Build Log: Convertible Picnic Table
At the last place we stayed, I had built a fancy picnic table: built-in misting fans, shade, bug zappers and bottle openers. Unfortunately, for one reason or another, we weren’t able to take it with us when we moved. It’s been a few years since that and I wanted to build another picnic table, but this time hoping to make it a bit less unwieldy.
Our previous picnic table was pretty awesome for a first attempt (I had an additional requirement that I just didn’t want a super intrusive A-frame design where I’d inevitably bash my knees with) but I had two regrets about it:
It was just so unwieldy. Picnic tables are monolithic and even for the small one I had built, it was pretty awkward to maneuver around.
I used 2x4s for building everything. There’s nothing wrong with using 2x4s per se - just that it makes the proportions look off.
With this new picnic table, I wanted to prioritize making it more easy to handle and move around. We had bought a patio umbrella previously so the need to have a shade built in was taken care of. This project had to be easy enough to knock out too - I only had a week (of after-work time) to get it done before it needed to be thrown into service.
To reduce the sheer bulk of a picnic table, I wanted to cut it in half. To reduce the profile even further (and give this a bit more use) the table top would pivot, allowing each half to act as a standalone bench and when pushed up against each other, could be a bed of sorts.
This step was made especially easy because I had two miter saws so I could configure one for making the angled cut and the other to cut the boards to length.
This process was easy but extremely tedious - I wanted to give the wood as much protection as possible so this meant multiple coats of primer and paint before doing some of the fastening — and then coming back and doing multiple coats of primer and paint after filling the holes.
When this all comes together, it’s kind of magical - the trick here is to definitely make sure you have some 2x6 offcuts with the angles cut - this way you can visualize and orient the wood accordingly.
Back to easy stuff - this is just cutting 2x8s down to size, sanding and doing some minor tweaks.
You could probably stop at this point if you wanted to.
By filling in all of the screw holes, the entire look is much cleaner and we give the wood just a little bit more protection from the elements.
The hardest part of this step was the upside down brushing (to get the underside of the bench seat). I stopped after five coats on the bottom side.
There were two actual mix-ups:
I initially only cut two table pivots (need four!). Thankfully I made the measurement sticks and had the miter saws in their dedicated roles.
When I was cutting the relief cut for the pivot to be able to clear - I didn’t cut it enough. Currently, when the table is in the bench position, the table-top never truly sits against the leg assemblies because it can’t pivot down enough.
Thankfully, these are minor issues. If I could do this over again, I would change a few things:
When pocket-hole screwing the pivot mechanism to the back riser, I would have used Kreg HD screws (especially since I have them). The only reason I didn't was because I didn’t have any means of plugging the screw holes
The foot pads to keep the table out of standing water: Instead of directly screwing them into the endgrain, I would consider a magnet or encased shoe style — this piece will be the first to wear so it should be replaceable.
I would consider adding a third leg (or shortening the width). As is, the picnic table is okay but there is a bit of flex over the span. This may be something i retrofit in a few years. I considered adding a spreader bar to stiffen up the entire assembly - maybe I integrate this into stiffening up the bench.
This project is actually quite accessible as you only really need a means to consistently make the 22½° angled cut, a drill and optionally, a plug cutter. A pocket hole jig would make life easier but you could face-screw everything as well. Having a power-sander makes the sanding process much less painful.