How to Build A Picnic Table | This Old House
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- čas přidán 9. 06. 2014
- This Old House general contractor Tom Silva shows a simple way to construct a strong and sturdy picnic table. (See below for tools and materials.)
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Outside the barn, Tom and Kevin built a simple picnic table out of 2x framing lumber from a local home center. They fastened it together with construction adhesive, deck screws and galvanized-steel carriage bolts.
Tools for Picnic Table:
- Sliding compound miter saw [amzn.to/2IXBVXh]
- Caulk gun [amzn.to/2FrvACl]
- Drill/driver [amzn.to/2JcVevV]
- Layout square [amzn.to/2RqDil4]
- Adjustable wrench [amzn.to/2N635jU]
- Hammer [amzn.to/2Fp3xU6]
Shopping list for Picnic Table:
- Construction-grade 2x4s, 2x6s and 2x8s [amzn.to/2IuVkjc]
- Pressure-treated 2x8s [amzn.to/2IUGvFC]
- 16d nails [amzn.to/2IZcAMC]
- Polyurethane construction adhesive [amzn.to/2NdmTSG]
- 2½-inch decking screws [amzn.to/2IuVsiG]
- 4-inch decking screws [amzn.to/2FpAcsu]
- ⅜-inch x 3½-inch galvanized carriage bolts, nuts and washers [amzn.to/2RuleXm]
Kiln-dried and pressure-treated framing lumber and rust-resistant fasteners are available at your local lumberyard or home center.
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How to Build A Picnic Table | This Old House
/ thisoldhouse - Jak na to + styl
I love watching Tom Silva build stuff. He makes everything look so easy.
Exactly. I'm thinking no pilot holes what size screws
Lol and how do I figure degrees on a t square? Lol I was thinking I could do it but 8 ft too long for my needs.
I just made the 6ft table yesterday. It came out great. With COVID prices soaring the total lumber bill came out to about $165 at Home Depot.
6ft Table Pieces:
2x8x12 - 2
2x8x8 - 1
2x4x8 - 4
2x6x12 - 3
2x6x12 - 1 Pressure Treated
8 - 3/8 washers & Hex Bolts
8 - 4” Galvanized Carriage 3/8 Bolts
Make the center cleat a 2x6 so you can drill a 2" hole saw for an umbrella.
remove the center cleat, it's really kind of optional anyways for an 8 foot table.
Just take a piece of flat strap mild steel and drill a hole in it and mount it to the underside of the table for extra strength and durability
Thank you. I'd have probably thought about it after the fact.
What an amazing, fun project. It took us both about 3-4 hours to complete it (we are novice tool users).
The total cost was less than $100 at the time of this build on July/2015.
Here are the parts list, if anyone is interested.
6 qty 2x6x8 - for seats + crossbrace
5 qty 2x8x8 - for table top
2 qty 2x8x8[PT] - for legs
3 qty 2x4x8 - for cleats + supports
1 box 2.5" deck screws
1 box 4" deck screws
8 qty 3/8 x 3.5" carriage bolts with nuts + washers
1 tube indoor/outdoor construction adhesive
The videos was pretty straightforward. We took the suggestion of 01gt46 where he/she mentioned that the crossbrace needed to be 68.25" - this ended up working perfectly for the seats.
Things we learned on the way:
- Pilot/pre-dill the holes especially for the bottom leg supports since the 2x4 can easily split
- do not overdrive the screws on the cleats
Thank you for Ask This Old House crew for taking time to show us how to build, and also for users like 01gt46 for adding their helpful tips for this project.
This thing is built solid and we are excited to sand and stain it in the next week or so.
#2023 June Update#
The picnic table does showing signs of aging but going strong. It has had multiple coats of paint and stain, but the top now has started to deteriorate. I plan on replacing the top with new boards this summer as the rest of the table is pretty solid. It's been left outside in the elements, rain/snow/hail all it's life. It's a testament to the awesome plan and build.
+dm9492 Thanks so much! Using these plans for an Eagle Project so I really appreciate it
dm9492 Thank you.
+dm9492 About how much left over lumber did you have?
+Arvind Rajan How was your project? I'm working on mine now.
+gamoosh237 Still in the process man. Just got my project plan in and planning on having my workday on the 7th of november
To answer the million dollar question... I made my crossbrace 68.25" long. it's the perfect fit for 2x6s for the benches.
Thanks !! they missed that!!
01gt46 So is the crossbrace a 2x6? and the legs 2x8s?
01gt46 that question is not worth 1 million dollars
+Vincent Scheper How far up the leg or what is the measurement for placement of the crossbrace?
I just measured 15 inches up from the bottom of the leg and marked it on both legs
I know I'm 7 years late but a cut list would be wonderful for this project.
I've always loved watching this old house even as a kid and now I'm 42 and building stuff on my own thank TOH love your show
Same here!
This table arrived well packaged and on time. czcams.com/users/postUgkxn94T8Mu1iMnsLCMNOI9srXSsLkI4JXKW Like another reviewer advised, I pulled everything out and made sure everything was included (everything was!). I built it alone and it took me about an hour. The color is great and for the price the lift part works well. As others have mentioned, it’s not the smoothest opening/closing, but it works. The screws do show, but I plan to order white sticker covers if that bothers us too much. Really happy with this table! UPDATE: it’s been over a year since we got this coffee table and we still love it! It gets HEAVY use as our dining table, foot rest, and school desk. Over time, the opening and closing mechanism has gotten smoother. I added a new photo with the white screw cover stickers. They blend in perfectly and make it look a little cleaner. 100% recommend!!!
Wow you make this look so easy.
I was looking to buy a picnic table but to my surprise the price is ridiculous the last time I purchased one I paid $15.00
Today it’s from $200. to $500. Plus
I was going to buy the wood and have my husband work on it but I only have a hand saw. I would like to do it myself and surprise him but I guess you need 2 persons for this project. Well if not this summer I might have it for summer of 2021.
I enjoyed looking you you guys working on the beautiful table.
Stay safe.
I built one of these about six years ago using this video. I’ve loved the table, but because of the non pressure treated lumber, I’m about to rebuild all of the flat surfaces with new wood. The only two modifications I will make are:
1. Build the whole thing out of pressure treated lumber for longevity if you plan to use it for more than four or five years.
2. Add extra cleats to the underside of the tabletop very near the ends of the table to prevent the boards from becoming uneven over time as they age.
Thanks to this old house video.
My daughter and myself just finished making the picnic table. I’ve never done anything like this before, but my daughter loves carpentry.
I found the video was easy to fallow and not a complicated plan. Great video, thanks guys.
Greetings
Simple build and great if it is not exposed to the weather. When I built my last three tables from rough-cut Red Pine 2x6, I used a countersink bit to pre-drill all holes to avoid splitting the ends and used 3" deck screws throughout. To avoid face screwing the seats and top, I added cleats underneath; screwing to the legs and cross-brace horizontally then from the bottom of the cleat into the seat and top boards. Added effort and screws but there are no divots in the flat top surfaces for water to puddle and ruin all your hard work.
It would also be simpler, in some ways, to apply stain and finish prior to assembly. Applying a top-end finish will do a lot to keep the project useful for many years. Remember, adhesion and cohesion - water loves to migrate between all the tight joints and bacteria etc. migrate right along with the water. Wood decomposition depends on moisture and unprotected, close-fitting surfaces.
And, from the comments, using half-lap joints for the cross-braces is easy to do and much stronger/safer than trusting screws alone. I am not sure I want to trust two or three screws to hold the joint together after a few seasons outside when uncle Bubba and aunt Freda take a seat.
Happy Woodworking
Shopping List:
5 2x8 boards 8' (top)
2 2x8 boards 8' (cross braces/ seat support - I cut mine to 76")
4 2x6 boards 8' (seats)
2 2x4 6' (brace for bottom)
1 2x8 12' (legs)
2 2x8 8' (cross braces)
Water proof polyurethane construction adhesive
4" screws
8 galvanized carriage bolts 3/8" + washers & nut (2 per leg)
This is the comment I was looking for. Thanks!
He used 2x6 criss brace
Awesome, I love to build and work with lumber and now my brother is gonna have an awesome picnic table for his new house
When I grow up and move to Ireland I will definitely put one of those in my backyard
I've made SO many of these tables. Thank you Tommy and Kevin!
You got me into wood work and your channel is great I watch it every day
Wow this was a blast from the past I used to watch this show.
is there a lumber and cut list for this project?
Used pressure treated wood. Not a carpenter ;I am just trying to undertake a project with limited ability. Used deck wood at 6 in. wide to construct a 30 in. X 6ft table, sans benches. I was able to complete the project: It came out better than I expected-even for me. Have one problem, already mentioned by beginners. The A-frame, along with tips, did not materialize. Having an expert explain this in some detail would have helped. Why was this step glossed over? Other than that , the video proved to be very helpful. Bring on the doggies and burgers! Thanks
Still the best going for a sturdy picnic table. Thanks for sharing with us. Fred.
Luv you guys. Tommy, you're a genius!
Thank you for the video. We built one this weekend. We couldn’t reach the 2x8s so we used a combo of 2x10 and 2x6 for the top.
Great video and great instructions. Was a breeze to build. The layout of the a-frame isn't laid out for you, but they give you enough information in the video to figure it out. I made my cross braces 74". That is a good length. I am 6'5" and I like that I can stand between the bench and the table then sit down. Some picnic table you have to sort of step into and sit down all in one motion. Not this one.
Thanks a lot for this information. 74 inches is a really wide seat. I'm getting ready to build one of these.
Very cool. You guys make it look so simple. Thanks.
Tom is amazing! Everything he does is spot on!! What a master generalist.
Built it for my first wood project since those pine wood derby cars you do in cub scouts lol VERY pleased with how it turned out!
Just finished two tables. From a bunch of comments, I went 34" with my cleats, but tucked the legs in a little more. I didn't use adhesive but went an extra step and prepainted all pieces with primer and Benjamin Moore's arborcoat. I used an electric plane to clean up surfaces prior to painting and painted all sides, with two coats on the top and a little touch-up paint at the end.
72" length for the cross pieces worked for my taste as I can stand between the table, and bench easily. I can also cut them shorter if needed. I used a heavy-duty hook and loop to attach the benches to the crosspieces to allow for portability/removal to get under the table. Sitting at the far edge of the bench didn't result in any movement.
The table rests on 1'x1' bluestone so my landscaper doesn't chew up the legs with his string trimmer.
I used 3" screws and drilled the legs into the cleat first. Then attach the cleat with legs to the underside of the table.
Things I would do differently next time is use a 2x6 cleat for a center umbrella hole. Purchase 2.5" screws in bulk.
3" lag bolts would be sufficient as I could have used a 1" spade bit to bore out a hole so that the bolts/nuts would have been flush with the leg.
Overall, happy I went with a solid paint vs. stain/spar polyeurathane. I can leave that for the next time.
This was a great table and I enjoyed building it. Its as solid as a house and will last for many years of enjoyment. Thank you Tom and Kevin for putting this out there , for us weekend carpenters.
looks like a good solid table and directions were easy and well illustrated. Great video.
Silva always makes it look easy.
That was really good, simple and clear Exclamations on the construction. We’re all done thank you guys.
That table looks great! I'm going to build one
You make it look easy...thank you for sharing this video....well lets work on this proyect.
I just built mine. It came out great - rock solid, very heavy (I used all PT wood), very comfortable. Some learnings/comments:
1) I made the spaces between the 2x8s and seat boards bigger so that leaf and other debris would not get stuck. My spaces are probably about 3/8"
2) After assembling the table top and seats, I used a saw guide and ripped the ends of the table top and benches so that it was a nice straight line. I then set the saw at 45 degrees to give both the top and bottom edges a nice bevel.
3) I put 4 cleats on each bench instead of 4. I had the wood from fall-off anyway, so I think you will too. (I saw that in another set of plans.)
4) I started by cutting the table cleats first at 32" and wish I made them longer.
5) If you think you might want to drill an umbrella hole in the future, use a 2x6 for the middle table cleat.
6) After some research, I decided to have 5" clearance between the table edge and the bench edge. It is a little bit of a lean from the bench to the table, but you can move up a bit. It makes it very easy to get in and out and some people can actually stand up in the space between the table and bench. I recommend you give some thought to this and do some testing with a table with an unattached bench. My A-frame cross members ended up at 71" for this.
7) I wish I put the legs in a little more towards the center of the table. Maybe just on the inside of the cleat. The 4 end seats, the easiest in-and-out seats are just a little too small for comfort. I would check to make sure 3 people can fit between the legs comfortably though. It might just be a trade-off.
8) I did not glue the legs to the cleats or the benches to the A-frame. It is still rock solid. I may be moving this in my pick-up truck (or the next one I build!) as house warming gifts and want to be able to disassemble.
9) Careful when you cut the legs. I cut 4 perfect legs - short. My total length was 35 3/8" So if you cut the 2x6 at 35 3/8" square and then cut a 28 degree angle at each end (parallel!) you should be good.
10) My table cost under $200, even with my leg-cutting mistake. HD sells a smaller version for $510 where I live!
11) Before I made the table, I made 4 saw horses, 2 each from the first 2 designs below so I had plenty of working surfaces. Build the first ones first; it will be easier to get all 4 the same height that way.
czcams.com/video/kno6qPWfDqY/video.html
12) I was able to do all of this myself, just needed help flipping moving the table off the work area before adding the benches. (I own a lot of clamps. You need good surfaces to work on.)
Any questions, just ask.
Do you have a list of cuts and wood to buy? Thank you!
How has it held up using all PT wood?
@@robm9772 Very well. Outdoors in the Adirondacks.
Tommy loves construction adhesive !!
Built mine last week. It is heavy but very strong. Very happy with it.
My son and I built two in about 2 hrs. unbelievably strong.Thanks Tom!!
I love watching this show
Thanks to you guys and this video, I now have a picnic table. Not 8 feet wide, however, it is a nice looking and quite sturdy picnic table. Keep up making these awesome videos. I enjoy watching them and learning from them. Being a new home owner, these videos are a must for me to watch and learn.
Just built this table. Turned out super strong. Easy enough for anyone to build. Thanks guys, awesome show keep up the good work.
Parabens pelo lindo trabalho
That's awesome. With 2 people, it's ply not difficult to but together. And it looks really nice.
I just finished building the table and based on the height for the cross brace shown in the video I made my cross brace 68.5 inches long. This was a perfect length.
pguiver's response would probably have been obvious to some but it took me a while to figure it out.
I used 01gt46 comments as the basis for my build.
Thanks for this video, This Old House!
Very easy very simple! One issue that might happen from my experience of building picnic tables is that the horizontal bench framing pieces should also be PT. Water will work its way in there.
Loved this project. My cross brace on the A frame was 76 inches long. I made it a little longer too make sure I had plenty of room between the table top and seats.
yes, cut inside of mark so you dont leave slack then its worthless. That was the trick on this video.
That's I call action!) Many thanks, guys! I'll try to do something similar!)
Always fun seeing Tommy build something. He's like the Chuck Norris of contractors.
Very easy to follow, great video
Just made two of these tables today as shown in the video. Cant be more pleased. Super strong and it can handle 10 people very comfortably. I spent a total of $160 on supplies and lumber so that's about $80 each and you get two HUGE 37 x 96" super sturdy tables. Can't beat that..........
What is the length of the cross members that support the seat and the width of the A frame?
i would like to know as well
Matthew Elliott all you need to do is give yourself a straight edge on the top to measure off of, set a spacing that looks good and cut one angle. Then you can go to the table set the leg where it will live take a measurement and cut the same angle use one as a pattern. For the cross piece don’t over think it measure a 2x6 multiple by 4 and add 1/4 so you can have a 1/8 gap. Make a mark on each leg measure that and add the number you got from earlier. There is better ways to do it but that’s the simplest way I can explain how to make it work it’s just dimensional lumber not like a mistake is going to cost you a fortune
10 people each? or with both tables
has to best video i have seen on picnic tables! lits if tips on hiw to use a speed square abd how to make a beautiful table with ease!
Wow, just the square skills, I hesitate to use one.
Tommy is my spirit animal
Would be awesome to have an actual shopping list with how many of each to buy. And some idea on that cross brace length.
I made two(2) of these tables in 6-ft lengths. With 4 2X8's for the table and 2 2X6's for the seats, my cross brace was approximately 60".
@@AStanton1966 thanks!
Really late, however in the description there is somewhat of a shopping list.
How much do the parts cost also what's that saw he has?
This is a really great video. I just built this table, and it took about 6 hours total. Super strong, and very comfortable. With the price of lumber what it currently is, and with materials (including paint), it cost me just under $500 CDN to make. It's still cheaper to build this table than to buy patio dining furniture.
Please tell me $500 is a joke, I get it’s CDN but this doesn’t cost more than $120 US did you have to purchase tools?
@@CTity860 Unfortunately it was not a joke. That was the cost of materials only, I had all the tools. I built it in June 2022, and lumber prices at the time were very high. Fortunately lumber costs have come down a bit since!
I believe that $500 price with the way lumber prices were.
My material + tape measure costs me $370 and that’s with the drop in piece recently. I used pressure treated for everything except for the table top and seats. Going to wood burn them and clear coat.
Nice job, you guys !!
Easy work and a good one too
Nicely showed
Very helpful, thank you ,
We made our cross member 68 and 3/4 and raised the seat height and inch and a half so it would be more comfortable. so from the bottom of the table to the top of the crossmember is 13in instead of 14 and a half
That is a great project
I used your video today to build the same exact 8ft picnic table. It turned out fantastic! Thanks for the video.
Any chance you have a product list?
@@ronron9784 12 2X6s ,4 2X4s ,box of 3in wood screws ,4 3\8 bolts, 4 3/8 nuts 4 washers ,Wood glue, sand paper. I started with table top then the A frame. The seats will lay down easily once the A Frame is attached to the table top. Good luck friend... This video was very informative....
My table came out awesome! Great project for me and the kiddos. Thanks guys!
Sounds like it's time for a new saw ! Nice video
Thanks guys, I can't wait to build this table! I think I will stain all boards before I assemble I'll let you know how it works out
how did staining it beforehand work out?
Cute and accurate
good explained video thanks 👍
Awesome video!!
I just built a smaller version using these plans--6 footer. Came out perfect, using 4 2X8's for top and 2 2x6's for seat. For wood, adhesive, and bolts--less than $100.
This is cool thanks New England guys 🦞🦞🦞
Just built one today because of this video. That trick to get the angle for the support cleats attached to the cross frame is brilliant. I did it in 4 hours from scratch without even rewatching this. You guys rocks!
4 hours? You rock! Mine took longer. I figure less than a day for the next one.
what trick?
@@immars13 he just holds up the 2x4 to the a frame connecting to the middle cleat and then draws with a pencil straight down to get the right angle to cut it at. Didn’t need a speed square or anything
Just built mine based on the video, thanks a lot, it's a huge table. Used 30 degrees.
Thanks for all the advices, I used 8x2 for the legs and is so sturdy and solid. Thanks dm9492 for the list
Now sanding and treating for outdoor
I have read it is not good to sit on or contact treated lumber. Splinters will cause infections. Paint. The treated legs are ok but I built one 6 yrs ago and painted the entire thing. Still looks good.
i love it!!!!
Lock washers work too ! Overall great project kevin and tommy ! ! Thanks ! !👍👍👍
I like you table saw👌👌
I personally would have used torx head screws, but to each his/her own. nice table :D
THX :)
7:11 my favorite part 😋😋👍🏽
Tom is cool👍🇺🇲
I built one this weekend but bolted it all together rather than using screws.I found it is much stronger Cost ,just under $150.00 as March 25,2017
Good vid for those of us who dont have a clue. thanks
สุดยอดเลยครับ
I have a skills competition tomorrow and we’re building a picnic table, thank you for showing me what I’m going into
Just found this channel, and boy I'm happy I did. I'm in the my fathers buisness of renovation but currently learning carpentry.. I have a question.. I"m actually building this for interior use and I would like conventional chair seating on the other side. Could I chop off the bench support on one side?
I ended up doing it all in pressure treated. Heres my stores list. I ended up with 3 left over 2x4s at the end of it all.
2x4x8 qty 1
2x8x6 qty 5
2x6x6 qty 4 pressure treated
2x6x6 qty 6
2x4x6 qty 4
4" galvanized carriage 3/8 bolts w nuts qty 8
"Glue em and Screw em."
XxRoyalSpadexX that’s what she said
Sounds like a line from Call of Duty
Great video guys. I used your video to guide me in the construction of a picnic table yesterday and it worked out great. Thanks.
+Rescuemonkey How many pieces of lumber did you have to buy? They didn't list it in their description!
+NewbVsPro 13 2x6 x8 would be fine
I made this exact table At trade school And we uses exact video
Hi there. If I just wanted to build the table , without adding the seats, would it still be sufficiently stable, (without the bracing effect of the seating?) Thanks!
wow good job :)
Fine job you guys now get back to work !
Tommy is a neighbour everyone dreams for. “Morning Tommy, hows your day going, sorry can’t seem to see you properly as that fence is a bit damaged, I need to sort that out. Huh, what was that Tommy, you’ve got the tools in your garage to sort that out straight away. Come on over I’ll get the kettle on and get it fully topped up.” He could be here for a while 😉
I'm in the middle of building the picnic table. I have the top done and sealed, and I've got all the legs cut. Here's my question. Once I cut the cross brace, what are the measurements on attaching the cross brace to the legs? Basically, how wide should the legs go on the cross brace? Thank you!
Would you recommend a lag bolt with washer and nut to tie all the table together. Or. Do you think its overkill
How long are the crossbraces? and what angle are they cut at?
Can you ask Tom what do I need to seal and treat my new wood bench and picnic table I just had made. I know the cut ends need sealed, but was wandering if they make a stain with a sealer. Thanks.
I'm about to build this with my future son-in-law, and was wondering if it wouldn't be a good idea to screws the seats on the underside through the cross brace and into the seat cleat. I'm thinking this way would leave a clean looking seat. Would my way hold as good?
I ended up doing it all in pressure treated. Heres my stores list. I ended up with 3 left over 2x4s at the end of it all. I had screws in my shed so thats not reflected on the list.
Total Lumber
2x4x8 qty 1
2x8x6 qty 5
2x6x6 qty 4 pressure treated
2x6x6 qty 6
2x4x6 qty 4
4" galvanized carriage 3/8 bolts w nuts qty 8
How long is the 2x4 that connects the crossbrace to the center cleat (see at minute 4:47)?
How much was all material?
alot of ppl don't do pressure treated because it's bad to eat off of that type of wood
+Joey Daugherty Is drinking beer on it at the hunt camp ok? Lol
+Rescuemonkey heck yeah lol
Nice video, but i have a slight problem. I want to use composite decking. For the top its no problem, but for the seats i dont know what to do. The decking is 1" thick, i dont think it will be sturdy enough to sit on. What can i do? I was thinking about making a brace for the middle seating area?