Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
PALING TABLE
Gather your supplies
• 200 x 50mm x 3m hardwood sleepers (2) 95 x 20mm recycled hardwood fence palings (about 10)
• 100 x 100mm x 2.4m hardwood (2)
Components
Side rails 98 x 50 x 1500mm hardwood sleeper (2)
End rails 98 x 50 x 500mm hardwood sleeper (2)
Cross rails 98 x 50 x 480mm hardwood sleeper (2)
Legs 100 x 100 x 730mm hardwood (4)
End tabletop pieces
95 x 20 x 800mm recycled hardwood palings (16)
End cleats 40 x 20 x 750mm recycled hardwood palings (4)
Centre tabletop pieces
95 x 20 x 750mm recycled hardwood palings (2)
Centre cleats 40 x
20 x 350mm recycled hardwood palings (2)
You’ll also need
Circular saw with fence attachment; combination square; hammer; chisel; drill; 5 and 10mm drill bits; countersinking bit; PVA glue; 100mm galvanised batten screws (16); power plane; 120mm M10 galvanised cuphead bolts, nuts and washers (8); ratchet; belt and orbital sanders; coarse and fine grade sanding belts and discs; 30mm galvanised wood screws; Feast Watson Proofseal and Fine Buffing Oil; paintbrush; fine steel wool FOR YOU TO NOTE • When using power tools, wear all safety gear required and refer to your product instructions
• Adjust dimensions of components to suit sizes of your recycled materials.
Here’s how
STEP 1 Use circular saw with fence attachment to cut 200 x 50mm hardwood sleepers in half along their length for side, end and cross rails, then cut to length. STEP 2 Across wide face at each end of 1 side rail, use a combination square to mark out for 25mm deep x 50mm wide rebates for end rails. Also mark out 15mm deep x 50mm wide housings for cross rails along the same wide face. Make housings start 455mm from each end of side rail. Adjust the width of your rebates and housings to match the thickness of your timber.
STEP 3 Using a circular saw set to the depth of the rebates and housings, make multiple passes through the timber between your marked lines.
STEP 4 Knock out waste timber with a hammer then smooth bottom of rebates and housings using a sharp chisel.
STEP 5 Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to cut rebates and housings in second side rail.
STEP 6 Drill evenly spaced holes for screws through bottom of housings in side rails with 5mm drill bit. Turn the rails over and use a countersinking bit in your drill to make countersunk holes for screw heads.
STEP 7 Temporarily sit cross rails in housings. Predrill through holes in side rail into cross rails.
STEP 8 Separate cross rails from housings, spread PVA glue in the housing then reposition the rail back in the housing. Join using 100mm batten screws.
STEP 9 Position end rails in rebates on side rails. Predrill, countersink, glue and screw through end rails into side rails as you did for the cross rails.
STEP 10 At 1 end of a leg, mark out for 50mm deep and 98mm wide rebate so leg will sit over side rail. Repeat Steps
3 and 4 to create rebate.
STEP 11 Use power plane on 4 corners at other end of leg to bevel edges.
STEP 12 Sit rebate in leg over side rail 70mm from end. Drill holes through legs and side rails for bolts using a 10mm drill bit. Insert bolts in holes, slip a washer and nut on the end and tighten with a ratchet.
STEP 13 Repeat Steps 10-12 to create and attach remaining legs.
STEP 14 Use belt sander to remove grey and weathered timber from