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Building a picnic table is a big project but fairly easy to do if you follow some step-by-step instructions. There are plenty of easy to follow plans available on the Internet that is fun for both a beginner and an advanced builder alike. There are also a number of website where one can purchase detail picnic table plans custom designed for specific tables.
When building a sturdy picnic table always use good quality kiln dried lumber, especially for the table top. It is also desirable to use treated lumber for the legs, or to apply some rot proofing to the bottoms of the legs, especially if the table is to be used outdoors.
Essential tools required for this project are a tape measure, hammer, power drill driver, drill bits, carpenters hand saw or circular saw, chisel, sandpaper, ruler and a pencil. Coding your pieces as they are cut is a good idea so that it’s easily identifiable later when putting the table together. It’s also advisable to wear safety glasses to protect your eyes and to use leather gloves to avoid getting splinters.
A standard tabletop height is about 30", and the height of the seat top should be about 16"-18" for which you will need 2-by-4 and 2-by-6's dimensional lumber or material to fit your style and budget. Each table has two benches attached to it on either side. While building the table top and bench tops is much easier, cutting the legs and braces to length is more complex and may prove to be demanding. So it would be a good idea to start with the legs first.
All design plans can be modified to meet your own individual needs. Follow the instructions of the picnic table you have decided to build using the material available and you should have a good sturdy table in no time. When assembling the legs it’s always a good idea to ensure that everything is aligned correctly, otherwise you may have a table that is unstable.
Once the construction is done sand the table-bench tops and seat edges using sandpaper. Then weatherproof it by applying a proper water resistant finish. You can also apply a few coats of varnish, paint, stain, or whatever your choice of finish is to the picnic table or you can leave the table with no finish at all if you so desire.
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Article added to SearchWarp.com on Saturday, February 18, 2006 View other articles written by Seth Miller(4,826)
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