"Upscale" wrote

Thanks Karl. The three support end columns are very appealing visually and
would offer additional table support. I might do that just for the
aesthetics of it.

How wide is the tabletop you used? It looks a little larger than what I
think I'd use for an outdoor picnic table. I was considering close to 39"
in
width or as close as I could get to that with spacing of 7 each, 2x6
lumber
each spaced about 1/8".

72 x 42 ... which leaves sufficient room for serving dishes in the middle of
the table top, with plenty of room for place settings on the edges.

In the research I did during the design phase of this project, it was obvous
that anything narrower in width in a dining table can get crowded unless
you're dining "buffet style" ... but narrower would be fine for most
outdoor, or less formal applications.

I was also thinking about more of an end overhang so
people could sit at the ends of the table too.

During the design stage of the trestle table on the web site, I "angsted"
over the 'overhang issue' quite a bit.

After experimentation/trial and error with various size plywood tops, and
considering the size limitations in the spot it was built for, I settled on
a 12" overhang for the two ends.

And, in use, the 12" overhang has worked perfectly. There have been no
complaints, it is comfortable, and not something you even notice in daily
use, even for us 6' 200 pounders. I've even sat at one or two trestle tables
with 11" overhangs and sitting at them was not noticeably uncomfortable in
any way.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/14/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)