Picnic Table Plans

Holidays are the times to go backpacking with your friends and family. Along with your travel gear you also need to carry picnic tables during a camping trip. Oftentimes, these picnic tables also serve a good purpose in our backyards or patios. If you decide to buy a picnic table, then that would be quite an expensive affair. If you have a knack for carpentry then you can consider making a picnic table on your own. You may have to go through several plans to find one that suits your needs and specifications. Given below are some factors to be considered while making a picnic table.

Picnic Table Ideas

Size
Size of the picnic table would primarily depend upon the purpose of the picnic table. If you plan to take the picnic table outside, then it has to be compact and portable. A small table that can be assembled at site is a great utility. A large, bulky picnic table is not suitable for carrying along in a vehicle. However, if you are going to use it as an outdoor table, you might want to go for a large table that sits 5 - 7 people. If you are looking for kids picnic table plans, then you might want to consider the size of the chairs. A large table with small chairs can comfortably accommodate 10 - 12 kids. This table can come in handy for organizing kids' outdoor parties, etc.

Wood
The type of wood is the most crucial factor to be considered while designing a plan for a picnic table. The plan that asks you to use any lumber is rarely useful. The wood for the table must be strong, sturdy and capable of withstanding rough weather. If you plan to use it as an outdoor table, then it should sustain rain, snow and sun. Redwood, cedar, cypress are the types of wood that are commonly used for making picnic tables. These are heartwoods, meaning, the lumber comes from the center of the tree, which is rich in sap. Hence, it is also called sapwood. These woods are rich in natural oils which protect the table in rough weather. Another option is to use pressure treated wood. Pressure treated wood is cheaper than natural wood and can also withstand all sorts of weather.

Materials
Apart from lumber you will also need some additional materials such as screws, nuts and bolts to secure the pieces of wood in place. Wood screws are preferable than iron screws as they fit in more tightly. Iron screws loosen within no time and eventually fall off. The other materials used for making picnic table should be weatherproof as well. Materials that get eroded easily may leave large stain marks on your table which look awful. Always buy good quality materials from a reputed shop only.

Tools
If you are planning to do the job yourself, then you will need an array of tools and equipment. Outdoor table plans that ask you to only have hand held tools are rarely useful. However, for fine cutting and fitting of lumber you need to have electric tools only. An electric saw can cut the lumber accurately while electric drill is useful in driving the screws deep inside. The tools can be hired from a hire shop in your locality. If you are a novice in this area, gain little experience in handling electric tools, then make sure you follow all safety precautions.

You can find many plans on the Internet which can give you step by step instructions along with illustrations. You may have to make slight variations in the plan as per your individual measurements and designs.