DIY dining or patio set

With all the required PAR pine to be found at your local Builders Warehouse, you can build this dining room set or patio set with a few basic tools. We used a pockethole jig for invisible joins and easy assembly.

 

Perfect for indoor dining or for entertaining on the patio or in the garden, this dining set requires only basic DIY skills and can be assembled in a day. Allowing for finishing, your new dining set can be tackled as a weekend project and will cost around R600.

GOOD TO KNOW
Carefully select the timber that you need for this project. Piece should be straight and have little or no knots.

YOU WILL NEED:

TABLE - PAR PINE cut to the following sizes:

	A	4	76	76	724	legs
	B	2	38	76	1730	long aprons
	C	2	38	76	660	short aprons
	D	4	38	76	170	corner braces
	E	2	38	76	724	stretchers
	F	4	38	230	1980	top slats

BENCH - PAR PINE cut to the following sizes:

	A	8	38	184	420	legs
	B	4	38	230	420	leg braces
	C	4	38	140	1520	stretchers
	D	4	38	230	1680	seats

50mm long pockethole or wood screws
6mm lag screw
Wood glue
Mineral turpentine
Clean, lint-free cloth
Woodoc interior or exterior sealer
Woodoc steelwool
Varnish brush

TOOLS

Drill/Driver and assorted bits
Pockethole jig
Mitre saw or jigsaw
Orbital sander with 120- and 240-grit sanding pads

HERE'S HOW:

Make a table base

1. Cut a 45° mitre on both ends of the corner braces and drill a 6mm hole centred on the face of each brace.

2. Drill holes for the pocket-hole screws in the long and short aprons and the stretchers Sand all parts to 220 grit.

3. Begin building the base assembly by attaching the long and short aprons to the legs using glue and 50mm long pocket-hole screws .

Note: Inset the aprons 6mm from the outside face of the legs.

4. Glue the corner braces into each corner of the table; reinforce by driving 50mm long pocket-hole screws through the blocks into the aprons as shown -- no pocket holes are required.

5. Using a 3mm bit, drill a pilot hole into the corner of the leg, centring the bit in the 6mm hole you drilled in the corner block. Reinforce the corner joint by driving a 6mm lag screw through the brace into the leg.

6. Complete the table base assembly by adding the stretchers between the long aprons using glue and pocket-hole screws.

Mounting the top

7. Before mounting the top slats, sand the table base and top slats with 240-grit sandpaper for a smooth feel. Then wipe down the wood with a cloth lightly dampened with mineral turpentine.

8. Apply clear or tinted Woodoc interior or exterior sealer, depending on where the dining set will be placed. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper application.

Assemble

9. Place a couple of sanded scrap pine on the floor , and lay your slats on them with the best face down. This will protect the finished parts from being scratched by the floor. Align the ends of the slats and butt them against one another.

10. Centre the table assembly on the slats and secure the table base to the slats with pocket-hole screws through the aprons and stretchers.

Make the bench

1. Cut a 6° angle on the tops of the legs using a jigsaw or mitre saw

2. Position two legs on your workbench with the bottoms flush. Cut a 6mm thick spacer to place between the legs. Centre the brace on top of the legs with the bottoms flush, and use the angles cut at the top of the legs to mark the angle at the top of the brace.

3. Cut the angle on the brace using a jigsaw. Drill two pocket-holes for securing the seats along the top edge of the braces; sand the legs and braces.

4. Assemble the legs and braces using glue and screws. Position the parts with the bottoms flush, separating the legs with the 6mm spacer. We drilled 3mm countersunk pilot holes so the screws would drive easily and not strip.

 

5. For the stretchers, drill 4 pocket holes equally spaced along the length. Sand the parts.

6. To attach the stretchers to the end assemblies, cut a scrap to 300mm long, turn the end on its side, and place the stretcher in position, supporting the opposite end with the scrap. Predrill the hole and secure the stretcher to the leg brace with glue and screws. Add a second end assembly, flip the bench over, and add the second stretcher.

7. Apply a finish using the same process you used for the table.

8. Place one of the seat slats on the bench so the edge of the slat is aligned with the 6mm gap between the legs and centred end to end on the bench. Secure the slat to the bench by driving pocket-hole screws from the underside. Place the remaining slat in position and secure. We recommend using Woodoc 5 or 10 interior sealer if you plan to use this dining set indoors, and Woodoc 30 exterior sealer, or Woodoc 50 exterior sealer for coastal areas where the dining set will be outdoors.

This project was finished with Woodoc 10 with imbuia stain concentrate.