Choosing the Right Picnic Table for Your Community Park

Community parks serve a vital role. They offer open spaces where community members can connect, play, celebrate, and experience the joys of nature. Picnic tables are often a central feature of parks and private or communal gatherings. They offer a comfortable place to relax, eat, or work. That’s why the best picnic table – that matches the park’s theme and aesthetic – is essential.

Choosing the Perfect Community Table Picnic Table

Before you select your picnic table, understand your users and their needs. Consider accessibility, aesthetics, durability, sustainability, budget, and maintenance costs. Let’s start with durability – vital to long-term enjoyment and value for money. The table’s material and design are integral to its durability.

Material

The material from which the table is made may determine its longevity and how much maintenance it needs. It should be suitable for the outdoors, withstand all types of weather, and require minimal care. It should also complement and enhance the park’s overall theme, look, and feel. Fortunately, numerous material options mean you can find what you need.

Wood

Wood is a classic choice. It’s sustainable, warm, durable, and blends beautifully into natural surroundings. Pressure-treated pine, redwood, and cedar are favorites. Do keep in mind that wood may need regular care, which may include being sealed or stained. Select treated options to avoid an unsightly and potentially dangerous warped or splintered piece and ward off insects and rot.

While wood tends to be an affordable option, it may need more frequent maintenance and replacement.

Metal

Metals like lightweight aluminum and powder-coated steel are exceptionally durable and often rust-proof. They’re also robust, resistant to weather, intense, long-term use, and vandalism damage. However, metal can become uncomfortably hot in the sun, so it’s best in milder climates. Metal may cost slightly more than wood initially but will need less maintenance.

Concrete

Concrete is highly versatile. It’s the most durable, weather and moisture-resistant option and lowest maintenance. These tables comprise heavy-duty commercial-grade concrete and steel rebar. Concrete offers the potential for unique and personalized designs – elegant, stylish, and appealing in various finishes. The material can be heavy, and the picnic table can be permanent. This feature can be either positive – wind resistant and difficult to steal or negative – it can’t easily be moved around.

While concrete is more expensive, the picnic table is permanent and needs little maintenance.

Plastic

Plastic, especially eco-friendly recycled plastic, is a popular picnic table material. It’s weather-, insect-, and fade-resistant, perfect for wet and dry climates. It’s light, moldable, and available in fun colors and textures.

Plastic is also less durable than harder materials, vulnerable to scratches and breakages, and you may find it less attractive than other options. Recycled plastic can be a costlier option. Meanwhile, this choice saves the planet’s resources and requires less maintenance than wood or metal.

The material you select should be durable and weather-resistant, depending on your climate and the shade in your community space. It also depends on the park’s aesthetic versus the picnic table and the look and feel you want to achieve.

Picnic Table Design and Finish

Shared community spaces often reflect the culture, purpose, flora and personality of the local area. To enjoy the picnic table in your park, ensure its material, design, and finish match and enhance the space’s overall aesthetic.

Style

The style of the picnic table should suit the park’s theme, ambiance, and location. For example, a rustic wooden picnic set is ideal for traditional spaces featuring lawns, shrubs, landscaped or wild plant beds, and trees. In contrast, a metal or sleek concrete picnic table may be best for a modern or minimalist concrete design.

Recycled plastic is perfect for family or kids’ play areas. It can be shaped to accommodate varying heights, abilities, and play spaces, promoting inclusivity. Plastic, wood, and metal can be thoughtfully commissioned to represent playful shapes such as mascots, animals, trees, or other iconic, locally relevant forms.

Color and Finish

Color choice and finish can profoundly affect the park’s aesthetics and impact. Wood, concrete, neutral tones and textures blend well into natural settings. They seamlessly blend into the environment.

Your color and finish can reflect your park environment. For example, celebrate a coastal park with weathered wood: incorporate nautical, marine colors such as aquatic blues and greens.

Alternatively, bold colors add vibrancy, and polished or gleaming finishes add sophistication. Family and children’s parks can include fun colors that inspire and match playground equipment, sensory areas, signage, or meaningful local color schemes.

Gather the community to chat or survey how their picnic table should look and fit into the surroundings. You can discuss local, cultural, or historical references, materials, seating capacity and accessibility.

Picnic Table Accessibility, Size, Seating Capacity, and Shape

Who and what community group sizes will use the picnic table? Get to know your user to guide you in choosing the size and shape.

Picnic tables in a standard size seat six to eight, best for larger families and group gatherings. You may want to order more than one table if you serve a more extensive park space in a diverse community. Another option is to combine standard and smaller designs for varied group sizes and compositions. A modular option allows you to attach seating to your picnic table for safety and security. Meanwhile, freestanding pieces offer flexibility and versatility.

The table shape is also a consideration. Rectangular pieces are the most space-efficient, while octagonal or circular tables are excellent for socials. They can also add interest to your leisure area or make the most of awkward spaces.

Picnic Tables for Parks: Safety and Inclusivity Compliance

Beyond inclusivity, harmony, and comfort, ensure your park picnic tables comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines. This adherence means a table around 28 to 34 inches high, with a knee clearance of a minimum of 27 inches, and extended ends or open spaces for wheelchair users. Always place tables where they’re accessible, on a stable surface, and reachable on mobility-friendly pathways.

A professionally installed table helps ensure safety and reduce damage and theft. Unless you need a flexible table location, secure it to concrete footings or use in-ground anchors. Ensure regular maintenance. Plastic and concrete may require cleaning, metal may need paint touch-ups or polish, and wood should be sealed or stained. Modular pieces may require tightening or part replacement. Also include rounded edges, non-slip surfaces, appropriate shade and other weather protection.

Add Community Convenience, Comfort, and Beauty With a Well-Chosen Picnic Table

Take time to define what your community needs, wants, and can afford. Prioritize accessibility, aesthetics, and sustainability. Explore available funding and choose a supplier with a proven record, material, design, and customization options that offer a robust warranty. To ensure correct installation, confirm that your provider offers it as a service.

Why not trust Wabash Valley Furnishings to supply the perfect picnic table to uplift your community space? We offer all these essential services and more. Contact us today.

Sources:

https://forcainc.ca/decorative-concrete-blog/why-concrete-outdoor-furniture-is-great-all-year/
https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/
https://www.wabashvalley.com/