Introduction: Recycled Outdoor Table

About: I am an industrial engineering student passionate about innovation, new technologies, and particularly environmental sustainability.

In this project i will show you how to make a really stable outdoor table made out of recycled woods, using only two easy tools that almost everybody have in their houses. This is a real DIY project that didn't require special knowledge and special skills, so everyone can try to replicate my idea.

I want to remember also that this project, as is my wont, was born on the desire to recycle materials and objects that otherwise would be discarded and, as far as possible, I used only recycled parts obtained from other things. So please before starting any project, arm yourself with plenty of patience and look in your basement if you can recycle something for your crazy ideas!

It all started with my girlfriend, who found some old wooden planks coming from a wellness center. What follows was the result...

Step 1: Tools You Will Need

Unlike many other projects in this case I managed to build this table getting good results using only few easy tools!

  • Hand saw

  • File for wood

  • Cordless screwdriver

  • Spirit level

  • Tape Measure

Step 2: Find the Materials...

As I sad in the previous introduction the main part of the woods was recycled. Off course in the following pages I will tell you how I made it but you can always change type and sizes of the wooden planks with which make up the table top.

  • 8 pcs 2.5 x 8 x 185 cm
  • 4 pcs 2.5 x 8 x 85 cm
  • 8 pcs 4 x 6 x 70 cm
  • 1 pcs 4 x 6 x 220 cm (from which you will get the smaller pieces)

Regarding the legs of the table I used two pieces of wood with a section of 4 x 6 cm. I recommend to use pieces of wood of this size or with a larger section in order to guarantee a certain strength of the table.

For what concern the assembly I've used Torx screw (4.5 cm, 5.0 cm, 7.0 cm) and some rapid wood glue.

Quick tip: from my little sweaty experience I can assure you that when using wood screws it is always better to use torx type screws to prevent the screw from getting screwed.

Step 3: Assemble the Table

I started assembleing the table using the 2.5 x 8 cm dimensional lumber. I left almost 2 cm between a wooden board and the other in order to make the structure much lighter. As seen in the picture, I glued four equidistant horizontal axes, then fixing them with wood screws.

In the first and in the last third I put first gluing it and then fixing it with screws two pieces of wood (4 x 6 cm) per side. These will be the anchor point for the table legs.

Step 4: Assemble the Table's Legs

The legs were also made using wood with a 6 x 4 cm section. First of all it is necessary to cut the various pieces and then assemble them.

To make the structure more resistant I cut reinforcements to about 45 degrees, which will give more stability to the table.

Always following the usual system, the various pieces are then glued together and fixed with screws as shown in the figure.

When we proceed to glue the real leg with the base that will rest on the floor, using the spirit level we should check that it is perpendicular to the ground. Do not worry if it will not be perfect, in the next phase we can adjust the angle by a few degrees.

Step 5: Finishing

Finally we proceed by fixing the legs at the table. At this stage it is important to ensure by the level that the table is well leveled.

If you intend to use this table outdoor and if it will be exposed to bad weather and sun, it is essential to protect the wood. To do this I used two water based products.

Initially I applied an abundant coat of transparent impregnating agent. After drying it for at least one day, I applied another layer of transparent varnish, which will form a layer that will protect the table.

Another important thing is to make sure that the wood of the legs do not come into direct contact with stagnant water in case of rain. So I applied four grommets purchased at the hardware store.

Step 6: The End

Soo, thats all folks! Thank you for reading, and if you found that this instructables were difficult to read, do not worry, I'm not an English speaker.

If you like it please leave an heart and share with others, if you do not please write me what was wrong with it in the comments. If you have questions, please post them in the comments. I will try to answer and update the instructions.