You have purchased a set of picnic table plans.
Now, what lumber do you construct it in? Have a look at the outdoor furniture that you have at the moment.
What is the deck constructed of? What is your house constructed of? Do you want to have the same theme on your patio? It looks fantastic if you have a cedar house for instance to have cedar decks and cedar outdoor furniture.
You can use whatever you like.
You may have some exotic imported lumber that you would like to use.
All you need to do is check it out with a specialist in timber varieties to see if it is going to be strong enough and that it is not going to split, warp, shrink or rot.
The following are some of the most common types of lumber you could use for your table.
Ponderosa Pine This is one of the most common timbers to be used in the construction industry in the States.
It is also known as Western Yellow Pine, British Columbian Soft Pine, Californian Soft Pine and Bull Pine.
Its primary growth areas are western States and Western Canada.
It is a soft wood that is very easy to work with and has a huge number of uses including framing, panelling and furniture.
Cabinetmakers and woodworkers appreciate the wood's uniform cell structure, scarcity of resin pockets, and resistance to splitting.
Finished parts fit together snugly without binding.
The lumber is easy to work with either hand or machine tools and converts readily into fine mouldings and cabinet work.
Ponderosa Pine can be treated for above-ground or in-ground contact.
The waterborne preservatives leave a clean, dry, odorless surface ready to be painted or stained.
It is readily and widely available.
Treated Ponderosa Pine is used for fences, planters, storage sheds, play structures, decking, deck railings, benches and other outdoor projects like picnic tables.
Douglas Fir Also known as Oregon Pine, British Columbian Pine or Red Fir.
Douglas Fir is North America's most plentiful softwood species, accounting for one fifth of the continent's total softwood reserves.
Its characteristics are dense, hard, stiff, durable and strong although it can tend to split when nailing close the the ends.
For versatility and beauty, few woods in the world match the magnificence of Douglas Fir.
It has a variety of uses.
It is not only used widely for structural framing but also joists, planks, large beams, decking, posts and interior and exterior finishes.
It is used as furniture, indoor and outdoor including picnic tables, It is also used in bridges and sleepers for railway tracks.
It is usually pressure treated for underground or water use.
If you have Douglas Fir decks and or Douglas Fir exterior, then patio furniture in Douglas will maintain the look.
Redwood There is something about Redwood that stirs an emotional response.
Quality landscape architecture requires building materials that are beautiful and long-lasting.
Materials need to withstand environmental elements yet retain their symmetry and aesthetic purpose.
Redwood is amongst the best.
Redwood has qualities not found in other woods.
Redwood performance characteristics include resistance to shrinking, warping and checking in addition to durability.
This means redwood projects age beautifully.
Decks, fences shelters and outdoor furniture made with redwood simply look better ten, fifteen and twenty years after construction.
Redwood heartwood has grown-in resistance to decay and insects Even the wood exposed through sawing, boring or nailing is as decay-resistant as the surface.
Cedar The common cedar in North America is the Western Red Cedar or British Columbia Cedar.
It is another softwood which when left exposed becomes a silver grey.
It seasons with little shrinkage and is extremely stable under changes in moisture content.
It has exceptional resistance to decay and is very light making it great for boat building.
It is also great for weatherboards, outdoor furniture, decking, fencing, spa pools and saunas.
Teak Teak is a tropical hardwood tree native to the south and southeast of Asia, and is commonly found as a component of monsoon forest vegetation.
They are large trees, growing to 30-40 m tall, deciduous in the dry season.
Much of the world's teak is exported by Indonesia and Myanmar.
It is one of the most valuable of all hardwoods because of its outstanding properties.
It is durable, strong, stable and resistant to moisture fire and decay.
The timber is used in the manufacture of outdoor furniture, boat decks, and other articles where weather resistance is desired.
It is also used for indoor flooring and as a veneer for indoor furnishings.
Oak The Oak has a huge number of different species and is found in many countries around the world.
The common one in North America is the American White Oak.
It is a hardwood and a slow grower.
The wood is strong, stiff, hard and resistant to abrasion, shock loads and decay.
It is used for flooring, doors, furniture, panelling and wine barrels.
At the end of the day the choice is yours.
Treated Pine will be the most readily available and probably the most cost effective and look great.
On the other hand a Teak picnic table on a Teak deck would be spectacular.