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Buying a picnic table: choosing size, wood and model

The Wood Guide · Choosing & buying

Buying guide · picnic tables

Buying a picnic table

Five choices decide whether your table is still good in fifteen years: the length, the board thickness, the wood, the shape and whether it has a backrest. Here each of them is explained, without sales talk.

  • From 4 to 12 people
  • 4 or 4.5 cm boards
  • Straight, square or round
pressure-treated spruce · 4 cm solid
Summary

Five choices, in order of importance

Most people start with the model. It is better to start with the number of people who will sit at it, and with the spot where the table will stand.

A picnic table is a simple piece of furniture with one peculiarity: top, benches and angled legs together form a single construction. The benches are not separate seats; they help carry the table. That is why the boards and the joints determine how long it lasts, far more than the design.

What counts, in order: the length (how many people), the board thickness (how long it stays straight), the wood (how long it lasts outdoors), the shape (how it fits on your patio) and a backrest (how long you stay seated).

The mistake we see most often

Comparing two tables of the same length on price, without looking at the board thickness. You can't see the difference between 2.8 and 4 cm in a photo, but you can after three seasons, when the top starts to sag.

Per person
± 60 cm seat width
Clearance
± 80 cm all round
Board thickness
KING 4 cm · ROYAL KING 4.5 cm
Wood
pressure-treated spruce
Weight
± 55 kg (180 cm) to ± 95 kg (300 cm)
Outdoors
all year round, in frost too

To be fair: a solid picnic table is heavy and takes up space. If you want to put it away every week, you are better off with a folding beer table.

Choice 1

Which length for how many people

The size in the product name is the length of the tabletop. Allow about 60 cm per person; there is often room for one more at the end, and children take up less space.

Length People Patio needed (with 80 cm all round) Our model
140 cm 4 to 6 ± 3.0 × 2.5 m KING 140
180 cm 6 ± 3.4 × 2.5 m KING 180
200 cm 6 to 8 ± 3.6 × 2.5 m ROYAL KING 200
240 cm 8 ± 4.0 × 2.5 m KING and ROYAL KING 240
300 cm 10 to 12 ± 4.6 × 2.5 m KING and ROYAL KING 300
Measure the garden, not just the table

To sit down, you swing your legs over the bench. That needs space behind the bench. If the table stands against a wall or hedge, that side doesn't count. If in doubt, send us the dimensions of your patio via contact — that is quicker than finding out afterwards that nobody can get to it.

Choice 2

Board thickness: the difference you can't see in a photo

Less sagging

A thin board flexes when four people sit on one side or a child stands on the bench. A 4 cm board stays flat, even over two metres.

Less warping

Wood moves with moisture. The thinner the board, the more it crowns or cups. Thick boards keep their shape better. Why wood moves, you can read in how wood moves.

More wood to sand

You can sand a greyed top back to fresh wood. With a thick board you can safely do that a few times in the life of the table.

More mass against wind

A 55 kg table stays where you put it, even in an autumn storm.

KING or ROYAL KING?

Our KING tables have 4 cm boards, the ROYAL KING 4.5 cm. For a family garden, 4 cm is more than enough. The extra half centimetre pays off on the long 240 and 300 cm models and under heavy use: schools, hospitality, campsites.

Choice 3

Which wood for a picnic table

Outdoors Required maintenance Weight For whom
Pressure-treated spruce Protected against rot and fungi None · cleaning Two people can move it Most gardens, schools, hospitality
Douglas fir Naturally more durable than spruce None · cleaning Medium weight Those who want a warmer wood colour
Hardwood Excellent None · oil for the colour Heavy A permanent spot, long term
Untreated softwood Weak A lot, and still a short life Light Nobody, really

Why we build in pressure-treated spruce

In pressure treatment, the preservative is forced deep into the fibre under pressure. That gives you a table that stands outdoors for years without rotting away, and that can still be moved. The greenish tinge of new wood fades to a honey colour within a few months.

Hardwood and aluminium

If you want a table that stands in one spot for decades, look at hardwood picnic tables. If you want something light that is easy to move, there are aluminium picnic tables.

How long does it last?

A pressure-treated table with 4 cm boards usually lasts 10 to 15 years, and longer if the legs don't stand in water. What determines that lifespan, you can read in how long does a picnic table last? — and how to look after it in caring for wooden garden furniture.

Choices 4 and 5

Straight, square or round — and with or without a backrest

Straight

The classic, from 140 to 300 cm. Fits on a narrow patio and along a hedge, and scales most easily with the number of guests.

Square

Everyone can see everyone. Our square picnic tables measure 200 × 200 cm, or 265 × 265 cm for the XXL with four backrests. They need less length but more width.

Round

No head and no foot: ideal for company. The round picnic table with backrests measures 265 × 265 cm; for pre-schoolers there is a 120 cm round version.

With backrest

For those who stay seated after the meal. A bench without a back is fine for lunch, but for a long evening or for older guests a picnic table with backrest makes the difference. There are KING models with a backrest from 140 to 300 cm.

Why our benches don't fold

On a picnic table, the benches help carry the table. A hinge there is a wear point in the most heavily loaded place. That is why we build with fixed benches; if you want to store it away, choose a beer table. The whole story: folding benches: when it makes sense and when it doesn't. For a version with separate benches, where a wheelchair can pull up, read a picnic table for wheelchair users.

For the youngest and for large numbers

Children, schools and hospitality

Child-sized

Children's picnic tables are lower and narrower: the 90 cm Björn for the very youngest, the round 120 cm Jimmy and a 140 cm model for six children, both with a seat height of 28–30 cm — sized for pre-schoolers. Older children sit comfortably at an ordinary picnic table. All about the choice: choosing a children's picnic table.

Schools and local councils

In a playground, children climb on benches and sit on tables. There, a thick board is no luxury. For larger quantities there are 6-packs, and we deliver with our own transport.

Hospitality and campsites

Being able to go without maintenance is the argument here: pressure-treated spruce does not need to be treated. In public places, anchoring it to the ground is worth considering.

After you buy

Space, weight and accessories

KING 140 cm
± 40 kg
KING 180 cm
± 55 kg
KING 240 cm
± 65 kg
KING 300 cm
± 90 kg
ROYAL KING 300 cm
± 95 kg

Moving it is a two-person job — not just because of the weight, but because a two-metre table is awkward to hold on your own. So choose its final spot in advance.

Preferably don't put the legs where water collects: a few tiles under the legs work wonders. And retighten all bolts a month after delivery; wood settles.

A cover

Not needed to get through winter, but handy against green algae, leaf stains and bird droppings. Our PVC covers are made to fit our tables. Never put them over a wet table.

Seat cushions

For those who stay seated a long time: cushions for picnic tables in various lengths and colours. Bring them inside after use.

A parasol

Not every picnic table has a parasol hole. If it isn't mentioned with the product, ask us first — we advise against drilling a hole in the top yourself.

Quick answer

Frequently asked questions about picnic tables

What size picnic table do I need?

Allow about 60 cm of seat width per person. A 140 cm table seats 4 to 6 people, 180 cm seats 6, 240 cm seats 8 and 300 cm seats 10 to 12. On top of that, keep about 80 cm clear all round to sit down and get up.

What is the difference between KING and ROYAL KING?

The board thickness. KING tables have 4 cm boards, ROYAL KING tables 4.5 cm. That half centimetre means less sagging, especially on the long 240 and 300 cm models.

Which wood is best for a picnic table?

Pressure-treated spruce is the standard: protected against wood rot and fungi, sturdy and still movable. Hardwood lasts longer but is much heavier. Untreated softwood does not belong outdoors.

How heavy is a wooden picnic table?

A 180 cm KING weighs around 55 kg, a 300 cm table around 90 kg. That weight comes from the thick boards and is the reason the table doesn't blow over. Moving it is a two-person job.

Can a picnic table stay outdoors all year?

Yes. A pressure-treated picnic table is made to stay outdoors all year, in frost too. Preferably don't stand the legs in a puddle, and use a breathable cover if you want to avoid green algae and leaf stains.

More in The Wood Guide

Ready to choose

Know how many people need to sit at it? Then the rest is a matter of model.

KING picnic tables ROYAL KING picnic tables All picnic tables

Unsure about the size? Send us your patio dimensions — we're happy to help.

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