If you’d like to throw an outdoor party but are short of a picnic table? You may drive over to your retail outlet and purchase a plastic-type or wood made table.

On the other hand, if you don’t need a table right now you could consider building one yourself. It would make a great weekend job. A good-looking picnic table and bench would look great in your garden.

Building one yourself will also give you great satisfaction and earn you the admiration of family and friends. You would also have fullour control over the type of lumber and the finish of the wood. For instance, if you use a type of marine varnish your table and bench could take some inclement weather without falling apart.

It is important to work according to a plan. No matter if you are a novice or carpentry pro. Avoid single plans. Look for sets of plans so that you have a choice sizes and designs.

Finding a set of picnic table plans Although it is tempting to go for free plans, it isn’t really worth it because they are often incomplete or inaccurate. There are hardly any design choices or forum support with the free stuff. Paid plans offer good value and so much more than freebees.

When you start evaluating plans visualize the space you have for your table. Would a heavy table be more suitable than a light table?

In addition to the available space you should also consider the number of people you want to seat around the table. You could also think about storing the table during off-season. In case you have limited storage space you want to build a table that you can fold up in some way.

When considering a design think about the ambiance of your picnic area. The table would lose its charm if it looks totally out place.

What would suit your requirements best, a bench on either side of your table, or chairs instead?

When looking at various designs look for one that is easy to read and understand. It should not be a single plan that does not offer several models and sizes, that has no list of materials, that has no list of tools needed to do the job and that has no video to demonstrate in detail how to go about.

Selecting your lumber and other materials Wood comes in different grains and hardness. First of all, look at varnished samples to get some picture of what the appearance of your table will turn out. If you need to move the table around much, select a lightweight wood.

Do you have all the tools like a good circular saw to do the job? Go through the tools list that your woodworking plans package provided to see if you got them all. If not, get advice and prices at your store. Do not buy any yet until you make some tool price comparisons.

The finishing touch Furniture for outdoors requires weather-resistant paint. Use a marine type varnish rather than a gloss paint that would later on crack d allanow water to penetrate. If your table is continually exposed to the weather apply a coat of varnish if the table looks weathered.

Having done cabinetry work as a hobby for many years now I am qualified to recommend Bob’s Woodworking Blueprints Packs. You can find a link to a lot of picnic table plans at this web site.