Our favorite time of year is Summer! We love to spend time with our family outside and what better way to spend it than around a cute and fun game table! The table top flips over and you have a choice of a tic-tac-toe game, checkers or chess! Don’t feel like playing a game? This table can double as an outdoor coffee table! It’s an easy build and the perfect weekend project!
-Make the cut for the leg base assemblies. The legs will be miter cut at 10° on each end (parallel). To do this, lay the board flat, on it’s face, swing the miter arm to 10° and make the first cut. Slide the board down and make the second cutThe top pieces to the leg assemblies will be bevel cut at 45° on both ends (not parallel). To do this, you can use the miter arm (if you have a 12” saw). Lay the board, on the saw, with the face against the fence. Swing the miter arm to 45° and make your first cut. Then, slide the board down, swing the miter arm to the opposite, at 45°, and make your second cut. Drill 1 1/4” pocket holes in the tops of all 4 legs (note the pocket hole placement on the cut list). Attach a leg to the end of each top piece with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Refer to plans for placement.
Next, cut the supports and drill 1 1/4” pocket hole screws into each end. Attach them to the inside of each leg base with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Now, attach the other leg base assembly to the supports with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Cut the leg supports and drill 1 1/4” pocket holes into each end. Attach them 6” from the bottom of the legs with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Note: The leg supports will sit square with the ground so, there will be a bit of overhang where they attach to the legs.
Cut the top frame pieces and drill 1 1/4” pocket holes into the ends of the short frame boards. Attach the short pieces to the long boards with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Flip the top frame upside down (pocket holes facing up) and set the leg base on top. The top frame should overhang the base 3/4” on the sides and the mitered ends of the base should be flush with the frame. Attach the base to the top frame with 2 1/2” deck screws and wood glue.
Cut the game board frame pieces to fit around the game board. Drill 1 1/4” pocket holes in the ends of the short boards. Attach the short boards to the long boards with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Attach the frame to the game board 1/2” from the top of the frame (pocket holes facing up on the game board). Attach with 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Cut the long trim pieces to size and attach them to the game board with wood glue and 1” brad nails. These trim pieces will act as the tic-tac-to game board and hide the pocket holes.
Follow up with the shorter trim pieces. Measure and cut for these as you go. The middle pieces will be slightly longer than the others.
Now it’s time to add the finish! I chose to spray paint my table with a grey spray paint. I spray painted the entire piece, first. Then, I flipped the game board over and painted 32, 2 3/4”x2 3/4” squares as shown. I drew my squares, with pencil, on the game board. Then, I tapped the design off with painters tape and used a paint brush to dry brush the black paint on the squares. I left the other squares the original grey paint color.
Add an outdoor protectant and you’re all done! The game table rests on top of the supports so just pick it up and flip it over to change games. Make sure to share your builds with us and use #shanty2chic on social media so we can share them too!
Tip: I found the Checkers pieces on Amazon and the X’s and O’s at Michael’s (spray painted them gold and attached them to the scrap blocks, from the cut list).
Our favorite time of year is Summer! We love to spend time with our family outside and what better way to spend it than around a cute and fun game table! The table top flips over and you have a choice of a tic-tac-toe game, checkers or chess! Don’t feel like playing a game? This table can double as an outdoor coffee table! It’s an easy build and the perfect weekend project!
-Make the cut for the leg base assemblies. The legs will be miter cut at 10° on each end (parallel). To do this, lay the board flat, on it’s face, swing the miter arm to 10° and make the first cut. Slide the board down and make the second cutThe top pieces to the leg assemblies will be bevel cut at 45° on both ends (not parallel). To do this, you can use the miter arm (if you have a 12” saw). Lay the board, on the saw, with the face against the fence. Swing the miter arm to 45° and make your first cut. Then, slide the board down, swing the miter arm to the opposite, at 45°, and make your second cut. Drill 1 1/4” pocket holes in the tops of all 4 legs (note the pocket hole placement on the cut list). Attach a leg to the end of each top piece with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Refer to plans for placement.
Next, cut the supports and drill 1 1/4” pocket hole screws into each end. Attach them to the inside of each leg base with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Now, attach the other leg base assembly to the supports with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Cut the leg supports and drill 1 1/4” pocket holes into each end. Attach them 6” from the bottom of the legs with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Note: The leg supports will sit square with the ground so, there will be a bit of overhang where they attach to the legs.
Cut the top frame pieces and drill 1 1/4” pocket holes into the ends of the short frame boards. Attach the short pieces to the long boards with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Flip the top frame upside down (pocket holes facing up) and set the leg base on top. The top frame should overhang the base 3/4” on the sides and the mitered ends of the base should be flush with the frame. Attach the base to the top frame with 2 1/2” deck screws and wood glue.
Cut the game board frame pieces to fit around the game board. Drill 1 1/4” pocket holes in the ends of the short boards. Attach the short boards to the long boards with 2 1/2” pocket hole screws and wood glue. Attach the frame to the game board 1/2” from the top of the frame (pocket holes facing up on the game board). Attach with 1 1/4” pocket hole screws and wood glue.
Cut the long trim pieces to size and attach them to the game board with wood glue and 1” brad nails. These trim pieces will act as the tic-tac-to game board and hide the pocket holes.
Follow up with the shorter trim pieces. Measure and cut for these as you go. The middle pieces will be slightly longer than the others.
Now it’s time to add the finish! I chose to spray paint my table with a grey spray paint. I spray painted the entire piece, first. Then, I flipped the game board over and painted 32, 2 3/4”x2 3/4” squares as shown. I drew my squares, with pencil, on the game board. Then, I tapped the design off with painters tape and used a paint brush to dry brush the black paint on the squares. I left the other squares the original grey paint color.
Add an outdoor protectant and you’re all done! The game table rests on top of the supports so just pick it up and flip it over to change games. Make sure to share your builds with us and use #shanty2chic on social media so we can share them too!
Tip: I found the Checkers pieces on Amazon and the X’s and O’s at Michael’s (spray painted them gold and attached them to the scrap blocks, from the cut list).
