Ipe thickness for picnic table???

[Hitch]

I built a coffee table for the deck last year and of course, it is holding up extremely well. Now I want to build a picnic table out of ipe.

All of the plans I see for picnic tables call for 2x lumber. They also all call for some sort of softwood lumber, doug fir, cedar, treated southern yellow pine, etc. I *could* build an ipe table out of 2x lumber but I didn't win the lottery this month (~$450 to build from

2x4's) and I'd like to use 1x6 decking for the flat surfaces.

Ipe's bending strength is about twice that of doug fir (22.5 kpsi vs.

12.4 kpsi), according to Can I assume then that I can use the 1x6 material for the flat surfaces (seats, table top)? Should I consider some kind of bracing other than that usually used?

Thanks in advance,

[Leon]

I built 3 park benches and made the many 1.5" wide slats out of 1x6 5/4 Ipe decking. They were about 42" long and had no support other than on the ends. They gave just enough to be comfortable. The Ipe should be strong enough for a table top

[Juergen Hannappel]

For the table top? If you want to protect it from being stolen by it's weight only that seems reasonable, or if you want people that are the grave of a good many hamburgers to dance on such a table. But if you want a transportable nice picnic table you should go (much) thinner. The comercial teak tables are *all* less than 2cm thick!

[Ed Angell]

Check out a.b.p.w , look for IPE picnic table. I banded this one with 2X6 and used 1X4 and a single 1X6 as a center strip. The table is 42" by 96" and weighs about 340 #.

Ed Angell

[Mike Reed]

I just finished some Ipe adirondacks. That wood is strong. Dense too (my chairs are quite heavy). At the decking supplier, they told me that code allows 1x6 Ipe to span 4 feet unsupported -- for a walking surface. Four feet between joists is huge.

Yeah, I think it can hold up a couple of hot dogs and elbows :)

-Mike