They've Come A Long Way, Baby
If romps through city playgrounds are a vague memory, the mind's eye still sees picnic tables as large wood or steel rectangular tables with two benches attached. Picnic tables are so much more: they are round, octagonal, or square; seats are attached or not - and they come in a variety of colors. These tables are perfect for screened porches, gazebos, patios, and gardens. Evolution has taken picnic tables from deteriorating eyesores to rugged, stylish, and versatile seating fixtures.
Teak, Oak, and Pine
Teak is an expensive, exquisite wood that adapts to excessive temperatures; it's naturally waterproof and resists decay. A teak picnic table can be stained or left in its natural state. Western Red Cedar is extremely durable; natural oils make red cedar resistant to insects and decay. This kind of picnic table performs best when stained and sealed as part of a yearly maintenance plan, but for a rustic look, it can be allowed to weather naturally, untreated. Kiln-dried yellow pine can weather naturally, but is a softer wood that stands up best when treated. Maintenance of wood tables and benches often includes routine tightening of connecting bolts.
Recycled Plastic and Vinyl
Vinyl-coated pine picnic tables are high performers that require minimal maintenance. The combination of pine and high-density polyethylene resins creates an indestructible picnic table that comes in various colors and retains the look of wood. One of the toughest picnic tables on the market, able to withstand any weather extreme, is the galvanized steel table with a thermoplastic coating. Thermoplastic picnic tables (available in colors) are perfect for high- traffic areas. Recycled plastic picnic tables are durable, waterproof, and ecologically sound. Nothing short of a natural disaster will harm or alter the performance of this table.
Understated and Contemporary
Aluminum picnic tables are lightweight, resistant to year-round weather conditions, rusting, warping, bending, and cracking. If theft is a concern, or if high winds will be a repeated challenge, lightweight tables can be anchored. Aluminum maintenance involves soap and water cleanup. High-quality aluminum picnic table construction combines aluminum planks with a steel frame for a picnic table suitable for high-traffic public use, or for lunch and play dates for the toughest kids in the neighborhood.
