Octagon Outdoor Bistro Table Top
Step-by-step guide made from Clever Woodworks's YouTube video.
Replace a worn-out bistro table top with a custom, durable octagonal top. This project involves cutting and assembling a wooden frame and slats, using pocket holes and rabbet joints for a sturdy and attractive outdoor table.
- Difficulty: intermediate
- Finished size: Approximately 2 ft diameter
Safety
- When making angled cuts on a table saw, use a sacrificial piece of wood against the fence to reduce the risk of kickback.
Must know before you build
- Digital level box is critical for precise 22.5-degree table saw cuts for octagon frame.
- Supplement outdoor frame glue with 1 1/2 inch coarse Kreg pocket screws for lasting durability.
- Accurate router table setup for rabbet and half-lap joints ensures proper slat fit.
- Calculate slat lengths based on frame edge size; 10-inch edges yield a 2-foot diameter.
- Apply wood preserver before exterior paint for maximum weather resistance and longevity.
- Use a sacrificial fence on the table saw for angled cuts to prevent dangerous kickback.
Tools
- Table Saw (DeWalt)
- Digital Level Box (Angle finder, Trend)
- Clamps
- Pocket Hole Jig (Kreg)
- Drill/Driver (Cordless, DeWalt)
- Router Table
- Random Orbital Sander (DeWalt)
- Paint Brush
- Tape Measure
Materials
- Rough Sawn Timber (1x3)
- Wood Glue
- Pocket Hole Screws (Coarse thread, Kreg, 1 1/2 inch)
- Wood Preserver
- Paint (Exterior paint)
Step by step
Step 1: Cut the Octagon Frame Pieces
Use a table saw set to a 22.5-degree angle to cut eight identical trapezoidal pieces that will form the octagonal frame.
- Set Up the Table Saw. Set your table saw blade to the correct angle. For an octagon, this will be 22.5 degrees. Use a digital level box for accuracy, setting it to 67.5 degrees (90 - 22.5). Place a sacrificial piece of scrap wood against the fence to prevent kickback.
- Tip: Use a digital level box on the saw blade to get a precise 67.5-degree angle, which results in the required 22.5-degree cut for the octagon pieces.
- Watch out: Use a piece of scrap board against the fence when making these angled cuts to reduce the opportunity for kickback.
- Cut the Eight Frame Pieces. Cut the eight identical pieces for the frame. To ensure uniformity, cut four pieces, then flip the miter gauge or fence setup to cut the other four, ensuring mirrored angles if your setup is not perfectly symmetrical.
Step 2: Dry Fit and Mark Frame
Perform a dry fit of the frame pieces to check the joints and mark the locations for drilling pocket holes.
- Assemble and Mark for Pocket Holes. Lay out the eight cut pieces to form the octagon. Check that all the joints fit together tightly. With the pieces assembled, use a pencil to mark the inside faces of the joints where you will drill pocket holes.
Step 3: Route Joinery for Frame
Use a router table to cut half-lap joints for the frame corners and a rabbet along the inside edge for the slats.
- Test Cut Half-Lap Joints. Before routing your actual frame pieces, use scrap wood to test your router table setup and create perfect half-lap joints. This ensures a tight fit for the frame assembly.
- Route Rabbets on Inside Edges. Using the router table, cut a rabbet along the inside edge of all eight frame pieces. This groove will hold the tabletop slats.
Step 4: Drill Pocket Holes
Use a pocket hole jig to drill holes at the marked locations on the frame pieces for assembly.
- Drill Holes with Pocket Hole Jig. Set up your pocket hole jig for the thickness of your material. Drill two pocket holes on one end of each of the eight frame pieces, following the marks you made during the dry fit.
- Watch out: Ensure you drill the pocket holes on the opposite side of the rabbet so they will be hidden on the bottom of the tabletop.
Step 5: Assemble the Octagon Frame
Apply wood glue to the joints and use pocket hole screws to assemble the eight frame pieces into a rigid octagon.
- Glue, Clamp, and Screw Joints. Working one joint at a time, apply a thin layer of wood glue. Clamp the two pieces together, ensuring the faces are flush, and then drive in the pocket hole screws. Repeat for all eight joints to complete the frame.
Step 6: Measure and Cut Slats
Measure the frame to determine the required lengths for the slats and cut them to size, including 45-degree angles on the corner pieces.
- Measure for Slat Lengths. Measure the inside dimensions of your assembled frame to determine the lengths needed for the slats. Mark a centerline on the frame to help position the central slat.
- Cut Slats and Dry Fit. Cut the slats to the measured lengths. The slats that meet the angled corners of the frame will need 45-degree cuts on their ends. Perform a quick dry fit to ensure everything lines up correctly.
Step 7: Route Rabbets on Slats
Use a router table to cut rabbets on the ends of each slat so they fit securely into the frame.
- Route Rabbets on Straight Slats. Using a router table with a straight bit, cut a rabbet on both ends of the rectangular slats. The depth should match the rabbet you cut in the frame.
- Route Rabbets on Angled Slats. For the slats with 45-degree ends, carefully route rabbets along all the edges that will sit inside the frame. This includes the straight edge and the two angled edges.
Step 8: Install Slats into Frame
Apply wood glue and install the slats into the frame, using clamps and mechanical fasteners to hold them in place while the glue sets.
- Install Center Slats. Start by installing the center slat. Apply wood glue to the rabbets on the slat and in the frame. Fit the slat into place and use clamps to hold it securely. Continue installing the adjacent slats, working out from the center.
- Install Angled Corner Slats. Install the final angled slats at each corner. Apply glue to all mating surfaces and fit the pieces into the frame. Use clamps as needed to ensure a tight fit while the glue dries.
Step 9: Sand, Preserve, and Paint
Sand the entire tabletop smooth, apply a coat of wood preserver, and then paint the tabletop your desired color.
- Sand the Tabletop. Using a random orbital sander, sand the entire tabletop smooth. Start with a lower grit sandpaper (e.g., 40 or 60) and progress to a finer grit (e.g., 120) for a smooth finish.
- Apply Wood Preserver. Before painting, apply a generous coat of wood preserver to all surfaces of the tabletop. This will help protect the wood from moisture and extend its life outdoors.
- Paint the Tabletop. Once the preserver has dried, paint the tabletop. To make painting easier, you can elevate the piece on small blocks of wood with screws driven through them.
Step 10: Attach Table Legs
Secure the original bistro table leg assembly to the underside of the new tabletop using screws.
- Position and Secure Leg Assembly. Place the original leg assembly onto the underside of the new tabletop. Center it carefully, then clamp it in place. Secure the legs to the top by driving screws through the mounting brackets into the tabletop slats and frame.