Plans

Free DIY furniture Plans to Build a $30 PotteryBarn Inspired Chesapeake Picnic Table

03.10.11 By //
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Can you imagine what might be coming next? Can ya, can ya? Mums the word, but I suppose it shouldn’t be too tough to figure out. Spring is in the air, and I just can’t wait to get outside and enjoy some of that sunshine, so I am all outdoor, all the time, at least in my mind! I have designed this plan to be constructed entirely of stud grade lumber so it should be really inexpensive to build with no problem finding the materials! Can I get a yahoo? Yahoo! How about a yahoo for a $470 savings? That’s right, this beauty can be built for around $30!

As with all of our plans, you are building at your own risk and you should have a firm understanding of building in general before you attempt many of our plans (some are easy as pie and perfect for beginners). With that, go forth, have fun, take lots of pictures and share them in a showcase on the site or on social media with the hashtag #builtTDCtuff and we will share our faves! Be sure to tag @thedesignconfidential on Instagram / FB and @thedesconf on Twitter / Pinterest. If you are a blogger and you post about your build, don’t forget to include a link to your post on your showcase here. Don’t forget… for all of our newer plans, clicking on the images will let them expand to enormous sizes with much greater clarity. The older plans may need updating so please let us know if you need one fixed!

$25-$50

Dimensions for This Project
  • 1 – 2×3 at 10’ or 2 – 2×3 at 6’
  • 1 – 2×6 at 6’
  • 2 – 2×4 at 6’
  • 4 – 2×4 at 8’
  • 2 – 2×4 at 10’
  • 4 – 2×3 at 27 1/2” Table Supports
  • 2 – 2×6 at 29 7/8” Table Top
  • 8 – 2×4 at 61” Table Top
  • 2 – 2×4 at 43” Legs
  • 4 – 2×4 at 21” Legs
  • 2 – 2×4 at 25” Truss Supports

Before beginning to build, always check in on my site to make sure you have the most up to date set of plans, I occasionally update and change the plans to make the building process easier or to allow for less expensive purchasing of materials! Read through the entire set of instructions and all comments before beginning this project. If you print out or save plans, be sure to check in on my site to be sure you have the most up to date set of plans, as I occasionally update things for ease of building or buying. If you are new to building, read through the GETTING STARTED section and other articles found under the BUILD tab in the menu on my site, it has valuable information about how to get started, tools and techniques. If you are unfamiliar with the finishing process, visit my Finishing school for some tips and tricks for painting like a pro and for special finishing practices. Use glue to secure your joints and Consider Painting or Staining individual sections prior to assembling. This makes the paint application virtually flawless. Coat with a spray on Poly or Wipe on Poly to protect your finish and your piece and it will last for ages. Adhere to all safety standards and guidelines, and be sure you follow safety protocol throughout your build. If you are unsure about whether you are building safely, run a quick online search for the tool or technique you are using, or contact me via email or post to the forum before you move ahead. My contact info can be found in the menu of my site.

Step 1
Step 1

Build your Table Top: I realize we typically do this last, but isn’t it exciting to do it first? Yay! Join the Boards to the Outer Bread Boards using your pocket hole system set for 1 1/2” stock and your 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and glue. Be sure to use glue that is applicable for outdoor projects. Space the Boards 1/4” apart.

Step 2
Step 2

Attach the Table Supports : Use your pocket hole system set for 1 1/2” stock and your 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and glue to attach the Supports or use 2 1/2” screws from the top of the table top and be sure to countersink. The Supports will sit back 1” fron the front/back edges and 1 1/2” from the side edges, and should be spaced as shown below.

Step 3
Step 3

Fasten the Legs in Place: You want the height of your X-Shape to be about 28 1/2” and the width of your X to be the width of your Table Supports from the previous step. You should measure and mark for your exact dimensions but you will likely be mitering the legs at about 51 Degrees give or take. 2 of your legs will be whole (green) and the other 2 will be halved (blue) and I chose to alternate which is which on either side. To fasten the legs together, use your pocket hole system set for 1 1/2” stock and your 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and glue. To fasten to the Table, use 2 1/2” screws and secure to the table supports on the outside, or use your pocket hole system set for 1 1/2” stock and your 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and glue to secure to the table top. or both…

Step 4
Step 4

Attach the Truss Supports: Miter for exact fit and angle with an approximate 45 Degree angle on the side that will fasten to the Legs, and a pointed arrow shape with approximate 2 1/2” sections as shown below mitered at 135 degrees (approximately). Fasten to the table top, the supports, and the legs using your pocket hole system set for 1 1/2” stock and your 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and glue.

Finishing Instructions

Fill any Screw, Nail or Pocket Holes, Sand and Finish as Desired. For Finishing Tips and Tricks visit my Finishing School

**Disclaimer: Some rights reserved. Private use only. Feel Free to link to any of my plans so long as you provide an adequate link back to the appropriate post! Plans from this page are not to be used for commercial purposes or republished without the express written consent of Rayan Turner, The Design Confidential I hope to provide accurate plans, however, I cannot guarantee each plan for accuracy. Not every plan that I post has been built and tested, so you are building at your own risk. It is recommended that you have a clear understanding of how the project works before beginning any project. Please contact me if you find an error or inaccuracy so that I might fix it.

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4 comments on “Free DIY furniture Plans to Build a $30 PotteryBarn Inspired Chesapeake Picnic Table”

  1. Looks like the images in this post aren’t available any more. I’d look to check this out when it’s updated. Thanks

  2. I’m really struggling with the angles in step 3. Any chance you have any more tips or info you can share on the angles?

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