Grill Table

[greenacres2]

LOML picked up a few project books over the winter, and as i browsed through a folding grill table caught my eye. Last week she asked if i could build a table that was a better height than the one on the deck and since i had some cedar on hand that i was going to make some window boxes out of...i set to it.

Plans were for 42 x 19 top with 28" legs, but that would have left it the same height as what she had. I redrew with a 48 x 24 top so the legs coud be longer and finished about 1" lower than our kitchen counter top.

Instead of screwing down through the cedar to attach the top, i added cleats to the inside of the top skirt (right term?? Wrong term??) so i could put the screws in from the underside. Three coats os teak oil on it and i'll follow with a hand rub and maybe a coat of wax.

Was the first time i radiused for folding legs (Pillsbury frosting container is 3 1/2" diameter--perfect!! Progresso soup was only 3 1/8". Someday i'll buy a compass...) Worst thing of the project is that the deck is 15+ years old--the table needs to weather quickly or she'll put a new deck on the list!!!

earl

[LCHIEN]

Looks nice!

[John Hunter]

Very nice!

[cabinetman]

The table came out great. Cedar was a good choice. If you used that Watco on it, that's an oil/varnish mix, and if you can keep the table covered the finish will last a lot longer. It's not just a true oil. I wouldn't use any wax of any kind.

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[greenacres2]

Thanks Cab--finish dried nicely overnight. Don't think there's need for anything else.
earl

[Pappy]

Looks great, Earl! Love the natural finished Cedar.

[tommyt654]

So when are we all coming over for the cook out,Nice job

[pelligrini]

Nice job, and good call on hiding the top fasteners. I really do like the look of the ceadar board top with the sapwood edges and irregular widths. I second the no-wax application, and definitely no poly. Using just the oil, touch up re-applications will be easy.

Power washing the deck and resealing it might help the looks and save you from rebuilding new for a while.

[sweensdv]

Nicely done, what time will the ribs be done?

[Brian G]

Well done! I agree that you made the right choice to hide the fasteners.

When you invite friends over they'll oooh and ahhh and say things like, "that would be handy at the cabin as a fish cleaning table," "honey, that would make a good portable potting station for the back garden," or "I could see something like that next to the firepit."

They'll all half-chuckle and pretend to not be serious even though they mostly are, and "put in an order."

There's your chance for funding new tool purchases. ("Dear, if I make them, then I can buy the _______ I would need to make/fix the ______ that's been staring at us for so long.")

[greenacres2]

We were going to do steaks for lunch, but i had to go to the office after church and just got home--cold pizza!!

Brian--it would be an easy conversion to a potting table, that's a great idea!! Cutting in a few holes for pots, shorten the legs and fabricate a pair of round cedar wheels for the back legs and a handle for the other end--that might happen next weekend (or wait until after the back to back weekends at speedways sandwiched around the 4th of July--i'll need to score some points being gone 7 of 9 days!!)

earl

[dbhost]

Man that looks really nice. Makes me want to BBQ!

[Richard in Smithville]

I just love how cedar can finish so nicely. Great job on the table. How many neighbours are wanting to borrow it?

[Shep]

Great job on the table. Be careful not to drop the meath when you catch yourself staring at that beautiful wood.

[greenacres2]

Well Richard--we only have one neighbor, and this time of year it's tough to see each other's houses--so none yet!!!

Shep--let's see, cedar at less than $2.00/bd foot is under a buck a pound. Decent steak at $6/pound--i got priorities. Oh, yeah, then there's the difference in flavor!!

But, as Mike Rowe probably knows...if you eat cedar your poo resists moths, mildew and rot!!

earl