A picnic table is not just somewhere to sit and eat. In a well-thought-out garden, it becomes the anchor of the whole outdoor space — the place where morning coffee happens, where summer evenings extend well past dinner, and where the garden stops being something you look at and starts being something you actually live in.
Most people underuse their picnic table because they treat it as a single-purpose piece of furniture. These five ideas change that. Browse our full picnic table collection if any of them inspire you to upgrade.
1. Choose a Table That Works for the Whole Day, Not Just Meals
The best picnic tables earn their place from morning to evening. That means choosing a table wide enough to hold a proper spread at lunch, robust enough to handle afternoon drinks, and comfortable enough — with backrests if possible — for the kind of long evening conversation that only happens in summer.
If you find yourself moving indoors as soon as the meal is finished, the furniture is probably part of the reason. A table with backrest benches, like the Victoria and Alders backrest ranges from Arbor Garden Solutions, makes staying outside feel natural rather than effortful.
2. Use a Parasol to Extend the Season
The British summer is generous to those who plan for it and unkind to those who do not. A parasol does not just provide shade on hot days — it also extends the usable season at either end, providing shelter from light rain in spring and keeping the table comfortable on bright autumn afternoons when the sun is low.
Most of our picnic tables include a 41mm centre parasol hole, meaning you do not need a separate base stand. Pair with a compatible parasol from our garden accessories collection and the table immediately becomes a more complete outdoor dining space.
3. Think About Placement Before You Commit
Where a picnic table sits in a garden changes how much it gets used. A table tucked into a corner feels like an afterthought. A table positioned as the natural focal point of the outdoor space — visible from the kitchen, accessible from the back door, with enough room around it to move freely — becomes a genuine part of daily life.
Consider the sun path across your garden. A table that sits in full sun all afternoon will be uncomfortable in July. One that catches morning light but sits in dappled shade by mid-afternoon is the ideal. If your garden does not offer natural shade, factor in a parasol from the outset — see our garden accessories for options.
4. Match the Table to the Scale of Your Garden
A large picnic table in a small garden dominates the space and makes the whole garden feel smaller. A small table in a large garden looks like it has been forgotten there.
For compact patios and courtyard gardens, the QUADRUM Space-Saving range is purpose-built for this — the benches slide under the table when not in use, recovering a significant amount of space without sacrificing seating capacity when you need it. For larger gardens with room to breathe, the Victoria and Abies ranges in their larger configurations seat eight comfortably and provide a genuine sense of occasion.
Browse by size and configuration in our picnic table collection to find the right scale for your space.
5. Treat the Wood and It Will Last
Pressure-treated timber picnic tables are built to last outdoors — but they last significantly longer with minimal annual care. Once a year, clean the table with warm soapy water and a soft brush, working in the direction of the grain, then apply a quality exterior wood oil or decking treatment to protect the surface and maintain the colour.
Left completely untreated, pressure-treated timber will weather naturally to a silver-grey tone. This is not damage — it is the wood doing what wood does, and many people prefer the weathered look. If you want to maintain the original finish, an annual oil treatment is all it takes.
For a full guide to caring for outdoor timber furniture, read our wooden garden furniture care guide.
Explore the Full Range
Everything covered here — from backrest benches to space-saving designs to round tables for social gardens — is available in our garden picnic table collection. All products are supplied by Arbor Garden Solutions, a specialist UK outdoor furniture supplier, and delivered direct to your door with free UK mainland delivery.
If you are also looking at broader garden dining options, our garden dining sets collection covers rattan, teak, acacia, and ceramic glass options from across our supplier range.