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Build an elegant patio set
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This table and chairs set is great on the deck, patio or balcony
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By Adrian Jones, photos by Tracy Cox, illustration by Len Churchill
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The solid table design is made from durable, weather-resistant white oak, strong mortise-and-tenon joinery and stable geometry.
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Give it a Rest
The armrests are shaped from 1 3/4"-wide white oak and extend between the front and back legs with a shallow convex curve. Mill wood to thickness and trace the curve from the template onto your oak. Cut on the waste side of the line using a bandsaw before using the same template to draw the inside curve 3/8" below the other. Sand the surfaces smooth, then roundover the inside and outside edges with a 1/4" bearing-guided bit in a table-mounted router.
While the table and chairs are a standard bar height, not all family and friends are “standard.” That's why you should consider the height of those who will be using the chairs most. People between 5' and 5'3" will be more comfortable if you lower the armrests and table height by 1 1/2". Before you add the armrests, try the heights, then fine-tune the length of the legs to match.
Position the armrests on the legs so that two inches protrudes from behind the rear leg, at the point where the backrest uprights change angle. Mark the angle that the armrest crosses the legs, then trim the legs with a fine-tooth handsaw. Reposition the armrest on the legs now, then mark the place where the armrest needs a notch to fit around the rear leg. Cut this notch with the saw and chisel to 1/4" deep. Use a small flat file to adjust the notch for a snug fit.
Join the armrests to the legs with a countersunk and plugged screw driven down from the top. Centre the notched armrests on the legs and drill a counterbored pilot hole for #8 x 1 1/4 screws.
Finish the Chairs
Sand your chairs up through 120-, 180- and 220-grit sandpaper, then clean up the dust in preparation for finishing. I used Danish oil. It adds a beautiful depth to the appearance and is easy to repair. A quick wipe covers scratches and scuff marks.
Build the Matching Table
The table is constructed similarly to the chairs, but it's built with a combination of mortise-and-tenons, half-lap joints and glued-and-screwed assemblies.
The table's legs are joined with upper and lower rails that interlock as they cross with half-lap joints. Mill the wood for the legs and cross rails at the same time to keep them matching. With your stock ready, lay out mortises on the legs and prepare them as you did with the chairs. All of the mortises are 1/2"-wide, one inch long and 1 1/16"-deep.
As before, use a dado blade in your tablesaw to cut the leg rail tenons. Adjust settings after cutting a piece of scrap first, sneaking up on the tenon width and length to achieve a snug fit into the mortises you've already made. When complete, your tenons should be one inch long, 1/2"-thick and one inch tall.
Now it's time to prepare the half-lap joints that connect the cross rails to each other. Adjust your dado blade again so it's exactly half as high as the thickness of the wood you're using, then prepare some test cuts in scrap. The goal is a half-lap joint that holds together with friction, while adjoining surfaces are flush. Test-fit the completed joints and adjust as necessary with a file.
Use a 1/4" roundover bit again to profile the edges and bottom ends of the four legs. Dry-fit the two pairs of cross-rails, and while they're together, round them over too. Sand all parts smooth and apply a coat of finish everywhere except the joints and leg tops. Glue up the assembly and stand it on a smooth, flat surface. Clamp the assembly square before setting it aside.
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