How to Build a DIY Outdoor Octagon Coffee Table with Lattice Legs

Build an octagon outdoor coffee table with lattice X legs. This DIY woodworking plan is made beginner friendly by simplifying the round coffee table shape and traditional interlocking farmhouse X legs into a octagon table top and criss-cross legs. 

As you spruce up your outdoor spaces, don’t miss how to paint a concrete patio or how to build space-saving deck benches and a patio table with drink coolers.

Hi, it’s Amy from Hertoolbelt back with another DIY build and outdoor furniture woodworking plan for your outdoor space — or for your living room, especially if you like modern farmhouse style.

I have some big plans for the back yard this spring and summer, including a new outdoor seating area and coffee table. I saw a beautiful round coffee table with X legs that I loved, so I started designing.

Love X legs? Build a Double X Console Table

Knowing this coffee table is going outside and will become weather worn, I greatly simplified the build. Building an octagon is so much easier than a circle, and I changed the X’s to a lattice effect (like my favorite bench). (If you want a round coffee table instead, find details below for cutting a circle table top.)

Watch the video and download the outdoor coffee table building plan below — be sure to subscribe to the Remodelaholic YouTube channel for new tutorials every week!

Octagon or Round DIY Outdoor Coffee Table with X Base

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What size is an octagon / round outdoor coffee table?

This indoor-outdoor coffee table is designed to be a common size: 40″ round by 18″ tall.

How much does it cost to build a DIY wood outdoor coffee table?

As with every building project, the quality of lumber determines the final cost. Built with Douglas Fir lumber, at local big box store prices, the lumber to build this outdoor coffee table will cost around $60.

Using less expensive construction grade or whitewood lumber (which we use often, including our favorite easy DIY bench) will cost less. These less expensive boards typically need more sanding and time invested to make them look nice.

Building with cedar or redwood lumber (which we also love and used to build this DIY outdoor bench as well as our deck pergola) will cost more. But, cedar wood has the advantage of being naturally weather resistant without needing to be chemically treated.

More great DIY outdoor furniture plans and patio tables to build this summer

How to Build a DIY Octagon Outdoor Coffee Table

The beginner-friendly woodworking plan includes the full cut list and diagrams, plus assembly instructions and tips. Click here to purchase the outdoor coffee table plans. 

Materials

• 2 – 2″ x 6″ x  10′ boards (actual dimensions 1 1/2″ x 5 1/2″)
• 3 – 2″ x 4″ x 8′ boards (actual dimensions 1 1/2″ x 3 1/2″)
• 3 – 2″ x 2″ x 8′ boards (actual dimensions 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″)*
• 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws
• 2″ brad nails
• Kreg pocket hole jig
• wood glue
• sandpaper
• stain/top coat
• pocket hole plugs (optional)

*If you do not have a table saw to rip a piece of 2×4 to 2×2 dimensions, you’ll need 4 – 2×2’s instead of 3.

 

How do I make a round coffee table instead?

If you want to add a round tabletop to the criss-cross DIY coffee table base, you’ll need a 40″ round tabletop. You can do like this easy pedestal side table and purchase a premade solid wood tabletop here — or you can make your own! Here are a few of our best DIY tips for making a round tabletop.

Note that a thicker or heavier tabletop may require additional supports to be added to the wood coffee table base. 

Make a round wood tabletop

In the woodworking plan, the table top pieces aren’t attached to each other, only to the coffee table base and table top support. So if you’d like to make a planked wood tabletop, follow the tabletop assembly instructions from this outdoor bucket patio table. Use a plywood circle as the base, then attach the planks to the plywood and cut in a circle.

Alternately, you can use pocket holes or biscuit joints to attach the boards to form the tabletop. After joining, use a jigsaw or a router and jig to cut the wood tabletop in a circle.

Make a round concrete tabletop

Concrete makes a great outdoor table top! (It is heavy, so be sure to have the table where you want it before installing the concrete tabletop.) Follow the instructions from this X-base outdoor side table to quickly and easily make a round concrete tabletop form and attach it to a table base.

For a lighter concrete tabletop, try using the skim coat concrete technique shown here or here to coat an existing round tabletop.

Make a round faux stone tabletop

We love the ingenuity of painting countertops to look like granite, marble, quartz, zinc, or stone. Follow this tutorial to paint and seal a faux stone surface, or read here for more painting techniques.

See how to build a square X base outdoor coffee table

How to finish and waterproof a wood outdoor coffee table

After building, fill any cracks, holes, blemishes and pocket holes if desired with filler (or pocket hole plugs) and allow to dry.

Sand the outdoor coffee table until it is smooth, finishing with 120-150 grit sandpaper.

To get a weathered brown look, I first applied a coat of Weathered Wood Accelerator and allowed to cure overnight. I antiqued around the edges and lightly brushed the board faces with a very small amount of dark brown Kona stain.  To blend the Kona, I use pre-stain conditioner and rub it over the Kona.

Once the stain has dried, consider protecting the table with an outdoor sealer or polyurethane. You could use outdoor captain’s spar varnish like we used on our outdoor sectional sofa or try a clear epoxy resin or a penetrating oil, such as tung oil.

For more build plans check out Hertoolbelt:

Farmhouse Picture Frame // Scroll Console Table // Double X Bench

More outdoor tables and projects:

• bucket coffee table for the patio
• build an outdoor square coffee table
• patio coffee table with built-in drink cooler
• DIY patio table with built-in ice boxes
• build an on-deck pergola with shade covering
• build a modern deck pergola
• build a wood garden arbor (or 2)

Thanks for sharing and pinning for later!