Outdoor table using Merbau fence panel

Hello @daniel4

Thank you so much for sharing assembly photos of your Merbau outdoor table project. The table looks superb and the long chairs you've built are equally as impressive. Would it be possible for you to post a photo of the long chairs from the side so that our members can see how you assembled it?

Your new table and chairs look beautiful and blend in so well with your decking.

Any other information you can share about the set assembly would be very much appreciated.

Again, thank you for sharing such a wonderful project.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26381#Comment_26381

Hi @EricL

Thank you for your feedback.

About the bench

These 2x benches are ready-made item and purchased from Bunning Store. I/N: 0266925.

Basically I did not build it, just a simple assembly as the box comes with detail instruction.

I picked up this bench because it has the same color with the merbau panel (table).

Daniel.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75857#Comment_75857

Wonderful project, @daniel4 and many thanks for sharing the details on the benches.

I'll be looking forward to seeing what you tackle next.

Mitchell

ogosh

Wow @daniel4

That looks awesome, glad to ahve provided some inspiration.

You might have unknowingly returned the favour, as given the twisting of the sleepers we used, we've been thinking about going back to the Merbau panel.

How is the stability of the table using the bearers and the panel?

How does it flex and move or not, given your leg spacing?

Awesome effort, it looks great!

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26412#Comment_26412

Thank you @ogosh

I am using 42 x 18 mm Merbau Screening for these bearers.

Table is steady and not wobbly. Not only because this Merbau screening is hardwood but also each leg has 3x 2 holes ( Total 12 bolt + Nut connections between leg and bearers )

At this stage I don't see any flex. Given it is just only few weeks, I will still need to observe it for next few months or so.

However, in case this panel is bending, I am thinking to add additional support in the mid of the table.

My idea something like below for additional support.

Credit picture to @softwareburnout for their project in https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/Hardwood-outdoor-table/ta-p/124342

regards,

Daniel

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75880#Comment_75880

Hi @daniel4

Thank you for the update, I'm in agreement with you that it needs to be observed long term to find out if any twisting will occur. Please make sure to post an update if you decide to proceed with your modification. I'm sure our members will be keen to see how you do it.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75880#Comment_75880

Hi @daniel4 , any update to this nearly 6 months on? How's the table holding up?

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/102542#Comment_102542

Hi @minklet

Let me tag @daniel4 to make sure they see your question. It has been a few months now and I am curious to find out if there has been any change to the Merbau table. Are you planning on building something similar? If you are, please make sure to create a new post for that project. I'm sure our members will be keen to see how you'll be designing your table.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/118280#Comment_118280

Yeah I was considering it, just want to make sure it will last in the weather. It would be under a covered balcony, but gets a lot of wind and sun. Rain not so much of an issue.

In case we don't hear back from Daniel, any suggestions to prevent bowing/warping if I was to use this fence panel? I was also going to use merbau decking to create benches in a similar fashion (precast legs, bracing across the top)

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/127537#Comment_127537

Hi @minklet,

I've used this same panel for an undercover fence (installed almost three years ago) and a pool pump cover that's seen several months out in the weather. Panelling undercover looks as good as the day it was installed, and the pool pump cover looks great too. I'd expect your maintenance to be similar to a deck; yearly oiling is all that is required.

The panels are quite robust and well-made, so there might not be any preventative measures needed to stop bowing/warping. Adding additional timber underneath that spans the length of the panel should prevent any issues. Four 42 x 28mm 2.7m FJ Pre Oiled Merbau Screening run down the length of the panel would certainly increase the rigidity.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133611#Comment_133611

Great! Thanks Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/102542#Comment_102542

Hi @minklet and @EricL .

Thank you for contacting and tagging myself.

Yes, it has been a while since I built this.

At this stage this table seems to be good, no bending found in table surface or any underneath support-frames. I will keep observing until this winter season finished. Current utilization and load for this table: low to medium.

FYI, I am living in Perth WA suburb for your weather reference.

Happy to provide more picture for this table condition. Please allow me 2-3 days ( Away from home now)

regards,

Daniel

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137373#Comment_137373

Thanks for the feedback, @daniel4! I'm sure @minklet appreciates it.

Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/118287#Comment_118287

Fantastic thanks Daniel. Will definitely be building this

Dear all,

I am updating this post as I received some questions from other members.

Thank you for asking 🙂 and happy to provide more information.

Materials

Item	Quantity	Note
Merbau Fence Panel	1x	Used for table top
42 x 28mm 2.7m FJ Pre Oiled Merbau Screening	1x	Used for bearer
42 x 18mm 2.7m FJ Pre Oiled Merbau Screening	1x	Used for joist
Table Leg	1x pair	Due to unavailability at Bunnings stores in my area, I sourced my table leg from other vendor. However, these items may be available in your local Bunnings
Assorted Nut and bolts

Note : 2x Benches are NOT DIY. I purchased it from bunning and assembly those at home. Luckily the color is match with my table.

Tools

Drill and drill bit.
Circular or Mitre Saw.
Safety PPE

Steps

Using decking layoff technique, I placed 'bearer' and 'joist' between the leg and table top.
This is to bring rigidness between legs, also in a hope to prevent table top going to warp and make flush placement for table top as well.
Cut screening 42x28 2.7 m into become 3x 90-cm. These will serve as bearer.
Drill hole(s) to align with table leg holes profile. Mine has 3x 2 holes for each leg. See picture below. Then using nut & bolts, fit these bearers on top of leg.

Cut 42x18 Screening into 4x 67.5-cm (approx). These will serve as joist.
Fit these joists perpendicularly on top of bearer using bolt & nuts. Please refer to the blue circle below for my fitment.

Then place table top / panel on top of these joist. Fasten it with bolt and nut.

Treatment

I believe similar treatment when you build a new merbau deck is applicable here too.
During first 4-6 weeks after built, avoid any water/liquid drop on table surface as it will create an ugly mark. Wipe it immediately if any drop happened. Otherwise, do similar treatment like decking such Cleaning and Oiling may help to prevent it.
These merbau timbers may be still bleeding. If it is exposed to rain / water drop, it may damage color of surrounding area (floor/wall). I see many comments about this merbau timber that ruining the walls, which I believe can be prevented by proper Cleaning and Oiling.
Warping Impact due to weather: Not-seen. it has been 6 months now (or so) since built this and I don't see any warping.
Warping impact due to load usage: Not-seen. Current usage is between low to medium. Mainly use for having meal, coffee etc. (i.e no heavy load)

Thank you all.

Pictures below taken just recently (August 2023).

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/127538#Comment_127538

Hi @minklet,

I just posted some pictures for current condition of this table. I also add detail of materials and steps.

please refer to the post below.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133613#Comment_133613

Hello @daniel4

Let me tag @minklet to make sure that they see your message. Thank you so much for all that extra detail you've shared with our members. I'm sure that members who are planning on making their own Merbau table are carefully reading your instructions.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/29392#Comment_29392

Thanks very much @daniel4 , that's a fantastic update!

I'll post my attempt when I get round to it

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77285#Comment_77285

So I made the table, the differences being that I could not find any legs that had 6 bolt holes and instead got ones that had 4. I lengthened the main bearers to 1m (from 90cm). I used m10 bolts (the size that fits through), and used the same idea for cross pieces. It looks fantastic, however it is very wobbly. Not so wobbly its unusable, but it wobbles for a long time.

I think the problem is that the main bearers cannot be tightened enough to be rigid. Tightening them just digs the bolt deeper into the wood. Any ideas for better bracing? I just realised that I am using the bearers on the thinner side, perhaps flipping them would give more purchase

My initial idea was to get longer bearers and drop them to below the tops of the legs, so it's extending out. Then put bolts through the table top to the bearers at so there's more bracing. Not sure if this will provide much support.

Any tips for this? I'm curious how these legs are usually secured if it's not in this way

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/102661#Comment_102661

Hello @minklet

Thank you so much for posting that update on your Merbau table. I suggest taking the M10 bolts out and putting in some M10 washers above on the head and below under the nut so that the heads don't dig into the timber. Another method you can try is to place another bearer in the middle a little bit wider and drill offset holes in the timber and steel to provide better bracing.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1, @JoeAzza and @ogosh for their recommendations.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Dave-1

Good Morning @minklet and all

We all run into issues with the first table we build 🙂 Welcome to the club! Was there a reason you didnt put washers under the bolts?

When I was looking at the underside pics you have only used two rails. Would you be able to put a third down the center? That with the washers may firm up that wobble.

Looking closely at the underside, what size holes did you drill in the wood? If you are worried about the bolt heads sticking out of the timber especially with the washers you could countersink the hole by a few mm.

Just so you dont feel too bad on something not working my table was over enginered lol I drilled countersink holes for my 12mm bolts and then realised that I couldnt get the socket or spanner in the hole to tighten them.... I can still hear my screams now 🙂 See Dining table-build and seats reupholstering if you want to see the mistake 🙂

Dave

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/29698#Comment_29698

Yeah there's only holes for two bearers so I just went with that. I will have to get a metal drill bit to add another

The washers, I actually bought washers but slightly too short bolts so pure laziness on my part. I assumed they would also dig into the wood. I'll get some longer bolts when I pick up the other bearer and drill bit

Thanks for the moral support 😂

Noyade

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77361#Comment_77361

Morning @minklet

Thanks for the 'wobbly video' on the previous page. I can't tell from your other photos if the tops of your legs are solid steel plate? The legs certainly look hollow.

Look, it's just a Friday thought - and it would involve welding. Welding an extension (with pre-drilled holes) in line with the top plate (1), better still, welding edge-wise the plate from leg to leg (2).

I picked up these bench legs from the tip and applied new wood. Note the bolt arrangement - it still moved from side to side. The steel plate (40mm X 5 mm) welded by the edges made it rock solid.

Just random thoughts..

Cheers.

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77361#Comment_77361

@minklet

🙂 been there with the too short a bolt. (Found if you do one up with out washers then the other may be able to have washers on them and then you redo the first) The wasers provide a larger surface area for the bolt to clamp, it would then not be as easy to shake the table. (would be interesting to hear back if the washers solve the problem ? 🙂

The washers will dig into the timber, well compress the timber when you do them up. Countersinking would let the compression not be seen. The wider the washer the less compression into the timber as the force is distributed across the whole washer.

Dave

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/118336#Comment_118336

So, to come back to this quite late, I tried the longer bolts with washers - no difference. I then tried just following the product recommendations, so I got 12g x 40mm decking screws, and screwed the legs into the 42mm length of the wood, with a washer. Still wobbly. Definitely tight enough as two of them broke and I have to do it again.

Before I drill holes into this chunk of metal, I'm curious how these particular legs are supposed to be put together, considering they have 2 sets of holes not 3 as OPs has? What wood is it supposed to use? Because surely the product should be able to function correctly without having to drill additional holes into the metal - thereby invalidating the warranty, potentially damaging it's structural integrity, and introduce areas for rust to attack. Not to mention the additional cost of a drill bit, rust protection, extra fixings and additional wood.

Not trying to have a sook, but I'm reticent to go out and spend more money, and more time on this when I have no guarantee it will work. In fact looks like other people tried it with some different legs and didn't have any luck and was left with unreturnable legs
https://www.bunnings.com.au/rapidmesh-73-2-x-70-x-6cm-black-cayenne-steel-tube-table-furniture-leg_p0250597

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/127999#Comment_127999

Hi @minklet,

Please allow me until after the weekend to contact the manufacturer for more information on why these legs would be wobbling. At first, I presumed that it could be your construction technique and the wobbling introduced by using a fence screening panel instead of a solid tabletop. However, as you've rightly pointed out, there could potentially be a design issue here that needs to be addressed. I'll be keen to hear from the manufacturer as to why this is happening.

Speak soon.

Mitchell

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/133887#Comment_133887

Thanks @MitchellMc . yeah the wobbling is evident with just the support struts, so it's not the weight of the fence panel. I notice that they're not longer for sale, so perhaps they were discontinued for this reason?

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137559#Comment_137559

Hello @minklet

My apologies for the late reply. Would it be possible for you to post a photo of your entire assembly at the top and bottom? We just need a visual aid to show the manufacturer what's happening.

If you need a hand posting the photos, please let me know.

Eric

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/140076#Comment_140076

I will have to put it back together with the 12g fixings if they require as it's back to using the m8 bolts and washers. Otherwise if they could imagine that it’s the same set up but with the 12g screws into the thicker orientation of the main support beams