mark the center of the board over each stretcher and the top of the center of each stretcher. Drill your holes and screw the shelf in place.

22. Make the top. Lay the three 60" long boards flat side by side as close as you can get them. Measure 16" from each end and mark a line across all three boards.





23. Connect the three pieces together. Take the two 13" long pieces and lay along the marked line. Attach to the boards putting one screw through the connecting board into each of the three boards. Use the 1 1/4 " screws making sure you do not screw through the top boards!


24. Now center the top on the table base. You can secure to the top using right angle brackets on the top and front and back stretchers. This table top is not attatched.

Voila! You have a great table! Enjoy!


Find supplies online:

You can purchase your power drill/screw driver, jigsaw and palm sander, screws…. from the corner hardware store Power Tools Department.

You can find your paint at joann.com. At both sites the search box is the fastest way to shop if you know what you are looking for. Have fun!
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Let me know how your table project works out. Send me a photo!

Until next time!

Bye for now,

Vickie
Art Objects For The Home 
www.inoutdecor.com
mailto:vickie@inoutdecor.com


The Mosaic Plant Pots or the Wood and Dowel Bench might be projects to compliment this one. Check them out here!

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