Rectangular Picnic Tables

Those are standard lenghts for tables everywhere, maybe????

-- Bob in WW ~ "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence

Good Job

-- E J ------- Always Keep a Firm Grip on Your Tool

Pj, Six and eight footers are standard because that’s how long most pickup beds are. When you make the table longer you will have a span issue with the seat because of the distance between the legs from one end to the other. Ther are a couple ways to skin that cat. One being to put a joist beneath the seat from
stretcher to stretcher (the board that crosses the legs and you screw the seat to). The other is to add a board across the end grain of the top. This board is attached ether mortise & tenon or I tried the Kreg screws this last year on a couple that I built. This will allow you to place the legs closer to the center of the table reducing the span. Pic below, I did add a pressure block beneath the ends of the seat back to the stretcher for a sag factor so the big ones can sit out on the end.

Not the best picture, I took it with my cell phone but I think you can still see the boards across the end of the top. BTW use 8 – 2 1/2” x 5/8” lag screws to fasten the stretchers to the legs. If you use through bolts you have to cut off the bolt threads that stick out past the nuts so you don’t scatch you legs on them.

-- Darrell, making more sawdust than I know what to do with

Great looking table.

I have planned to put a strong back on the bench portion for extra support. This should reduce the deflection as you indicated due to expanse between the legs. A similar strong back would be added on the overhang so that I could move the legs a bit closer to the center. Trying to end up with about 19” overhang should the customer wish wheel chair access at one or both ends. Bench cross ties/stretchers and legs sizes would be bumped up in size to handle the expected load and an excellent suggestion that you made was the extra table top ties to reduce warp and twisting at ends.

Really appreciate the input and ideas.
Thanks

-- Respectfully, Paul

Sounds like you have your answer for building but another reason the stores generally only carry 6’ to 8’ tables is that 1) They are a better size to work into palletized shipping logistics and 2) They are more employee/stocking friendly from a weight and size perspective. In short, big heavy oddball sizes don’t fit the workflow of mass retail systems.

Oh yes, and the typical family doesn’t need a table that big. They carry what sells.

I’ve seen massive tables at public picnic shelters around here. I think some must be pushing 20 feet. 4×6 legs, 3 or 4 leg sets, that kind of beast!

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