Picnic Table Design 101

Materials

• Choose the materials from which the picnic table will be made. Such choices are one of the most basic aspects of design. Select the basic material -- some kind of wood -- along with the hardware with which you will assemble the wood pieces. Depending upon your design considerations, such as cost and for whom you are designing the table, you could build a picnic table with plain lumber and general-store hardware or pricey kauri wood and handcrafted hardware.

Parts

• Get familiar with the basic parts of a picnic table so you can include them in your design. These parts include the table surface -- upon which people eat lunches, do craft projects and play with bugs -- seats, and the legs and braces that support the surface and seats. Each part of the table can be tweaked to reflect your style and the particular needs of the people for whom you are designing the table. For example, a pregnant woman commissioning a picnic table for her garden might request extra space between the seats and the table to accommodate her growing belly.

Process

• Begin the picnic table design process by establishing a list -- on paper or in your mind -- of any constraints and specific considerations. From there, sketch a rough drawing of the table, experimenting with materials, colors and composition until you find a combination that satisfies all your constraints. You may find it useful for visual inspiration to cut out your sketched table and place it within an enlarged photo of the outdoor space in which the table will be located, whether that is a backyard or a community park. Translate the final drawing into technical terms, with precise lengths, widths and angles.

Considerations

• Beyond the obvious picnic table design considerations of size and location, you can refine your design and increase everyone's satisfaction with the final outcome by considering that might not occur to others -- location, for example. If the picnic table is going to be outside and the person commissioning the design wants it painted, you should select a hardy paint or incorporate a weatherproofing treatment into the design. If you want the picnic table to be harmonious with its environment, build it out of the same kind of trees that are growing in the surrounding area.