A Deck Table

[jteneyck]

I've been wanting to build a table for my deck ever since the deck was done two years ago.  I finally had time to do it. 



The design started from an Ipe' table I saw in FWW from several years ago.  In the end about the only things I kept from that design are the doubled, curved legs, and the outer rim of the top.  The FWW design had a wood slated top.  I got rid of that for the 3/4" thick glass top you see because I already had it and it's been sitting unused in my basement for at least 15 years.  Once I changed to the glass top I had to change how the top is connected to the legs.  I came up with the crossed half lap frame you see, which is bolted to the legs with cabinet bolts.    I also changed the design of the base to what you see based on feedback from Ken Vick.   The table is about 52" OD and 28.5" high.  



The top is made from twelve segments glued with splines at the junctions.  





The glass is supported only by the rabbet in the wood rim, so it appears to float above the frame underneath.  At 3/4" thick there's no danger of it breaking very easily.  If mass counts for anything the top is a winner, easily weighing well over 100 lbs.  It took two of us (Thanks very much, Metod.) to lug it up out of the basement.  Why I ever took it down there is a mystery.  At least this time I was smart enough to get help.  Or maybe just old enough that there was no way to do it alone.    



The table is made of KD Sapele (been using a lot of that lately). When I first thought of building the table I wanted to use Ipe', but as time passed I moved away from that because it's hard to get KD Ipe', it's hard to glue, and it's really expensive.  I can get KD Sapele locally for $5.50/BF in any thickness up to 8/4, and it readily glues with conventional glues.  I used T-88 Epoxy for all the glued joints of the table.  The finish is Penofin Hardwood Oil, the same product I used on my deck this year.  I plan to keep a cover on the table and hope it weathers well, but plan on cleaning and re-oiling it every year.  I put UHMW pads under the ends of the base to keep the table above the water. 

John

[Phil Thien]

Beautiful, what a wonderful design!

[Bill Holt]

That is beautiful!  Love the legs!  3/4" glass...Wow!  It really looks great on the deck.

[Steve N]

Beautiful, what a wonderful design!

Took the words right from my mouth. Well done John.

[Phil S.]

Beautiful table!  Probably not much chance it will blow off the deck with that slab of glass on top of it.  I have no familiarity with Sapele.  Does it work well as an outdoor wood?

Phil

[atgcpaul]

John, that looks great!

[The Tinman]

That is a great design, I think I'm going to have to borrow that if you don't mind.  I would make a slight modification to mine and make it long oval so that it would seat 6. How did you address the joint at the cross in the stretchers under the top. It looks like a saddle joint.
I just this spring built myself a deck out of 100% cypress and I will want to build a dining set, this could be just what I need. Here in Kansas being heavy enough to withstand being blown around by the wind is a big plus. Do you have any ideas for the chairs?

[Gary G™]

Beautiful! Great work.

[jteneyck]

Thanks everyone; much appreciated.  I really like the design of the table.  I stole the sweeping leg shape from the table I saw in that FWW article, but the way the top floats above the legs was my idea.  And even though I didn't really want to use the cabinet bolts to hold the cross members to the legs everyone seems to agree they add a nice touch.  

Phil, Sapele is similar to mahogany and often used for exterior doors, windows, and trim work.  Only time will tell how well it holds up.  I plan to keep a cover on the table when not using it and the that should help considerably reducing the effects of water and sun. 

Tinman, I can give you my SketchUp model of the table, if that would be helpful.  To answer your question, the glass sits in the rabbet in the wood ring.  The wood ring registers into shallow rabbets on ends of the cross members.  It's not attached to those cross members, it's just held by the rabbets and gravity.  As such, you can't pick up the whole table at once, but you probably wouldn't be able to anyway as it likely weighs close to 200 lbs.  To move the table I either have to slide it or get help to lift the top off, move the base, and then set the top back on.  

The top could be attached to the cross members either by screwing up through the cross members into the bottom of the wood ring, or by putting screws through the rabbet under the glass down into the cross members.  I'm sure there are other options, too.  If the top were made with 1/4" glass attaching the top to the base would make more sense.  In that case I would strongly consider modifying the cross members to provide at least center span support of the glass. 

I hope that helps.  Let me know if you'd like the SketchUp model.  If you don't use SketchUp I can provide you with one of more dimensioned views in Acrobat files. 

John

[jteneyck]

Oh, sorry, chairs.  I've just started to think about them.  As a first blush, something like this is sort of appealing:



Of course, I'd change it to use real joinery but I like the simple, clean lines, and that it's stackable (for easier Winter storage).  But I'm open to anything at this point so if anyone has a design they think would look good with the table please pass it along. 

John