How to Find Free Woodworking Plans for Picnic Tables

With summer on the way, your thoughts turn to sunshine, gardens and, of course, barbecues. Why not spend the next few rainy weekends getting ready by building the perfect picnic table. You can find free plans on the Internet that include instructions and materials lists. To get started, check out these this variety of picnic table designs, from an eight-sided table with attached seating to a folding picnic table that can be easily disassembled for transporting.

Instructions

1

Have a large family? Lots of friends? Then the large, traditional picnic table at HandymanWire (see Resources, below, for a link) is just what you want. It is 28 feet wide and 8 feet long, has attached benches and is strong and stable.

2

Check out the plans at Woodworking Super Center (see Resources) for a nice outdoor table made from cedar, an oily wood that naturally resists the elements. The website features step-by-step instructions and lots of pictures to help you get the job done.

3

Go to the California Redwood Association's website (see Resources) and download the free plans for its Sonoma Picnic Table. This table is about 60 inches long and 28 inches wide. You'll also find plans for matching benches. It's a pretty easy project, but you'll need to be comfortable making angle cuts in lumber.

4

Build a small, children-sized folding picnic table from a single, 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood using the plans at the Disney FamilyFun website (see Resources). Toss it in the back of the car when you go to the beach or a picnic in the woods.

5

Find plans for a rather unusual and really beautiful octagonal table at BuildEazy (see Resources). It's 100 inches wide and very strong, due in no small part to the three galvanized metal plates on its underside.