Picnic Table Benches Instructions

Picnic table benches will provide extra seats for unexpected guests.

It always is a good idea to have extra seating for outdoor events and gatherings. Sometimes the benches that are already built on a picnic table are not enough, and an extra bench may be needed for the extra guests. Picnic table benches are similar to many outdoor benches. They are made with treated pine, easy to build and are not time consuming to make. Anyone who hosts outdoor events should consider their seating capabilities.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• 2 Treated pine boards, 2-by-4-by-49 inches
• 5 Treated pine boards, 2-by-4-by-15 inches
• 4 Treated pine boards, 4-by-4-by-17 inches
• 3 Treated pine boards, 2-by-6-by-52 inches
• Treated pine board, 2-by-4-by-39 inches
• Screw gun
• 52 Wood screws, 3-inch

Instructions

1. Lay the 49-inch boards on edge, parallel and 15 inches apart. Lay two 15-inch boards on edge perpendicularly between them so they are 46 inches apart. Screw the 49-inch boards to the 15-inch boards so you have a 49-by-18-inch frame. All of the corners of the frame should be flush. Screw through the 24 1/2-inch centers of both 49-inch boards into the third 15-inch board. This 15-inch board should be secured in the middle of the frame, and on edge just as the rest of the boards. This board will provide support to the seat boards of the bench.

2. Position your 17-inch inch boards perpendicularly in each corner of the bench frame. The ends of the 17-inch boards should be flush with one side of the frame. Screw through the corners of the frame and into the 17-inch boards. These are the bench legs, and they need to be even for the bench to be even.

3. Lay the three 51-inch boards across top of the the frame so they are parallel with the 49-inch boards, with a 1-inch overhang on both 18-inch sides of the bench. Screw the 51-inch boards to the bench frame at this location, using two screws for each end of each board.

4. Screw a 15-inch board to each pair of legs that are 8 inches apart. The board should be placed between the legs and 5 inches below the 15-inch boards that are on the top of the frame. Screw through the 7.5-inch centers of the 15-inch boards and into the 39-inch board. The 39-inch board should be parallel with the 51-inch boards, and it's 4-by-39-inch sides should be perpendicular to the ground. These boards will provide support to the bench.

References

• Wayne of the Woods: Free Bench Seat Plan