Picnic Tables Offer Outdoor Family Fun

By Leroy C. Calstard

What could be more charming than looking out into a backyard and seeing a wooden picnic table out there, covered in a red and white checked cloth? Picnic tables are the backyard accessory that just won’t go out of style, and for good reason. After all, without your wooden picnic table, where would you gather with family and neighbors to enjoy time together during those impromptu neighborhood barbeques, and where could sit around with your friends and enjoy the nice weather while keeping an eye on the kids running back and forth across the yard? A picnic table may not actually add property value to your home in dollars and cents, but it adds sentimental value and togetherness time that can’t be quantified in cold, hard cash.

The design of picnic tables has not changed much over the years. The standard table is made of some kind of wood – either natural pine wood or wood that is stained a deep red. The table top is made up of two or three long planks of wood, depending on how deep the table is. Benches line each side of the table for side by side seating. The average picnic table seats three or four on each side – more if the sitters are kids. Of course, you can find longer and shorter picnic tables, including ones that are designed for private meals – picnic tables built for two.

If you want a wooden table like a picnic table, there are a few different ways you can get one. First of all, you can simply buy one from a shop. Home improvement stores, hardware stores and even some department stores all sell picnic tables that are ready to be transferred to your backyard and put to use that night. Of course, if you are the handy sort and want to save a little cash, you can build your own picnic table.

Building your own picnic table isn’t the most challenging project around, but it is not for beginners, either. You’ll need to secure the wood, measure it and cut it, sand it down to get rid of those splinters, stain and seal it to protect it from the elements, and then of course assemble the table. There are tons of plans online for building all different kinds of picnic tables, and there are also lots of books you can get in the library to guide you through the process.

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