Picnic Table Material and technique

[Jim Mackell]

I've been told I'm making some picnic tables for next spring. The plans are fairly simple but I have two questions for those with more experience.

Which material is preferred for construction? My local choices seem to be spruce or Southern yellow pine. Recommendation?

The plans for the table top to be assembled without gaps. Basically butting the edges against each other. That doesn't seem logical, isn't a gap to allow for moisture runoff almost always necessary?

Thanks for any input you can offer.

[John Thompson]

If you butt SYP from the shelf together you will have a gap as soon as it sits in the sun a few weeks. The exception to that would be SYP that has sat for awhile and is extremely dry which is below 8% moisture content. If you use 1 1/2" as I suspect... I highly doubt that second scenario.

Have fun...

Sarge..

BTW.. if you ever build an outside deck flooring with pressure treat... definitely butt it or you will get as much as 5/8" - 3/4" gaps which is not conducive to women in heels even though not worn often anymore.

[NICK BARBOZA]

Jim,

I see that you too live in the great state of Maine. We have great access to native cedar up here. i have used it on picnic tables, floor in my boat, and a number of decks. Its pretty cheap and it will weather better than regular KD spruce. I cant speak to SYP becasue i have not used it on an outdoor project.

I wouldnt butt the boards together, but that is mostly so leaves sticks and water will have a better chance to fall through. i wouldnt worry about wood movement in this case though (as you would with interior furniture etc.) because if it will be out in the weather, its going to move significantly regardless of how you fit the seams.

Where in ME are you? im in Bangor area. I'm glad to see another Mainer on here, not too many of us...

Cheers,
Nick

[Howard Acheson]

A few questions first. Are these tables going to outside year round? How portable do you want them to be?

I would choose a wood that is rot resistant. Go here and choose a wood that appears in the "resistant or very resistant" column. www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/ch03.pdf

I would recommend you re-consider butting the top boards together. Those boards are going to expand/contract with changes in relative humidity. You must allow space between them for this movement. Also, water must have a way of getting off the tables easily. No matter which wood you use, if the table legs are going to be in constant contact with the ground, you will want to "water proof" the end grain to prevent water from wicking up into the grain.

[Jim Mackell]

Jim,

Where in ME are you? im in Bangor area. I'm glad to see another Mainer on here, not too many of us...

Cheers,
Nick

Down in the Kennebunk area. Cedar is fairly pricey around here but I'll double check.

Thanks for all the replies, kind of confirmed what I thought with regard to the top.

[richard poitras]

I would use composite decking material for the table do to the fact it doesn’t need staining and you never have splinters and or rot. But if you do use wood make sure you put the growth rings of the wood in the down position so it won’t hold water when the wood cups from the weather.

[Mike Hoyt]

Hey Jim, there are a few of us around here. Im just up in Gorham and have had my best luck finding cedar at good prices at a couple local lumber yards. The cedar that you see at the borg is not local and a bit different than what I have found around here. I have used Phinney lumber right here in Gorham exclusively for dimesional lumber and other building supplies. Their customer service is outstanding and believe it or not prices are at or below the big box store. For "finer" projects I deal with Maine Coast Lumber in Westbrook, also a great company to deal with. I believe they have a store in York. Doesnt answer your original question but I hope it may be helpful.
Mike

[Myk Rian]

Commercial tables are made out of SYP for the most part.
http://apark.com/group.asp?group_id=216&category_id=116 as an example.
Our homeowners association has 2 of them and they are holding up very well.