Another really neat thing about the separate benches is that when you pull the bench away, you actually have a “mini picnic table” that you can use if there are kids around. Just sits the kids on the ground and use the bench as a table.

As usual we can make the picnic table with benches separate model in either spruce or cedar, your choice. The price chart is shown below. Please allow a day or two in order to build this one for you.

Cedar Picnic Table With Separate Benches Price (Calgary):
6 Foot Picnic Table $495.00
8 Foot Picnic Table $555.00

Spruce Picnic Table With Separate Benches Price (Calgary):
6 Foot Picnic Table $330.00
8 Foot Picnic Table $377.00

1) Cedar is incredibly awesome (smells great, looks great)
2) It is cost effective and the math makes sense.
3) You don’t need to treat it for a great life span.
4) Not many people have one…. (so you can brag

Normal spruce tables have to be treated anywhere from yearly to every 5 years to stay in shape. Having done table treatments when I first started, I can tell you it’s an awful time.

Now consider that an unfinished cedar table can last you up to 20 years with 10-15 years being pretty normal around Calgary. Add up the time involved in staining a table, the cost of stain and supplies and all the chemical dirtiness…. why wouldn’t you just pay the extra $100 and never have to worry about it again?

Lets not forget the beautiful smell of cedar and the natural shading to grey it takes on as it ages. It really is a beautiful wood.

You don’t need to treat our Calgary Cedar picnic tables with chemicals for preservation. ? There are natural oils in the wood that aid in giving Cedar a longer life. That makes our cedar picnic tables 100% cost and labor free — YOU, don’t need to do a thing. Our cedar picnic tables are naturally resistant to rot, decay, and insects.

How Can That Be? Well, the cool thing about cedar wood is that cedar wood contains oils that act as natural preservatives that help the wood resist the fungi that rot wood, and the insects that like to eat wood.  These are the same oils that give cedar its beautiful smell. That smell that us humans like so much… insects just happen to hate as an added bonus.

So how will a cedar picnic table age? Over time the fresh cut cedar color will start to silver out. The wood grain will raise a little over time, and you’ll see it better. Cedar wood lies flat and stays straight, the only downside is end grain surface cracks on drying.

So in the end if you get a cedar picnic table, you may pay a few extra bucks but you definitely get what you pay for minus the chemicals and time wasted getting dirty staining the bugger!

Cedar Picnic Table Price (Calgary):
6 Foot Picnic Table $425.00
8 Foot Picnic Table $475.00

Let’s talk about the six foot picnic table first. I personally like these tables the best of all the ones I build. Because of the shorter length, they are stronger and more sturdy. They also are a lot easier to move around which is something to consider if you like to follow the sun in your back yard.

Another thing about the six foot picnic tables is that I find them to be higher quality in general. Quality in the sense of wood condition. When I build a six foot picnic table I start with 8 foot long 2×6’s. This means that when I cut each piece of wood down, I get to choose where I cut from. Because of this I can cut off split, checked and generally damaged ends. Same goes for the fact that sometimes, staples are driven quite deep into the wood.

In addition to the above facts, the amount of lumber used in the six foot table goes a long way. Because of how the cuts work. When I build a six foot table, I am left with 9 two foot pieces. Those pieces can be used for the legs on my next table. Maybe as a consumer that doesn’t matter so much to you but it’s once of the reasons I like the smaller tables as well.

So what about the eight foot? Well, the eight foot is elegant and inspiring in size and makes you think of great summer days and big family gatherings. When I build and eight foot table, I always think about the great times someone is going to have with all their family or close friends gathered around, enjoying great food.

As a builder, the eight foot might take more lumber but if you are making lots of tables it is the easiest to build. The profit margin is down a tad but the speed of build is much faster because you have nine less cuts to make.

So the final word? I think in the end that if you just want a nice, pretty picnic table to put in the back yard then I would go with the six foot picnic table. Especially is space is a priority in your yard or on your deck. However, if you are getting a table for a staff area, large family or social gathering then the eight foot table offers the most seating capacity.

The last point to talk about is the staining. While the size of the table makes no difference to this decision, it still needs to be made when you buy your picnic table regardless of size. From the moment you get a picnic table and put it outside, the elements are going to start chipping away at it. For an extra couple of dollars you can buy some stain and waterproofing and spend an afternoon getting a tan and taking care of your new purchase. If that’s not your cup of tea, a few extra dollars more and your builder will be more than happy to do it for you. After all, if you like handcrafted furniture… you want to keep that wood pretty.

If you are looking to build your own picnic table, check out these picnic table plans.

Why would you want me to do this for you? Well, when I first started doing this, I ran a clock on it to see just how long it would take to stain a picnic table. It takes at a minimum… 3 HOURS! Add to that clean up and preparation time, sticky hands, ruined clothes and protecting your investment. So it just kind of makes sense

Now if you get a sunny day and want to make a family afternoon out of it… then have at ‘er! I leave the tables clean and natural unless specifically asked to stain them for you.

Cost of staining table with your choice of color: $75

PLEASE NOTE: We no longer stain or paint picnic tables. Thankyou for your understanding.