From dull to stylish: creative ways to give your picnic table a makeover
Tips & maintenance · Freshening up
Freshening upGiving your picnic table a makeover
From dull to the centrepiece of the garden. Some changes cost an afternoon of painting, others only a tablecloth you take off again in the evening.
- With or without paint
- Different for each season
- First sand, only then colour
Two kinds of makeover
One change you can undo, the other you cannot. That distinction is best made before you start.
A removable makeover is anything you take off again in the evening: cushions, a table runner, lanterns, a string of lights, a vase of flowers. It costs little, it completely changes the look, and you can do something different every season. For most people, this is all they need.
A permanent makeover is paint, stain or a change to the furniture itself. That gives the biggest effect, but you are stuck with it: taking a painted table back to natural means sanding it right back. Think in advance about whether you will still want that colour in five years.
And for everything permanent the same order applies: first clean, then sand, only then colour. Paint on a greyed, dirty table does not adhere and flakes off again within one winter.
A new pressure-treated table is still damp from the treatment process. Let it stand outdoors for a number of months before you put paint or stain on it, otherwise you trap moisture and the coat will come loose after all.
- Without a change
- cushions, tablecloth, lighting, plants
- With a change
- paint, stain, oil, different fittings
- Preparation
- clean, let dry, sand with 80 to 120 grit
- New pressure-treated wood
- let it settle for a few months first
- Paint on a tabletop
- wears faster than on the legs
- Lowest maintenance
- a coloured stain or oil
- Reversing it
- getting paint off means sanding everything
To be fair: a painted tabletop is the most visible makeover and the least durable. People eat, slide things and spill on the top, so that is where the coat wears fastest — and touching up a worn paint layer is never invisible. If you want colour that lasts, choose a stain or a coloured oil: it penetrates the wood and wears evenly.
In pictures · Seven ways to freshen up
Schematic drawing.
Seven ways to freshen up
1. A coat of paint
The biggest change for the least money. One solid colour is the safest; a gradient across the boards from light to dark gives more depth. Always use paint suitable for exterior wood.
2. Textiles
A table runner, cushions on the benches and a rug underneath turn the same table into a different place. Without a single screw, and in winter everything goes indoors.
3. Flowers and plants
A planter in the middle of the top, or planters at the ends. A flower arrangement in summer, branches and pumpkins in autumn.
4. Lighting
A string of lights above the table gives the most effect. Lanterns or hurricane lamps on the top work too, and solar lights along the edge need no socket.
5. Accessories
Serving boards, a striking vase, outdoor tableware that matches. Small things, but they decide whether a table looks laid or just used.
6. Storage
Baskets under the top for cutlery and napkins, or a garden cabinet next to it for cushions and tools. Practical and immediately part of the picture.
7. Industrial look
Black metal corner pieces and fittings, or dark oiled wood with steel accents. More drastic, but it completely changes the character of an ordinary table.
What suits which season
| Season | What works | Practical |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | light colours, fresh flowers, an airy runner | the moment to sand and paint: dry and not too warm |
| Summer | parasol, cushions, cool box, lots of greenery | avoid painting in full sun — the paint dries before you can brush it out |
| Autumn | branches, pumpkins, warm tones, blankets | check the table for cracks before winter |
| Winter | lanterns, candles, a string of lights | textiles indoors, and cover the table with a breathable cover |
Prepare and protect
- CleaningMild soap and a soft brush. No pressure washer at full power: it blasts away the soft fibres between the growth rings and makes the surface rough.
- Let it dry completelyAt least a few dry days. Paint on damp wood traps moisture, and then the coat flakes off again from the inside.
- Sanding80 grit to remove the grey layer, then 120 to make it smooth. Include the edges and the seats: that is where the splinters are.
- Dusting offBrush off and wipe with a slightly damp cloth. Dust under the coat leaves grains in the finished surface.
- Applying colourThinly and in several coats, along the grain. Stain and oil soak in; paint stays on the surface.
- ProtectingOver paint a weather-resistant topcoat, over natural wood a wood oil. Repeat that every one to two years, depending on exposure.
Frequently asked questions about giving a picnic table a makeover
How do I protect a made-over picnic table against the weather?
Over paint a weather-resistant topcoat, over natural wood a wood oil that you repeat every one to two years. For winter a breathable cover helps — not a plastic sheet, which traps moisture.
Can I give it a makeover without painting?
Certainly. Cushions, a table runner, lighting and plants completely change the look and can be removed later. For most people that is enough.
Can I paint a new pressure-treated table straight away?
Better not. First let it stand outdoors for a few months so the treatment moisture is out. Otherwise you trap moisture under the coat.
Which paint should I use on a picnic table?
A paint suitable for exterior wood, over a primer. On the tabletop paint wears quickly; a coloured stain or oil wears more evenly and is easier to touch up.
Which makeover projects are suitable for beginners?
Making a table runner, painting it in one solid colour, a planter from leftover wood, or hanging a string of lights. Lots of effect, little risk.
Can I get the paint off again later?
Only by sanding it right back, and that is a big job on a tabletop. So choose a colour you think you will still be happy with in five years.
Everything for the makeover project
Cushions, wood oil in the right colour and a garden cabinet to store everything in.
Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Wooden picnic table with fixed benches on a patio — Wualex, Public domain · Picnic tables on a patio, brightened up with planters — Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wooden picnic tables among the greenery of a garden — Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Wood Guide
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- Maintaining wooden cladding
- Maintaining a wooden worktop
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