Maybe I'm being sentimental, but I miss the old wooden picnic table my grandparents had in their backyard. Most of the patio furniture I own now seems like a poor substitution for that amazing old redwood table with the checkerboard cloth. I've got a few tools in my shop, so last week I went seeing for some picnic table plans - hoping to build the same kind of picnic table I so fondly remember from my childhood.
Basic Picnic Table Construction
The picnic table plans I ultimately decided to go with are for a trestle style table - something that looks a lot like what my grandparents had. It calls for fairly uncomplicated construction; a type of glue-and-screw joinery that uses uncomplicated butt joints and outdoor adhesive. Nothing too involved there. And I can cut most of the wood with a cordless saw. After that, it's just a matter of getting all the pieces glued and screwed together with hardware.
Picnic Table
Start with the Feet
Rather than using uncomplicated cross-hatched legs (like the cheap picnic tables), a trestle table has two isolate leg sections settled at each end of the table. Two long stretcher boards span in the middle of the two legs, keeping all things solid and square. I'll start the task by production a foot for each leg. After that I'll make the leg itself, which includes a strip of wood (rail) along the top to retain the table itself.
Complete the Base
Up till now, I've been able to do most of the building down in my basement shop. But before I attach the legs to the stretchers, I'll need to move all things out to the garage or patio. At this point, it's probably easier to perfect the base assembly with the table flipped upside down. With a power drill in hand, my next step is to drill, glue, and drive woodscrews to join together the legs to the base.
Make the Top
For the top, my picnic table plans call for alternating 2x6's and 2x4's held together with 1x4 strips of wood called "cleats." Lay out all the boards on the floor, even up the edges, and then mount the cleats with woodscrews. I'll use a series of 1/4"-thick spacers and a couple of clamps to keep the boards steady while I mount the cleats.
Bring it All Together
With the assembled top still upside down, I'll lay the completed base on top and drill pilot holes straight through the stretchers and into the table top. Before flipping the table upright, I'll need to attach the two outer top rails for added strength. After applying some building adhesive, I'll drive 4"-long screws straight through the outer rail and leg, into the inner rail. Now it's time to flip the table upright.
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