TK Tables are the hardwood picnic tables Melbourne leaders in range and style for both domestic and commercial tables.

Hardwood picnic tables can come in a range of timbers and it is important to know their characteristics.

large 2.4m treated pine picnic table hardwood tables Melbourne alternatives

Treated pine picnic tables

large 2.4m ironbark hardwood picnic table

Hardwood picnic table Ironbark/greygum

1.8m hybrid style dressed hardwood picnic table

Hardwood picnic table in a hybrid design dressed and oiled.

For full pricing on all our products simply select the appropriate left hand menu options.

As in the pictures above, hardwood picnic tables can be made in different styles and with a different surface finish.

There are many forms of hardwood, so perhaps a brief into is warranted to discuss the differences.

Many people believe that hardwoods will outlast soft woods and that becomes their basis for selecting a type of timber. This is actually an incorrect assumption.

The longevity of a hardwood table in the outdoors is primarily governed by weathering conditions.

Characteristics of various timbers used in hardwood tables.

Ironbark, Vic Ash, Redgum and Merbau can be all classified as hardwoods and are regularly used to make hardwood tables..

Treated Pine and Cypress can be classified as softwoods.

There are plenty more timbers to choose from like cedar, jarrah and many others that are also suitable for picnic tables.

If built correctly and maintained properly all these timber picnic tables will have similar longevity. Therefore the choices lie more so in their aesthetic appearance than anything else. When choosing the timber type for hardwood tables Melbourne has a climate of its own and you need to consider the underlying longevity of the timber even if you intend to stain or oil it.

All the various timbers can be machined or dressed to provide a really smooth surface suitable for polishing, lacquer or varnish and in fact Merbau, Tas Oak and Vic ash are only available in this form. Fresh timber straight from the mills that is dressed will develop some surface cracking and feathering as it dries out over time.

Desired affect	Timber choice
Smooth and polished furniture like finish	Merbau, Vic Ash, Tas Oak
Smooth clean finish with minor imperfections	Dressed Ironbark, Redgum or Cypress Pine
Lightly sanded and ideal for outdoors	Raw Ironbark, Treated Pine or Cypress Pine
Colour is important and needs to be stained	Treated Pine
Rustic	Ironbark
Very rustic	Redgum or even split railway sleepers

And then there is a metric of affordability..... it starts with treated pine and finishes with merbau !

Lets look at the various timbers used to make hardwood picnic tables and their characteristics, together with a couple of common softwoods.

Timber	Characteristics
Ironbark and greygum	Its heavier than water with a large table weighing in at 250kg It is extremely hard, it is hard to drill, cut and sand. It weathers really well and can be left exposed to the elements with minor deterioration. It is supplied in predominantly in 200mm widths and 2.4 - 3.0m lengths It comes freshly cut from the mills and will shrink, bend and warp as it dries It will have some surface cracking and split ends.
Victorian Ash and Tasmanian Oak (Kiln Dried)	Its medium weight with a large table weighing in at 150kg It is extremely hard, it is hard to drill, cut and sand. It weathers poorly and can NOT be left exposed to the elements. It is supplied in multiple lengths and widths It comes Kiln dried and dressed and will NOT shrink, bend or warp It is ideal for fully sheltered areas when dressed and professionally oiled.
Redgum	Its heavy with a large table weighing in at 200kg It is extremely hard, it is hard to drill, cut and sand. It weathers really well and can be left exposed to the elements with minor deterioration. It is supplied in predominantly in 200mm widths and 2.4 - 3.0m lengths It comes freshly cut from the mills and will significantly shrink, bend and warp as it dries It will have major surface cracking, split ends, vein lines and grub holes.
Treated Pine (Kiln Dried F7) (don't ever consider fresh wet treated pine!)	Its medium with a large table weighing in at 100kg It is soft, it is easy to drill, cut and sand. It weathers extremely well and can be left exposed to the elements. It is supplied in multiple lengths and widths It comes Kiln dried and dressed and will NOT shrink, bend or warp It will have some knots
Cypress Pine	Its medium with a large table weighing in at 110kg It is soft, it is easy to drill, cut and sand. It weathers extremely well and can be left exposed to the elements. It is supplied in predominantly in 200mm widths and 2.4 - 3.0m lengths It comes freshly cut from the mills and will slightly shrink, bend and warp as it dries It will have some significant knots
Merbau	Its medium weight with a large table weighing in at 160kg It is extremely hard, it is hard to drill, cut and sand. It weathers extremely well and can be left exposed to the elements. It is supplied in limited lengths and widths and often subject to availability *It comes Kiln dried and dressed and will NOT shrink, bend or warp

Having stated the above any picnic table that is professionally stained will have its life prolonged and staining also offers the ability to match the colour with the surroundings. For hardwood picnic tables Melbourne has some extreme weather conditions and we would always recommend a protective coat of oil or stain.

ALL timber if left unstained or pointed will revert to a grey colour over the years. Hardwood tables will change colour just as readily as softwoods.

Hopefully the above has helped you in deciding what will best suit your requirements. TK Tables manufactures hardwood picnic tables in a range of styles, sizes and finishes. We are always happy to discuss options and provide advice. For a price list on conventional Australian hardwood picnic tables refer to our price chart, and for variations please phone us on 03 9023 3977.

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