How to Build a Picnic Table Out of Pressure Treated Lumber

Wooden picnic tables grace backyards and recreational areas all over the planet. Pick a style that appeals to you. There are many different styles but building your own is a sure way to customize one for your backyard. When looking at tables you'll notice many are blackened, warped, perhaps even rotting away. Pressure treated lumber will take care of that problem. The wood, once sealed. will stand up to the elements better than untreated wood.

4 boards; 12 foot 3-by-10 inches
4 studs; 12 foot 2-by-4 inches
4 furring strips; 12 foot 2-by-2 inches
30 No. 8 4-inch wood or deck screws
30 No. 6 2.5-inch wood or deck screws
20 No. 6 3-inch wood or deck screws
10 1/4-by-4-inch carriage bolts, nuts
20 Washers
Table saw with rip and crosscut blades
Power Drill/Electric Screw Driver
Hand saws (Crosscut and Rip)
Power sander
Hammer
Level
25-foot tape measure
Carpenter square and bevel
Wood sealer
Paint
Stain
Exterior varnishes
Brushes
Steel wool
Sandpaper in 100-200 range

Instructions

- 1
  Stack the purchased lumber off the ground allowing for air circulation. Allow the lumber to dry out completely.
- 2
  Measure and cut three, 3-by-10s to length. The normal size for a table used by a family of four would be 30 inches wide and 6 feet long. Use the square to make the cuts. If using a handsaw, cut from both sides to the desired length to minimize splinters.
- 3
  Bevel --- make the corners rounded, rather than square --- all the square edges and the top surface of each plank. Then lay out the planks on a smooth hard surface, butting them against a 2-by-4 to keep them even.
- 4
  Leave a 3/4-inch gap between each plank; measure from one side of the three planks to the other. Cut four cleats from 2-by-4 stock, a foot shorter than the combined width. Place the cleats at equal distances apart along the length of the table.
- 5
  Drill eight screw pilot holes for each plank: two for each plank, two for each cleat. Counter bore so that the screw heads will be below the surface of the table.
- 6
  Place the cleats under the top planks. Square them up and mark the pilot holes with a nail so that the screws holding the table top down match. Remove the cleats and drill pilot holes where marked.
- 7
  Glue and screw all four cleats to one board. There should be about a 6-inch space between the edge and the cleats. Make a 3/4-inch spacing gauge from the end of a 2-by-4 or a scrap and carefully screw the rest of the table top to the cleats.
- 8
  Rip the remaining 3-by-10 boards in half, making them 3-by-5s.
- 9
  Make two "X" braces using the ripped 3-by-5 planks. The feet should be three inches wider than the table top, and they will be attached to the outer of the cleats with carriage bolts. From top to bottom the X-braces should be 36 inches high. Top and bottom are angled flat to match the table top and the ground.
- 10
  Cut two 2-by-4 studs to 8 feet. These will hold up the attached bench in traditional picnic table fashion. Attach to the X-braces just below where they cross, and fasten with carriage bolts, using two per "leg."
- 11
  Using the remaining 3-by-5s to build the seating surfaces, leaving a 3/4-inch gap between each and using cleats as in the table top, measuring to assure that the outer cleats will be inside the seat braces. Braces lengthwise may be required.
- 12
  Use several coats of sealer to prime the wood before applying the final stain or paint.

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