The traditional picnic table provides excellent seating to your backyard with its attached benches, allowing people to sit elbow to elbow to maximize space. It works on any terrain, so you can put it on grass or on your attached deck. While there are ready-made kits available to build a picnic table quite easily, you may find it more fun, as would any do-it-yourselfer, to assemble the table from scratch. Here’s how:
Cut the Wood Pieces
1. Cut four table legs from 2 x 8 wood boards. Each leg should be mitered 22 degrees at the top and bottom.
2. Make the horizontal crosspieces that will support the top and the bench: two 2 x 4 pieces for the top and two 2 x 8 pieces for the benches.
3. The end of each bench crosspiece should have one corner cut off.
4. For the braces that will run along the table’s underside from the sides, cut two pieces of wood measuring 2 x 4 with ends mitered 45 degrees.
5. Cut middle braces measuring 2 x 4 for the benches and the table top.
Assemble the Table Frame
With the frame parts ready, build a picnic table frame by doing the following steps on both ends of the frame:
1. Use 2 ½-inch decking screws to attach the top crosspiece to the table legs.
2. For the bench crosspiece, position it 15 inches from the bottom of the table legs and attach to the legs using carriage bolts with a length of 3 ½ inches.
Finish Building the Table
1. Cut seven 2 x 6 pieces of wood, two to be used for the benches and five for the table top. Include an overhang 2 inches on both sides. Cut the corners of the bench planks.
2. With the table A-frames up, attach the bench pieces to the top edge of the bench crosspiece using 2 ½-inch decking screws.
3. Use the same type of screws to attach the table top pieces to the top crosspiece.
4. Position all the middle planks with ¼ inch spacing in between them.
5. Use a deck stain to paint the table.
Need Professional Help?
With your picnic table built, you can start enjoying it by having a classic backyard BBQ with family and friends. If you’re not able to build a picnic table on your own, why not hire someone else who can? Use TalkLocal, and we’ll connect you with qualified professionals within minutes to fit your request. Try us now!
Tags: picnic table
