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A face-to-face picnic table for two — one shared seat frame and a cantilevered top on angled legs, sized for a balcony, small patio, or morning coffee for a couple.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outer tabletop supports Optional dog-eared corners. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 23 1/2" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Inner tabletop supports | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 26" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Tabletop boards | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 32" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Back legs Both ends cut at 30° off square, ends parallel. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 32 7/8" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Seat back stringer | 1 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 60" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Seat supports | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 24 1/2" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Seat front stringers | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 11 1/2" | 2x4 | ☐ |
| Seat boards | 4 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 32" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Front legs Both ends cut at 30° off square, ends parallel. | 2 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 19" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Tabletop cross support Both ends beveled 45°, ends NOT parallel. This brace is what makes the cantilevered top rigid. | 1 | 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" × 21 3/4" | 2x6 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 2x4, 10 ft Frames and stringers. | 2 each | ☐ |
| 2x6, 10 ft Top, seats, and legs. Pick straight ones — the legs are cut from these. | 4 each | ☐ |
| Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive | 75 each | ☐ |
| Exterior wood stain Penetrating, deck- or fence-rated. | 1 qt | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Circular Saw, Drill / Driver, Speed Square. Materials: 2x4, 10 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Screw the two inner supports between the two outer supports — 2-1/2" screws, two per joint. If you want the softened look, mark dog-ear cuts on the outer corners with a speed square and take them off with the circular saw now, while the frame is easy to handle.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: 2x6, 10 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Lay the four 2x6 top boards across the frame — ends flush with the outer supports, 1-1/2" overhang each side, gaps evened out. Screw down.
Set the gaps with spacers (a stack of washers works) rather than by eye; four boards make any drift obvious.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x6, 10 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Screw the two long 30° legs to the tabletop supports, three screws per joint. The parallel 30° ends mean the leg leans while both the floor end and the frame end sit flush — orient both legs leaning the same direction.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Speed Square. Materials: 2x4, 10 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Assemble the seat frame — the 60" back stringer, the two seat supports, and the two short front stringers. Same screws, same optional dog-ears on the exposed corners, which here sit right at calf height.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 2x6, 10 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Screw the four seat boards to the seat frame with even gaps, then attach the two short 30° front legs.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Tape Measure. Materials: Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive
Stand the tabletop assembly and seat assembly together — this is the have-a-helper step, or back the pieces against a wall. Check that the seat is level, the top is level, and the long stringer is seated tight against the table structure. Adjust until all three are true.
Then commit: 2-1/2" screws, four per joint. Everything about how this table sits is decided right here.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: 2x6, 10 ft, Exterior screws, 2-1/2", self-tapping, star drive, Exterior wood stain
Fit the 45°-beveled 2x6 cross support under the tabletop. Screw through the sides of the tabletop supports into it, and from the back side of the stringer into the end of the tabletop support.
This brace closes the structural triangle — push down hard on the table's front edge before and after installing it and you'll feel exactly what it does. Sand everything, ease the edges, and stain.