Do you love hosting outdoor picnics? We do, too! These Picnic Table and Benches are essential pieces of outdoor furniture so that families and friends can relax out in the yard or other outdoor areas to share a meal and refreshments, play games, and enjoy a much needed catching-up.
Picnic tables are an essential piece of outdoor furniture so that families and friends can relax out in the yard or other outdoor area and have a meal, play games, or have some drinks. These tables aren’t just for picnicking. The seats are almost always built right into the table itself, making it quite convenient to move around as you please. They come in all shapes and sizes and materials so you can get the perfect picnic table at a very affordable price.
Why a Picnic Table?
There are so many reasons to have one, it’d be much easier to list reasons to not have one. And, those reasons will only exist because of personal preference or other subjective reasoning. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that there is no good reason to own a picnic table. That’s pretty reasonable.
But, why not just have a normal outdoor table and some chairs?
That’s not a bad idea, but whole sets are far more expensive and are more to maintain. More parts equal more potential problems. A picnic table has a considerably basic design that utilizes the least amount of material possible to achieve the goal of providing 2+ people with a place to eat and sit. They’ve been a convenience for hundreds of years for a very good reason.
Styles of Tables
Most picnic tables are going to be very similar. Two benches are going to run parallel with the table. But companies have evolved the style of the picnic table so that everyone can find a unique piece for their backyard. The simplest styles are going to have flat wooden boards for the benches and the table without any other features. The evolution of picnic tables has given us some upgrades that make it so much better, though. Some offer curved picnic table benches for better comfort, especially when sitting for longer periods. Some can actually fold up so that they can be stowed away in a shed or garage when they aren’t being used. Picnic table builders have also been utilizing the middle part of the table to insert all kinds of things, like boxes that hold plants like fresh herbs and spices. These boxes can be used for holding ice for drinks and can be used to hold up larger plates of food for everyone to pass around. It’s common to find a Lazy Susan in the middle of a table, too.
Rectangular Picnic Tables – These are the best when it comes to entertaining large groups of people where guests can eat or chat, or play games without elbowing each other.
Square Picnic Tables – These are more intimate and usually seats four people at its smallest. It can be used for romantic outdoor dinners for two or when you have a few family members.
Round Picnic Tables – Like the square table, round tables are more geared towards smaller groups. The advantage of square tables is that it takes up less space.
Umbrella Table – Some picnic tables come with a hole on the surface for umbrellas. This is a feature that’s worth considering if you plan on using it for summer parties where it can provide shade to make your guests more comfortable.
Kids Picnic Table – Because you want to make all your guests happy, you will want to consider a kid-sized picnic table for your guest’s children. These are shorter and smaller making it comfortable for children to climb and sit on.
Different Sizes
Picnic tables aren’t just one size, thankfully. Remember thanksgiving when you were young? There was probably a ‘kid’s table’ for the younger ones so that they could eat comfortably on a table that suites their smaller size. As stated before, picnic tables can be used for many things, including ones that are made for kids, and not just to eat at, but to draw and color on as well. Those sizes will usually be found to be made of either plastic or sometimes wood.
For the grownups, the regular backyard picnic table will seat 4-6 people comfortably. They are mostly made of a good outdoor wood like teak, cedar, or pine, but any wood can be used as long as it has a good outdoor sealant on it. You’ll want that protection of it sits outdoors all year long. For larger tables, you can also scoot some separate chairs up to the ends.
If you need even more room, you can find some really big picnic tables that’ll seat 8 or more. Although, most manufacturers don’t make comically large ones, so you’re could just buy two picnic tables if you need to seat more people.
Wooden Picnic Tables
If you want the setup in your lawn to be reminiscent of the times spent in the park, then wooden picnic tables are a good choice. Wood usually goes with anything so this is will match your existing outdoor furniture. Yellow pine, western red cedar and teak are just some of the choice of materials you can choose from if you are bent on getting a wooden picnic table. Keep in mind that wooden picnic tables will require maintenance like sanding, sealing and oiling if you want to maintain the wood’s natural finish. Putting on a table cloth during parties can help minimize stains and spills on the surface of the wood.
