Creating an umbrella side table is a rewarding project that will add charm and functionality to your outdoor space. Not only will you have a unique piece of furniture, but you’ll also be able to proudly say you made it yourself!
Ready to get started? Let’s make this beautiful DIY project happen.
The best part about my umbrella stand side table was the price, FREE. I had all the wood, umbrella, and paint to turn this DIY project into a reality.
Materials Needed to Build an Umbrella Stand
Before we begin, here’s a quick checklist of what you’ll need:
- Repurposed wood or any treated lumber or cedar – Any sturdy pieces of wood will work.
- Brad Nailer – Makes the assembly process quicker and easier.
- Hole Saw or Jigsaw – details in the post
- Drill
- Mitre Saw – Essential for cutting your wood to size, and making angle cuts
- Outdoor Umbrella (base optional) – Pick one that fits your outdoor decor.
- Exterior paint or stain – To finish and protect your table
How to make an Umbrella Side Table
Step 1: Prepare Your Wood
Start by selecting your pieces of lumber If you’re using repurposed wood, remove any existing nails and sand it down to smooth any rough edges. This step is crucial for both aesthetics and safety.
NOTE – Our table is built in an untraditional manner. We are using a support beam that was taken out of our house to build the frames. Mr. DD wanted to make sure the table was heavy so we wouldn’t need an umbrella base. We are using 3/4 thick fluted oak for the sides of the table, which was also taken out of our dining room. We also decided to use the leftover oak trim and molding from our guest suite remodel to give it detail.
Step 2: Cut the Wood to Size
Measure and mark your wood according to the dimensions you want for your table. If you are using an umbrella base you will have to adjust all the measurements to be able to fit the base inside your bottom frame and you won’t need the 4 2x4x18″ pieces for the pole column. Typically, a side table is about 24 inches high, but you can adjust this to fit your needs. I wanted my table to be slightly lower than the arm rails on my chairs, so my table is only 21 inches tall.
Use the table saw to cut your wood into the following pieces:
HINT: Do not precut all the pieces, just in case you have to make adjustments in the building process.
Cut List:
- 4 – 18 inch 2 x 4 – (for the frame)
- 4 – 15 inch 2 x 4 – (for the frame)
- 2 – 18 x 18 boards (top and bottom of frames)
- 4 – 18 inch 2×4 (pole column)
- 16 – 4.75 x 19 (sides)
Step 3: Assemble the Frame
Build 2 frame boxes from the 8 cut pieces for the frame. We did not use the Kregg jig to attach. We just screwed the boards together using the drill and 3-inch screws by placing the 15″ pieces inside the 18″ pieces and screwing through the 18″ pieces into the ends of the 15″ pieces.
Before attaching the tops to the frames, use the hole drill to make the holes in the center of the table top for the umbrella pole.
HINT: clamp the 2 pieces together and use the hole drill for both pieces so the holes line up. This ensures the second hole lines up to the first.
Place the 18-inch boards on top of the frame boxes and drill using 2-inch screws.
Assemble the pole holder using the 4 18-inch 2 x 4’s. Clamp the 2 x 4’s together and drill using 3-inch screws.
Attach the pole holder column to the bottom of the frame top. Place the other frame box on top, center, and attach.
Favorite DIY Products & Tools
- Quick reference guide for all your DIY products
- Favorite paints, stains & sealers
- DIY tools and paintbrushes
- Favorite decoupage products and more
Step 4: Attach the side boards to the frame
We are using old oak columns removed from our house when we removed a partial wall. Check out my dining room makeover plans to see where the oak columns came from.
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We used the brad nailer to attach the sides to the top and bottom frames.
One side of our table has fluting that did not go all the way down the side, so we decided to add fluted trim to the top and bottom. You can see this on the right side of the table in the picture above.
You can use a table saw to do these cuts, however, a miter saw is more precise for these cuts. Watch this YouTube video on how to use a table saw for angle cuts. Here is a video on how to cut a bevel with a miter saw.
The key to a perfect cut is to measure, measure, and measure before cutting. Also, Mr. DD likes to cut one piece and use that as his guide to cut the next piece.
Step 5: Attaching the tabletop to the umbrella side table
I decided to create a variegated look for the tabletop of the umbrella stand, so we had to measure, mark, and cut each piece for the tabletop. I did this by laying the wood on the top and marking the cut line with a pencil.
For our tabletop, we are using 3/4 inch oak boards that were removed from the partial walls in our living room.
We had WAY too much oak in our house. However, we have made great use of all the oak and have used it to build a huge leaning floor mirror, a picture shelf, a sliding mirror jewelry cabinet, a window seat with a pull-out draw, and an outdoor sectional sofa.
The last thing we added was the corner oak trim piece to give a finished edge to the top. The corner oak trim was cut with the miter saw with a bevel cut.
Step 6: Paint or Stain Your Table
Choose an exterior paint or stain that matches your outdoor decor and apply it to your table. This not only enhances the look but also protects the wood from the elements.
Tip: Fill any seams with outdoor caulk and apply at least two coats of exterior paint for better durability.
I prefer to stain over paint for outdoor wood furniture, however since this oak has a varnish on it, I opted to use exterior paint. I used Sherwin Williams A-100 in Van Dyke Brown. This is what we are using for the exterior trim on our house.
Restaining outdoor wood chairs
The other much-needed item to go with our DIY umbrella table is an outdoor chair. I found these 2 chairs from Facebook Marketplace.
They were very neglected and needed something to bring them back to life.
I would recommend using an exterior stain on outdoor furniture before painting. The wood stain lasts longer than exterior paint and you don’t get flaking or peeling paint with stain. It is much easier to stain over than to have to scrape and remove paint before painting again.
I mainly only used 1 coat of stain, however there were a few areas that needed a second coat. I used Cabot in cordovan brown.
Here are my patio decor resources:
- Rio Blue Evil Eye Area Rug
- Outdoor Pillow Covers (Great selection and affordable)
- Outdoor Pillow Inserts
- Patio Umbrella
Enjoy Your New Umbrella Side Table!
There you have it—a beautiful, functional outdoor side table made from repurposed wood. It’s perfect for our Airbnb guest’s private patio. Now I need to get a few more plants and some type of water feature.
Do you have any questions or want to share your finished outdoor projects? Drop us a comment below, and don’t forget to tag us in your photos on social media. Happy building!
DeDe Bailey
DeDe Bailey is the artistic mastermind behind Designed Décor and The Puzzle Table. With a rich background in home décor retail, she has transformed her website into a platform driven by a profound passion for helping individuals craft spaces they adore. As a self-taught furniture painting artist and thrift decorator, she loves sharing her knowledge and empowering others to beautify their homes through furniture painting and thrifting. When she isn’t sharing her wisdom on the Designed Décor blog, DeDe is occupied with showcasing her ingenious jigsaw puzzle table design and expanding her short-term rental located in NE Ohio.
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