Outdoor Table (Part 2)

As I mentioned in the first part of building this outdoor table, I began with the design and selected the wood. Once that was done, I started milling the pieces for the legs. Now, in this second installment, I’ll continue by milling the remaining boards needed for the project—this includes the tabletop, aprons, and completing the leg work. After that, it’s time to shape the legs and tackle the joinery before moving onto the finishing touches.

The Top – Planning the Layout

This is my inaugural experience working with white oak, and so far, I’m quite fond of it. While I generally don’t have much enthusiasm for oak overall, I much prefer woods like walnut, cherry, and mahogany. However, when dealing with these rough-sawn pieces destined for the tabletop, it’s challenging to visualize how they’ll turn out once milled. Here’s a glimpse at the pieces before they went through the milling process:

To be honest, it’s hard to tell exactly what lies beneath all that rough exterior, but we’ll soon find out. After milling, I’ll experiment with different layouts to determine the most visually appealing arrangement for the tabletop. Here’s what the pieces looked like after their initial milling:

I believe I achieved a decent grain match while pairing the pieces based on their width. Below is the final layout I settled on for the tabletop, followed by clamping everything together. After letting the glue set overnight, I ran the pieces over the jointer and planer to achieve their final thickness. Then came the glue-up, and while that dried, I continued milling the rest of the components. Here’s the full stack of pieces required for the table, including those massive laminated legs:

I must say, I’m really pleased with how this turned out. A few of the pieces had some gnarly edges, making milling a bit tricky. My goal was to minimize the amount of sapwood (the lighter parts) and emphasize the grain. After letting the pieces rest overnight, I ran them over the jointer and planer to ensure they were uniformly thick. Then it was time to clamp them together for the glue-up. While the glue dried, I finished milling all the remaining components. Here’s the complete stack of materials needed for the table, including those impressive laminated legs.

In the upcoming post, I’ll delve into the joinery techniques used for the legs and aprons—spoiler alert, you can find more details here. I’ll also do a dry fit to prepare everything for final sanding and finishing. So, stay tuned for part three, where we’ll bring this project to completion!

Before wrapping up, I wanted to share a few thoughts about the process so far. Working with white oak has been an interesting journey, and I’ve learned a lot about its unique characteristics. Despite my initial reservations, I’ve come to appreciate its strength and beauty. The milling process itself was both rewarding and challenging, requiring patience and precision. As I move forward, I’m excited to see how these efforts culminate in a finished piece that combines craftsmanship with functionality.

Finally, I hope this series has provided some insight into the steps involved in creating a custom outdoor table. Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker or just starting out, I encourage you to take your time, embrace the learning curve, and enjoy the process. There’s something incredibly satisfying about building something from scratch that will last for years to come.