Build Your Own Picnic Table

Now that the summer barbeque season is in full swing, you may be thinking about replacing that old picnic table of yours. For The Saturday Early Show's Rent A Husband segment, Kaile Warren, demonstrates this week how easy it is to build one of your own.

The following Warren's directions for making a table that will hold up to four hundred pounds, if you have a larger weight need replace the 2x4s with 2x6s.

Tools: A tape measure at least 6 feet long, a pencil, a speed square, one extension cord, quick clamps, an adjustable wrench, a circular saw, one power drill with a 3/8 paddle bit, and also a Phillips heads screw bit, one sander, a router with a rounding bit and of course a pair of goggles.

And if you are uncomfortable trying to lay out the angles most Home Improvement stores will assist you with this.

Instructions:

A pieces shall be the "top braces" they are 3 pieces of 2x4 cut
to 37" in length with the bottom outside ends cut at a 45 degree angle for protection from bumping. To get the 45 degree cut simply set the 2x4 on a flat surface with the narrow edge down and measure up 11/2 inches, place a mark and then lie the 2x4 on it's side an align your speed square so that the 45 degree side starts at the mark and runs to the bottom of the 2x4. Draw a line and cut.

B pieces shall be the "legs" they are 4 pieces of 2x4
35 inches long with a 22 1/2-degree angle cut on each end. Make sure the angle on each end runs parallel to each other.

C pieces shall be the "bench braces" they are 2 -5 foot long pieces of 2x4 with the same 45 degree taper as the top pieces

D pieces shall be the "cross braces" they are 2 pieces of 2x4 29 inches long with a 30 degree angle cut on each end. Again make sure the angle on each end runs parallel.

E pieces shall be " The decking" they are seven 6 foot long pieces of 2x8 cut at 90 degree angles.

Assembly:
Take piece A and measure in 12 inches form each end along the
longest edge and place a mark. Then place your speed square on the mark and draw a 22 1/2-degree line from the mark outwards toward each end of the 2x4. This will give you a guideline to line your leg pieces {B} up to. Once you have made your mark take piece B and attach it to Piece A.

Make sure piece B runs parallel with the 22 1/2 degree mark and that the end of the leg is flush with the top of piece A. Once it is in place insert 4 21/2 " screws. Once this is done attach the other piece B.

Take piece C and measure 14 1/4 inches in from each end along the longest edge and place a mark. Then go back to the assembled pieces and measure up 20 1/2 inches from the outside bottom edge of each B piece and place a mark. Place piece C over the two B pieces and line up the marks. {Make sure piece C and A are on the same side of the B pieces} Once piece C is lined up drill two 3/8 holes through the two locations where pieces C and B intersect.

Install four carriage bolts and tighten. Once this assembly is complete duplicate it for the other end of the table.

Now that the two leg assemblies are complete, take and measure
in 7 inches long the top of the A pieces and place a mark. Take all 7 pieces of E and measure in 8 inches on all {14} ends and place a mark. Take a piece of E and set it on top of the A pieces.

Make sure the inside edge of piece E is on the 7 inch mark of the A pieces and that piece extends beyond the A pieces 8 inches on each end. Once in place screw the E piece to the top of the A pieces. Then attach another E piece to the other side.

Before we complete the decking we need to install our two cross pieces D and the third A piece. To install the third A piece simply, measure in 35 1/4 inches on each installed E piece and place a mark on the side of the E pieces. Line up the third A piece with these two marks and attach with screws. When this is completed you will then have all three A piece attached to the bottom of the two installed E pieces.

To install the two D pieces simply measure in 17 3/4 inches on the middle A piece and place a mark. Then measure in 29 1/4 inches on the C piece. Make sure both marks are on the same side of the table. Then slide piece D into place and attach with screws. Install the other D piece the same way only use 18 1/2 and 30-inch marks respectively. Once this is complete attach the remaining top E pieces allow approx. 1/4 inch gap between pieces. And finally measure in 7 inches on the C pieces and place the two remaining E pieces and attach.

Make sure the E pieces have the same 8-inch overhang as the table surface. Once all of the assembly is complete and all of the bolts are tight you are now ready to put the finishing touches on your beautiful new picnic table! To finish it, simply take the belt sander and carefully sand the sharp corners off to the radius of your liking. This is a personal call, you can make the corners as round as you like.

Once the sanding is complete take the router with a 3/8 rounding bit
and router the entire perimeter of the top and benches. Remember because the router bit turns clockwise always router in a counter-clockwise position...
And then enjoy!!! Congratulations.

Note: To keep your table in service for years to come, Warren recommends sealing it with a couple of coats of polyurethane after assembly.