When did picnic tables become popular?

08 Apr.,2024

 

The picnic table has a long and varied history, dating back to the early 1800s. According to De Kooktips, the Civilian Conservation Corps had a hand in making the Lassen tables iconic in the U.S. during the 1930s. Initially, these wooden furniture provided seating for large groups of people at outdoor events. Today, they are still prevalent for gatherings and family meals outdoors but are also commonly used in homes as a go-to option for a dining table. There are many different styles and sizes of picnic tables available on the market today, making it easy to find one that will fit your needs.

Origins of the Picnic Table

Picnic tables offer a sense of peace and tranquility in a busy world. This wooden furniture is also perfect for hosting events like barbeques and weddings. Jean de la Fontaine, a French medieval architect, invented the first picnic table in France. It took more than 600 years before William H. Pratt created the first picnic table in America. The invention of the picnic table came during a period when people were more focused on the British class system. However, the picnic table became a symbol of freedom and democracy as the years passed.

What is a Picnic Table?

A picnic table is a piece of furniture typically found in parks, campgrounds, and other outdoor areas. Its design provides a flat surface for eating and working and often has benches on either side. The introduction of the first picnic tables in the early 1800s was a way to make outdoor dining more comfortable. Today, picnic tables are popular among adults and children for their versatility and portability.

Types of Picnic Tables

The picnic table is a staple in any backyard or park. It is a great place to host a barbecue or a simple picnic. There are many different types of tables available in the market, including foldable tables, tables with benches, and tables with umbrellas. The first picnic table was made of wood and had a single shelf. However, as time passed, people realized that wrought iron and metal were suitable materials for creating picnic tables.

How to Maintain Picnic Tables

Picnic tables are present in many public parks, and people often use them to have a picnic with their loved ones. It is vital to clean this wooden furniture before and after use to prevent the spread of bacteria and other contaminants. To effectively clean a picnic table, you can use hot water, soap, or disinfectant. You should also ensure you have some type of tablecloth on the table. It will help to keep the table clean and extend its lifespan.

Picnic tables, in many forms, are a staple of any outdoor gathering. They are great tools for picnicking, playing games, or just relaxing. They are also a great way to transform mundane spaces into a fun and welcoming atmosphere.

The picnic table is a simple and yet very effective design that exhibits many of the qualities that makes something sustainable: strength, durability, functionality and environmental benignity.

The Picnic Table

It is unknown who designed the picnic table, and when. However, it seems likely that it evolved over many years, like the design of most traditional, functional objects. The design became more common from the 1920s onwards, and now they are one of the most ubiquitous pieces of outdoor furniture throughout the western world. They are a common feature in public spaces like parks, roadside rest areas, picnic spots, beaches, campgrounds and local attractions. They also flourish in and around private establishments like pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants, as well as many people’s back yards and holiday homes.

What qualities make them a sustainable design? Picnic tables are:

Useful

A table has many, many uses and the picnic table is no exception. However a picnic table is not just a table, it is also the seats. This fact makes the picnic table much more useful than if it didn’t have them. If the picnic table’s chairs were separate they would get stolen or broken. The seats are integral to function and form of the whole.

Simple

They couldn’t be much simpler. Several pieces of sawn timber (or other materials) bolted together to form a single, load-bearing piece of furniture. Being complex doesn’t make a design unsustainable. However, a simple design like this, has the most amount of function for the least amount of materials and embodied energy. A simple design has no excess, it is what it is. Known more for it’s utility than it’s beauty, the picnic table has a noble presence that is a result of its symmetry, restraint and heft.

Sturdy

Picnic tables are designed to hold heavy loads. A normal table seats six people comfortably although at a stretch they can hold eight or more. In all likelihood, depending on the actual table, they could take much more weight. Their size, weight and sturdiness makes them practically thief-proof and hard to vandalise.

Durable

Picnic tables are constantly affected by the elements – sun, rain, snow, frost, wind, humidity. Also from habitation by mold, mildew, moss, lichens, insects and other fauna. Not to mention the fact that they also take a beating from people. A spring-clean once a year is probably enough to keep them in good condition for many years, even decades.

Wooden

Although they are sometimes made from metal, concrete, stone and even plastic the picnic table is traditionally made from wood with a few steel bolts to hold it together strongly. Wood is a renewable material and it sequesters carbon; the more that can be made of wood the better. Picnic tables are quite often made from wood that has been repurposed from other uses.

Pleasing

The humble picnic table has been the setting for innumerable meals, conversations, outings, celebrations, get-togethers and parties. It has also been the scene of countless exciting life moments from overseas travel and cultural events to outdoor adventures and epic scenery. Whilst it’s not exactly the most comfortable piece of furniture, the picnic table has offered a rest for aching legs and tired bodies. It’s a place to sit and reflect in solitude. It is a device to aid in reading, writing, drawing or simply taking in the view.

It is a design that has supported, literally and figuratively, the well-being of many millions of people. And it will continue to do so for many, many years to come.

When did picnic tables become popular?

The Picnic Table – a sustainable design, Picnic Table design