"Upscale" wrote in message
...
I was wondering what methods people have employed to cover the embedded
steel stringer?

I have two thoughts.

Knowing your application, I wonder if a barrel nut and machine screw may not
work. They are often used in indoor applications, expecially for bed
corners. If you were to bury the nut or cover it with a plug, etc you may
be able to get away with it.

The other thing I would suggest, since it is an outdoor application, to just
use a lag screw. I have built lots of furniture with 2 X 10's and 2 X12's
that used lag screws as the promary fastener. I built lots of water bed
frames with lag screws. And the corners of the bed frames would take far
more stress than a picnic table would.