Base Building Instructions

• Saw (capable of cutting 2” x 4” board)
• Electric/cordless Drill w/ screw driver type bit
• Hammer
• Level
• Tape measure
• Carpenter’s square

1. Cutting materials to proper length
   1. First obtain a 2” x 4” x 96” board, measure 40” from one end and cut. Place the 40” section off to the side; it will be used again in the construction process. With the remaining 56” of the board, measure and mark another 40” from the end and cut. These 40” boards will be used for A&D on Figure I.
   2. Again, obtain a 2” x 4” x 96” board, measure 40” from one end and cut. This 40” section created will be board G on Figure I.
   3. Obtain two more 2” x 4” x 96” boards. Measure and cut two 42” portions of each board. A total of four 42” boards have been cut. The four 42” boards are boards B, C, E & F on Figure I. Also put aside the two 1’ sections left over, these will be used as the table legs.
   4. Using either the scrap from above or new 2” x 4” x 96” lumber; cut out ten 2” x 4” x 12” boards. These, combine with the two sections saved from the previous step will later be used to for the legs. Items 1-6 on Figure I.
2. Physical Construction
   1. Legs (Posts 1-6 on Figure I.)
      1. Obtain all twelve of the 1’ sections of 2” x 4” board created above.
      2. Take two of the boards and place them such that the 4” sides are touching. (See Figure II)
      3. Approximately 2” from the bottom drive in 2 – 3” nails at about 2” apart to hold boards together repeat at 8” from the bottom. Flip the boards over and repeat (note: do not nail in exact same position, nails will hit into each other.)
      4. Repeat steps b and c until six 4” x 4” x 12” posts have been created.
   2. Frame
      1. Place one of the Rigid Tie Corners joists on top of one of the 4” x 4” x 12” post created as described above. See Figure III. Align top of joist with top of post, such that they are flush, and secure using 8 wood screws. The results should appear as shown below:
            
      2. Repeat step a for 3 more posts.
      3. Take the remaining two one foot posts and attach the Rigid Tie Flat (the one in the shape of a T) to the top of each board using 8 wood screws. The top of the tie flat should be flush to the top of the board. The results should appear as shown below:
            
      NOTE: The next several steps require multiple persons to complete.
      4. Now gather two of the posts with the rigid tie corners attached and one of the 40” boards created in Cutting Step 1.
      5. Place the 40” board into the U-shaped slot of one of the post’s joists. Have one person hold this in place, while another person places the other end of the board into one of the joist slots of the other posts. IMPORTANT: Be sure that the empty slots of the joists are facing the same direction before securing board. (See Figure IV)
      6. Next ensure the bottoms of the posts are flat on the ground and then place a level across the 40” board. Raise or lower the ends of the 40” board appropriately to ensure the board to be level.
      7. After the board is level, hold in place and secure using 4 wood screws at each joist.
      8. Repeat steps d thru g once. Now the ends (Posts 1&4 with board A between and Posts 3&6 with board D in Figure I) have been constructed.
      9. Next, gather the remaining 40” board and the two posts with the Rigid Tie Flat joists on the top. Place one end of the 40” board into the middle U-shaped slot of the joist. Have one person hold this in place while another repeats the same process for the other end. (This should appear from above as shown in Figure V.)
      10. Place a level across the 40” board and adjust the board ends as needed to make level. Once again be sure that the bottoms of the posts are flat on the ground.
      11. Once the board is level, secure using 4 wood screws at each joist.
      12. Gather two 42” boards from Cutting step 3, one of the assemblies created in step e (end posts and cross section) and the results of the previous step (middle posts and cross section).
      13. Place one end of the 42” board into the open slot of the Rigid Tie corner and hold in place. Then place the other end into one open slot of the Tie Flat. Repeat with the other 42” board and the remaining open slots. This should form a square (Figure 1: Post 1, Board B, Post 2, Board G, Post 5, Board F, Post 4, Board A and back to Post 1).
      14. While holding in place, place level on each of the 42” boards and properly adjust as necessary to make level.
      15. Once level secure the 42” boards to the joists using 4 wood screws at each joist.
      16. Obtain the other assembly created in step e and the remaining two 42” boards.
      17. Place one end of the 42” board into the open slot of the Rigid Tie Flat and hold in place. Then place the other end into the open slot of the Rigid Tie corner. Repeat with other 42” board with remaining open slots. (This should appear as completed Figure I. From above.)
      18. Place a level on each of the 42” board and properly adjust to make level.
      19. Once level secure the 42” boards to the joists using 4 wood screws at each joist.