This post is sponsored by Kreg Tool.
As the warm summer days approach, there’s nothing quite like dining al fresco, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Gathering with family and friends to enjoy a meal outdoors is a beloved summer tradition for many.
From casual picnic lunches to impromptu family dinners under the setting sun, we do our best to be outdoors as much as we can from late spring to early fall. And while we spend a lot of time at our family cottage during the summer months, we wanted to ensure our backyard was designed to comfortably host our family and friends too.
A few years ago Nick built a beautiful outdoor sofa set, but we really missed the convenience of a dining table. With Ella’s birthday just around the corner, Nick decided to build an indoor/outdoor modern farmhouse dining table that would carry us through our summer entertaining for years to come.
Nick designed the dining table to combine the rustic charm of a traditional farmhouse table with contemporary design elements. He wanted to ensure it felt both timeless and modern.
The base of the table is built with braces and trestles to evoke a true farmhouse appeal, and a slatted top emphasizes its casual appearance.
Crafted from solid Western red cedar, this table will easily withstand the elements while maintaining its classic look. Nick chose Western red cedar as it is best for outdoor projects because it is rot and insect resistant. Currently, the table is natural and untreated, but we are contemplating matching it to our outdoor sofa set which is stained Penetrating Wood Oil in Chocolate by Behr. This wood oil will help ensure its longevity and resistance to moisture, UV rays and other environmental factors. We usually freshen up our outdoor furniture each year with a new coat of wood oil, this is a great way to keep outdoor furniture looking new while increasing its lifespan.
We paired the table with white benches we already owned and flanked both ends with white Windsor dining chairs. Eventually, we will replace the white benches with ones made from Western red oak and add two outdoor wicker chairs to the ends of the table. When it comes to outdoor dining tables I prefer benches for seating. Not only do they provide a clean, streamlined look that complements the casual feel of the farmhouse table, but they also can accommodate more people in a limited space, which is convenient when hosting large get-togethers. The addition of wicker chairs will also help add interest and texture to our outdoor dining space.
Like all of our building projects, this one was encouraged by the desire to create a quality piece of furniture while staying within our budget. Similar dining tables retail for $3000 to $4000, while Nick built this one for a total of $250.
This was a very simple build and only took Nick about two hours, but plan on a weekend if you aren’t as advanced. It required very few tools to complete with the only two critical ones being a miter saw and a Kreg XL pocket hole jig. This jig is specifically made to work with the 2-1/2″ and 4″ Kreg HD screws which work much better on 2×4 and 4×4 material. It creates a very strong joint and the screws are rated for outdoor use, which is perfect for this piece of outdoor furniture!
While we hadn’t officially planned for a new outdoor table, I am so happy Nick went ahead and built this beautiful indoor/outdoor farmhouse dining table. It’s both beautiful and practical and has created a whole new living space for our family to enjoy.
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