New England weather being as unpredictable as it is, keeping a tablecloth affixed atop a picnic table can be challenging at best. We noticed this ingenious DIY idea for keeping a cloth in place and adding a little color to the table at Lou Lou’s Décor in Tiverton, Rhode Island. All you need is a waterproof tablecloth and a staple gun…
1. Cut the tablecloth to fit over the table and benches, leaving at least 5 extra inches around the edges.
2. Center the cloth over the table, fold down one side and put 3 staples a few inches apart in the center.
3. Move to the opposite side, pull the cloth as tight as possible and put three staples in the center of that side.
4. Repeat these steps for the other two sides so the middles of all four sides are stapled down.
5. Working outwards from the centers, staple along the rest of the table, pulling the cloth tightly as you go.
6. When you get to the corners, fold them down as neatly as possible and staple underneath.
7. Repeat these steps for the benches if desired.
Lou Lou’s Décor
3913a Main Rd
Tiverton, RI 02878
(401) 624 8231
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Super cute idea!
view eveb1123's profile
Very nice!
Makes me want to get an old school picnic table just to do this to it! And no ass-splinters!
view theserovingeyes's profile
I'd pick regular fabric that I love and cover that with clear vinyl. Same concept, a ton more options....
view teeze's profile
love it!
view abigailbelle's profile
This idea is NOT new, rather it's been around but I think too many people don't think of this idea but my parents have done this to their picnic table for years as I remember well replacing the cloth pretty much every summer growing up.
view ciddyguy's profile
Another thing, go with a quality wooden table and paint it, that will help with the splinters as well and you can then match it to the house if you want like we did. When they first bought the set in the mid 60's, it was painted turquoise and when we moved into the house I grew up in, it became a dark green, just like the house itself and later it was painted brown to match the trim in the house my parents lived in after that and we've since gotten rid of it.
view ciddyguy's profile