Seal or paint a picnic table?

[jinman]

I think Lowes and HD both have rough cedar 2x6 and 2x8 boards. I'd be tempted to build a table out of cedar and sand it down or power plane it so splinters wouldn't be a problem. Treated lumber on tables is CCA treated and the darn stuff likes to warp and twist. Regular lumber won't last. If you want wood, I'd give cedar a try: plain, stained, or sealed.

BTW: We have two folding picnic tables I really like because the seats and tops are high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic and they can be put away with my other folding tables. I don't have to leave them out in the weather. I see that Sam's Club has new models (a bit more expensive than mine, but I picked them up on sale at the store for around $140).

 

[Gator6x4]

One of my neighbors has some nice, not stained or painted outdoor furniture that he made. I asked him what kind of wood they were made of and he replied Cypress. He advised Cypress wood, would with stand exposure to the elements where other woods would not. He did advise the Cypress wood was somewhat pricey and added, of course you get what you pay for.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Originally was going to use pressure treated, but since tables will not be in direct weather, thought I'd use either pine or fir. Making 10 or 12 of them next weekend. The prototype was made using pressure treated, that stuff twisted pretty bad since I bought the lumber a few weeks before I made it. I'm changing the design to a single 2x10 for the seats, maybe 3 2x10's for the top, instead of the 2x6's used to prototype.

 

[Komrade]

Did you end up painting your tables? how long did it last?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Dejavu,
Most were stained, a couple still bare. They are kept indoors usually.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Here is one being stained.

 

[bigtiller]

I built mine in '79 with treated 2x10's and after it sat outside for a year I painted it.

Never again!

Paint it once and then paint it for the rest of it's life.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Can’t believe it’s been 10 yrs.

The tables are stored inside standing on one end, and when we need them we wheel them out using a hand truck. Very easy to move

 

[Komrade]

I painted my pressure treated tables about 5yrs ago, paint deteriorated, mushrooms grew, and tables literally started falling apart. The all wood tables have weak points of where wood touches and never dries.
This year I got galvanized steel frames, will put untreated wood on them and paint with latex paint. Stain seems too much work and $$$. I did start moving tables out of elements for winter, but too late for old batch.
Barn red latex paint is 25 per gallon.
My use is semi-commercial (camping)

 

[Komrade]

Never again!

Paint it once and then paint it for the rest of it's life.

wouldn't u need to retain even more frequently?