Woodworking Project

I've been looking to spruce up our screened porch lately.  Found some swivel rockers and ottomans on sale at Home Depot. Score!  Our round wicker table just wasn't doing anything for the space.  A friend suggested I build one.  She knows I've done some woodworking and really love it.  However, it's getting harder to do that kind of work by myself. I picked a simple farmhouse plan made from 2x4s and 2x8s.

 This plan was an adaptation by thehappierhomemaker.com and an Ana-White.com plan, with a little inspiration by Pottery Barn.  Ever heard of a turnbuckle?  Me either.  I can't find details on how they did it but I think I've figured it out. The turnbuckles are the metal connectors circled below, with metal threaded rods on each side.

So,  after spending only $65 in lumber from Lowe's, who cut the 2x8s to 6 foot lengths for me, I came home to get started on it yesterday.  The cuts were pretty easy using the miter saw.  Everything was going pretty good, but putting something together like this by yourself, is rather difficult. You have to get creative.  I used the stool and book to get the 2x4 just the right height on one side while I screwed it in on the other.

I used pocket hole to put the boards together for the top, but that proved to be difficult also.  I was supposed to turn them top side down, put them together using the pocket hole screws, the upright it and place it on the frame.  I could barely lift three of the boards so I had to put them together while they were on the frame.  Screwing them in from underneath the table.  Ugh.

 I did think to sand them before putting them together.  But a couple of the boards must have been a little warped.  You can't tell in most of the pictures but two of them stick up more than the rest.

 My plan is to get a hand planer to work them down some before staining.

I also have plans to spray paint the metal hardware (turnbuckles, rods, nuts, and washer) a hammered bronze before put that together.  And I also plan to mount some metal corner brackets to give it a little more interest.  Hope my vision comes together! I wish I could find the square washers like in the picture above.  The guys made them from an old license plate.....hummm....wonder if I could do that??

Stay tuned for the final product!