Long Picnic Table (8-Foot)

Stain every board on sawhorses and let it dry before you cut a thing. Fifteen boards flat in the driveway beats one assembled table with sixty inside corners — and stain reaching the future joint faces is real rot protection, not just convenience. Cut ends and tops get a touch-up coat at the end.

Lay two legs and one table support flat, top edges flush, leg feet at the correct spread, and screw with three screws and glue per joint. Slip 2x4 scraps under the legs so everything lies level while you drive — A-frame parts don't sit flat unaided, and this cheap trick is the difference between joints that align and joints that argue.

Flip, position the seat support, screw with three per joint. Build all three sets as clones.

Mark the centers of the seat and table supports. Run one 15° cross brace from an end leg set to the middle set, centered, top edges flush; repeat from the other end to the middle. The braces triangulate the whole undercarriage — the reason this table won't rack when ten people sit down at once.

Set the first two 2x6s on the table supports — side edges flush with the support ends, overhanging each end of the table by 1-1/2" (a 2x4 scrap held vertical is exactly the right gauge). Two screws per board per support.

Then fill in the remaining top boards with even gaps. Uncut 8-foot boards mean the ends are factory-straight — enjoy the one part of the build with no sawdust.

Screw the seat boards to the seat supports the same way — two per joint, even gaps. Sand any raw spots, then run the touch-up coat over tops, seats, and every cut end.

Then invite too many people over on purpose. The middle legs have you covered.