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Hexagon Picnic Table

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Submitted by Ana White on Mon, 03/14/2011 - 00:26
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A hexagon shaped picnic table. Features six large bench seats and round top, updating the casual classic into a more user-friendly backyard fav!

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Ana's Adirondack Collection

I know spring is already here for many of you, so it seems fitting on this day that we spring forward that I should deliver on the long promised round picnic table.

I am so happy to publish these plans, because I've made my greatest effort to simplify the design and make it as easy to build as possible. And I hope that effort enables someone to be able to build this table, and ultimately, to use it for summer barbeques.

And a little update on the move, we are so close to moving over the forum and a few other things, but most plans should be here! I do have a few plans from March and Community Contributed Plans to update and publish, but for the most part, the content that is on our blog is now on our site! For those of you holding a hammer in your hand, midway through a project, I encourage you to take a second and bookmark the plan location on the new site. We plan to move the domain (with this site becoming Ana-White.com) on Friday, so you have a little time, but do make sure you have full access to plans that you are working on (either on the new site or printed out or saved) in the event that the move has any problems.

And I can also tell you that I've been working very hard at planning a great celebration, complete with lots and lots of giveways all week long! I'm so excited, but we haven't quite nailed down (pun is not intended) all the details just yet. Stay tuned, I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I can!

Thank you once again for your great patience with this move. I hope you take a second, if you haven't already, to look around, and let me know if we can do anything to make your life easier, and to enable you to spend less time browsing the site and more time building!

Enjoy this picnic table!

UPDATE: One of our readers built this table and felt it could use a little more leg room. He suggested extending out the seat boards by 4" all the way around, and removing the inner seat board and adding a seat board to the outside to increase leg room.

Dimensions
Dimensions are shown above.

Preparation

Shopping List

9 - 2x4 @ 8 feet long
12 - 2x6 @ 8 feet long

Common Materials
2 1/2 inch screws
2-1/2" Pocket Hole Screws
Elmer's Wood Glue
Elmer's Wood Filler
120 grit sandpaper
primer
wood conditioner
paint
paint brush
Cut List

3 - 2x4 @ 26 1/2" (Longest points - one end @ 30 degrees off square and the other end coming to a beveled 30 degree point - see step 1)
3 - 2x4 @ 25 11/16" (Longest points - one end @ 30 degrees off square and the other end coming to a beveled 30 degree point - see step 1)
3 - 2x4 @ 40" (Longest points - one end @ 30 degrees off square and the other end coming to a beveled 30 degree point - see step 1)
3 - 2x4 @ 39 1/8" (Longest points - one end @ 30 degrees off square and the other end coming to a beveled 30 degree point - see step 1)
6 - 2x6 @ 6 3/8" (Longest points - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square NOT parallel to each other)
6 - 2x6 @ 13 1/4" (Longest points - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square NOT parallel to each other)
6 - 2x6 @ 20 1/8" (Longest points - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square NOT parallel to each other)
6 - 2x6 @ 27" (Longest points - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square NOT parallel to each other)
6 - 2x6 @ 33 7/8" (Longest points - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square NOT parallel to each other)
6 - 2x6 @ 40 3/4" (Longest points - both ends cut at 30 degrees off square NOT parallel to each other)
6 - 2x4 scraps @ 12" (Blocking)
6 - 2x4 @ 33" (Both ends cut at 30 degrees off square, Parallel to each other)

Cutting Instructions

When you cut your boards, try to flip the boards around to minimize waste and take advantage of cuts you already made at the same angle. Cut longest boards first.

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Hammer
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Kreg Jig
Drill
Miter Saw
Power Sander
Level
Drill Bit Set
General Instructions

Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold. Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good luck!

Instructions

Step 1

The support boards need to be cut very carefully as shown above. Since you've already cut the board to the longest point, start by just chopping one end off at 30 degrees off square. Then bevel the opposite end to a point as shown above. You will need to cut all 12 support boards in this manner.

Step 2

Start with the longer of the top support boards, and attach together as shown above. If you do not have a Kreg Jig™, you can use hardware, but only place the hardware on the bottom side (the shorter measurements) as the top will have tabletop boards.

Step 3

Then fill in the remainder of the points as shown above. Again, you will need either pocket holes or brackets on the base.

Step 4

Add the tabletop boards as shown above. It is recommended that you cut your boards to fit, rather than based off given measurements. The gaps between the boards should be 1/2". Use 2 1/2" Screws and glue.

Step 5

Step 6

And add the seat boards as you did the tabletop boards.

Step 7

Prop the seat support system up over the tabletop on the 12" scrap blocks. Make sure that the centers of the seat and the tabletop match exactly.

Step 8

Mark all the tabletop support boards 8" from the outside. Attach a leg board as shown above to the tabletop supports with 2 1/2" screws and glue. Do this on all six legs, one leg per support.

Step 9

Then screw the legs into the seat supports as shown above. At least three screws per leg. Use glue. This completes the table, you can remove the blocks and flip the table over and finish and use!

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth.

It is always recommended to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed.
Help Improve This Plan

We apologize if there was an error in this plan. Please help us out and report any errors here.

Project Type
Dining Table Plans
Outdoor Projects
Room
Outdoor
Style
Cottage Style Furniture Plans

Comments

Ana White

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 00:29

Also put together the plans for the eight sides, 8 foot wide table, if anyone is interested, give a holler and I'll put the plans together for you.

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 15:19

Hi Ana - Love your plans and really digging the new site! :) I would love your plans for the 8-ft octagonal table as we have quite a large family and really need a bigger table. Thanks. Ashley - TX

Guest (not verified)

Tue, 07/26/2011 - 09:34

We would also love the plans for the octagon, but would like to build it around a tree. Do you have plans for that? Thank you so much. Cheryl

Mrs. Brimmer

Sun, 09/28/2014 - 21:57

Ana,

I am a preschool teacher and I would love to have either a hexagonal or octagonal (or both) shaped picnic table in my classrooms garden area. Can you send plans for both tables? The ages of the children are 3-6. I loved the plans that I saw on your website for the adult sized table and saw where many others asked about plans for a child sized version. I can't wait to see the child-sized plans. Would it be possible to have a hole in the center for an umbrella?"

Thanx Debra Brimmer

(An excited Montessori teacher in San Antonio, Texas)

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 01:11

I would like the plans to the octagonal table... Thank you.

Guest (not verified)

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 05:15

I cannot wait to put this together this summer! It will be perfect for our huge barbecues and bonfires we do in the summer and fall.

whitney_smith

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 05:34

I really like this. I would really like to be able to have an umbrella hole in the center. If I framed for that in the center, would it still be sturdy enough? Hmm.. Something to think about.

Ana White

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 10:33

Whitney, I also considered this when I was designing this plan. If you think about it, when you sit on the bench, it actually will cause the center supports to push UP and not sag down. And your weight is directly on the legs, not on the supports. So if you were to make all of the supports the same as the smaller supports (for each the top and bottom), this would leave a hole in the center. You would need to provide adequate joining of all the boards as well, with either a brace, a plywood gusset on the top and bottom, or metal brackets.

cakelady

Mon, 03/14/2011 - 05:47

I like the idea but would prefer separate benches. Would that effect the sturdyness and could the legs be done so they don't stick out to trip someone with detached benches?