November 12, 2020

Ana White 4×4 Truss Beam Table

You know how I love a good table. They are probably my favorite to build. They bring people together. Whether it’s your family every night for dinner or a group of friends gathered around for a night of good food, games, amazing company, and of course, wine (or beer, or vodka, or all of the above )! And I think it’s fair to say by now that some of my favorite table plans have been by the BEST builder out there, Ana White. She just knows what she’s doing and she makes things so simple to follow, especially if you’re just beginning.

So, when we moved into our house last year I knew I wanted a patio table for our new outdoor space. I also wanted something that would work for all the get-togethers we knew we would have since we finally have a pool for our 110 degree summers. I fell in love with the bulky, substantial-ness of this Truss Beam Table made out of 4x4s. It’s sturdy and exactly what I was dreaming of. The slight angles make it interesting and add some whimsy, while still being a brick you know what of a table. Sorry, I tried to find a different analogy, but that really is the most accurate. So, I gave it a shot…three days before the fourth of July. When we were having our first get together. Nothing motivates you like procrastination, right? Anyway, that tells you how easy this build was. Do you have an event in a couple of days? Go ahead, give it a try! (Just kidding guys, give yourself some more time, but do try this build!)

Here is everything you will need:

My main tip for this table (or really any table) is to be careful when buying your wood. I knew this was going to be outdoors and would be more of a picnic table for us, but if I was building this as my main dining table, I would be sure to buy better lumber for the tabletop. It may be different in different parts of the United States, but in California, a lot of the lumber that you buy from large box, home renovation stores will not be dried. This isn’t a problem for most projects, but when you want a quality tabletop it can be. As the wood dries, it shrinks and tends to warp. So, when you have breadboards cut to match the rest of your table, that can be a real problem. Sometimes sap will also come out of the boards as it dries, which I wouldn’t want on a nice dining table. Just some food for thought!

If I was building this for a dining table I would also add some block supports under the breadboards for extra support. Just cut two 4×4 square blocks as supports underneath each breadboard.

I sanded the whole thing with 120 grit sand paper and followed up with 220 grit to give it a smooth finish. The stain I used was Golden Oak by Varathane.

I LOVE how tough this table is! It’s heavy and mighty and going to be the perfect patio table for years to come!