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By
JOHN SILLAOTS,
Photos By CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL |
GARDEN GAMES TABLE |
Built with ceramic tiles and cedar, this games table is tough
enough to stay outdoors all year long.
 Gardeners
often spend too much time working and not enough time relaxing
in their gardens. I built this outdoor games table as a reminder
to sit down and enjoy the surroundings, perhaps read a book,
write in a journal or play a friendly game of checkers.
Start this project with a walk through a tile store. You'll
need sixty-four 2" x 2" ceramic tiles—32 each of 2 different
colours. Since tiles vary in size and thickness, assemble the
checkerboard first, then build the wooden parts to suit. Part
sizes listed in the material list might need to be adjusted
based on the dimensions dictated by the tiles you select.
Build the Support Box
Cut the top, bottom, sides and inner supports from a piece of
3/4"-thick exterior-grade or marine-grade plywood. Dry fit them
together, then join permanently with a weatherproof adhesive,
either polyurethane glue or Type II carpenters glue and #8 x
1 1/2" hot-dipped galvanized screws. Countersink the screws
below the surface then cover the holes with exterior-grade wood
filler before sanding and painting. The screw holes on the top
will be covered by the checkerboard and top trim members.
Build the Checkerboard
Start by cutting the baseboard from 3/8" exterior plywood. This
thickness, combined with the thickness of tiles and adhesive,
matches the thickness of the 3/4" top trim members that surround
the tiles. Since tile thicknesses vary, adjust your dimensions
to fit your tiles by dry-fitting these parts together before
settling on the baseboard thickness. Ideally, you want the top
surface of the trim members to be level with the top of the
tiles. If you have trouble finding a combination of ply and
tiles that matches the standard 3/4" wood surrounding them,
simply plane thicker trim members down to suit. If you don't
have a thickness planer, the parts are small and easy to do
with a sharp hand plane.
YOU WILL NEED
| Part |
Material |
Size |
Qty. |
| Bottom
|
|
3/4"
x 20" x 24" |
1 |
| Sides |
|
3/4"
x 3 1/2" x 24" |
2 |
| Inside
supports |
|
3/4"
x 2 3/4" x 20" |
2 |
| Top |
|
3/4"
x 24" x 24" |
1 |
| Tile
baseboard |
|
3/8"
x 18" x 18" * |
1 |
| Top
trim members |
cedar |
3/4"
x 4 3/8" x 26" * |
4 |
| Trim
strips |
cedar |
3/4"
x 1 1/8" x 26" * |
4
|
| Lazy
Susan supports |
|
3/4"
x 12" dia. |
2 |
| Lazy
Susan bearing |
|
12"
dia. |
1 |
| Tiles |
ceramic |
2"
x 2" |
32
each of
2 colours |
| Adhesive/grout |
TEC
Specialty Products Inc.
Super Flex thinset mortar |
1
bag |
| Support
post |
cedar |
3
1/2" x 3 1/2" x 72" |
1 |
*
Oversize part. Trim to fit your project
All parts are exterior-grade ply unless noted otherwise |
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| 1
- Garden Games Table | 2
- Tile And Error |
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