You CAN use pine, it just may take more maintenance. It’s also a softer wood, so keep that in mind.

Don’t use varnish, use a sealer. If this is going to be stained, then you want a urethane finish, with UV resistance/blocking (like a marine spar urethane). Coat ALL the sides of the wood, including underneath. (I would apply the finish before assembling all the parts, myself).

I’d suggest using nuts/bolts instead of screws/lag bolts when possible, and avoid using any nails at all. Keep in mind wood’s need for expansion and contraction…different woods will change size by different amounts, bottom line is you don’t want any of your boards to split later.

Personally, I’d lean towards Fir as a low cost alternative to pine…but if I wanted the picnic table to last a lifetime, I’d go with a more expensive wood with natural oils in it, like Redwood, Cedar, or Teak (Teak would be my choice, with a nice oil finish – it would require annual maintenance with a new coat of oil, but would far outlast anything else). Naturally, if you’re going to invest in a quality wood, you don’t want to waste it by using a poor design. A good design can make all the difference, even when using a material with a shorter life span.

Be picky about the wood you choose. Avoid splits, checks, twists, warp, etc.

If you plan on painting the table, then I’d recommend using Poplar, which is actually a ‘hardwood’. It has a tighter wood grain, and takes paint/stain very well, yet is still easy to tool. Poplar often has a light cream color, with a hint of green, and can also have streaks of green, or purple in it. The color variation can be a challenge to work with, for the first-timer, hehehe.

I’d look at Fir, Poplar, then Oak, and my prime choices would be Redwood, or Teak… yes, they cost more but will also last longer. I would avoid using any kind of treated lumber for a picnic table, because of the chemicals used to ‘treat’ the lumber. I don’t mind using treated lumber when building an outdoor structure, such as a porch, or carport, but I wouldn’t want to be sitting on it. Treated lumber also tends to have more splits/cracks, warps and twists. I’d prefer to spend a little more, and get a better quality product, even if I have to do a little more work. I’d use Fir, and apply a good water sealer to it myself, before using treated lumber.

If you want to make a picnic table ‘fast and cheap’, then purchase a pair of metal legs, and just use fir lumber for the table slats. You can even use folding legs, to make it easy to store. Again, seal the lumber with a good water sealer, or marine urethane.

Have Fun

Use an old door that you can pick up at any thrift shop. May need to be sanded. You can leave it as a natural finish, or put a outdoor sealer on it. If you want to jazz it up, get an outdoor house paint to give it some style, then apply a waterproof sealer.

You used to be to go to the electric power mob and they have all sizes of timber, drums, they had the power cable rolled on them turn it on it’s side and presto one outdoor table we used one and it lasted years , they have a hole in the middle you can stick your umberella in. Pickup some cheap stools at the Op. shop sit down and enjoy a nice chilled wine You can buy a small sheet of ext. ply and nail it to the top if you want it fancy. Good luck Finish it with a couple of coats of Linseed Oil Or Needsford Oil

Tim,I went to a fishing slpupy store and bought a rod case. It is basically a PVC pipe with canvas covering. shoulder strap, zippers and padding at the ends. My carbon fiber Gitzo is about six inches shorter, so I extend two legs just the right amount and close it tightly.Cheap, strong, and so far, no hassles at security or from flight attendants. I’ve even had it stored vertically in the coat closet or behind the last row of seats for me.Steve