Seventeen years ago, general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O’Connor worked together to build a sturdy picnic table for the Ask This Old House crew. After nearly two decades of daily use, that original table has seen better days. Now the pair are teaming up again to build a newer, more robust replacement—one that’s built to last another 17 years and beyond.
This isn’t your typical lightweight picnic table. Tom’s design features a solid five-board top, heavy-duty A-frame legs, and integrated benches that provide seating for the entire crew. The construction combines kiln-dried lumber for the tabletop and benches (which won’t warp or twist) with pressure-treated lumber for the leg assembly (which can handle ground contact and moisture). The result is a table that’s both functional and built to withstand the rigors of a working job site.
See the previous picnic table build: How to Build a Picnic Table
Rough Cut List
This is a cut list based on Tom’s specific table design. If you adjust angles or dimensions, your measurements will vary.
Tabletop:
- 5 boards: 2×8 KD, 96 inches long
Tabletop Cleats:
- 3 cleats: 2×4 KD, 36 inches long with 20-degree beveled ends
Leg Assembly:
- 4 legs: 2×6 PT, 31 ½ inches long with 25-degree cuts on each end
- 1 cross brace: 2×6 PT, 72 ¾ inches long with roughly 20-degree cuts on each end
- 2 diagonal braces: 2×4 KD, cut to fit
Benchtops:
- 4 boards: 2×8 KD, 96 inches long
Benchtop Cleats:
- 6 cleats: 2×4 KD, 13 inches long with 20-degree beveled ends
How to Build a Picnic Table
Step 1: Prepare the Tabletop
Start by selecting and arranging your five 2×8 boards for the tabletop. Place them side by side on sawhorses, checking each board to find its best face (look for minimal knots and a clean surface). Face the best side down—remember, you’re working upside down, so what’s facing you now will be the underside of the finished table.
Step 2: Mark Cleat Locations
Measure the full length of the boards and divide by two to find the center point. Mark this centerline across all boards. From this center mark, measure 1 ¾ inches to each side (creating a 3 ½-inch space for your 2×4 cleat). Using your T-square, extend these lines across all five boards.
Repeat this process 16 inches from each end of the table—these will be your outer cleats. You should now have three sets of parallel lines marked across your tabletop boards.
Step 3: Attach the Cleats
Run a generous bead of outdoor construction adhesive between each set of lines—this adds strength and helps prevent the boards from cupping over time. Position your 2×4 cleats (with beveled ends) centered between the lines
Drive 2 ½-inch multi-purpose screws through the cleats into each board. Work methodically across each cleat to keep everything tight and aligned.
Step 4: Square the Ends
The factory ends of your lumber may not be perfectly square. Using a track saw with a guide rail (or a circular saw with a straightedge), trim both ends of the assembled tabletop to create clean, square edges. This gives your table a professional finish.
Pro Tip: A track saw makes this job much easier and delivers cleaner cuts than trying to guide a circular saw freehand across five boards.
Step 5: Mark the First Leg
Place one 2×6 pressure-treated board on your sawhorses.
Using your speed square, mark a 25-degree angle near one end. This angled cut creates the distinctive splayed legs that make the table stable.
Step 6: Calculate the Leg Height
The top of the finished table should sit at 30 inches (standard dining height). Since your tabletop is 1 ½ inches thick, the legs need to be 28 ½ inches long.
Here’s where precision matters: align your framing square with the 25-degree line you just drew. Holding it carefully in place, extend your tape measure along the opposite edge of the framing square and mark the leg at 28 ½ inches. Use your speed square to draw another 25-degree line at this mark—this creates parallel angle cuts that will sit flat on both the ground and the underside of the table.
Step 7: Mark the Cross Brace Position
The benches should sit 17 inches from the ground (standard bench height). From your first 25-degree mark at the bottom of the leg, place your framing square along that line and measure up 15 ½ inches (accounting for the 1½-inch bench thickness). Mark this point and draw a 25-degree line—this indicates where the top edge of your cross brace will attach.
Don’t cut this middle line; it’s just a reference mark for assembly.
Step 8: Cut the Legs
Using your circular saw with the speed square as a cutting guide, carefully cut both angled ends of the leg.
Make sure your saw is set to 90 degrees—you’re cutting through the board at an angle, but the blade itself should be perpendicular to the face. Use this first leg as a template to mark and cut the remaining three legs identically.
Step 9: Attach the Legs
With the tabletop still upside down on the sawhorses, apply outdoor construction adhesive to the angled top of each leg. Position the legs against the outside faces of the end cleats, making sure the tops are flush with the bottom of the tabletop.
Drive screws through the cleats into the legs to secure them.
Step 10: Install the Cross Brace
The cross brace ties the A-frame together and supports the benches. Position the 2×6 cross brace so its top edge aligns with the reference marks you made on all four legs. Temporarily secure it with a few screws.
For permanent attachment, drill two 3/8-inch holes through each leg where it meets the cross brace—these holes should go through the leg, through the cross brace, and out the other side.
Tap 5-inch carriage bolts through the holes (the square neck under the bolt head will pull into the wood to ensure the bolt won’t turn as it’s tightened), add a washer and hex nut on the opposite side, and tighten securely with a socket wrench. These bolts create a mechanical connection that can handle years of stress.
Step 11: Add Diagonal Braces
The diagonal braces prevent side-to-side movement and will keep the table stable.
Rather than calculating complex angles, use a direct measuring technique: place a 2×4 board on the center cleat and on top of the cross brace. Hold your speed square against the cross brace and mark the angle where the 2×4 intersects it.
Flip the speed square around and mark the angle where it meets the center cleat. Measure the angle with your speed square, set your circular saw to match, and make both cuts. This brace should fit snugly between the cleat and cross brace.
Attach the brace with construction screws at both ends, then repeat the process for the opposite side.
Step 12: Build the Benches
Flip the table upright onto its legs—you may want a helper for this
Build each bench section using 2×8 boards laid edge-to-edge. Following the same technique as the tabletop, attach three 2×4 cleats across the width using construction adhesive and screws. The cleats should be positioned to land directly over the cross brace when installed, plus one at each end.
Position each bench section on the cross brace, centered along its length. Drive 4-inch deck screws down through the bench cleats into the cross brace below. These longer screws provide the strength needed to support people sitting on the benches.
Finishing Touches
Your table is now structurally complete. Consider applying an exterior wood stain or sealant to protect the kiln-dried lumber from moisture and UV damage, though the pressure-treated leg assembly will weather naturally. Allow any finish to dry completely before use.
Materials
- (9) 2x8x8 kiln-dried lumber
- (4) 2x6x8 pressure-treated lumber
- (3) 2x4x8 kiln-dried lumber
- Heavy-duty outdoor construction adhesive
- Multi-purpose wood screws (2 ½ in.)
- Deck screws (4 in.)
- Carriage bolts (3/8 in. x 5 in.) with washers and hex nuts
