Master craftsman builds the Ultimate Picnic Table

Jeff Hurr is a master craftsman who has hand-built massive sculptures, furniture destined to become family heirlooms and metal artwork that changes landscapes - including his own backyard in Garner, North Carolina.

So when it was time for Raydient Places + Properties, the company the manages Rethink:Rural, to participate in the Jacksonville Home + Patio Show in Jacksonville, Florida, we called on Jeff to build us a one-of-a-kind functional piece of art for our booth -- a piece of art cleverly disguised as a picnic table.

The Raydient team wanted to have a display that suited the country life, but went well beyond the ordinary. Thus, the Ultimate Picnic Table was born.

The table is supported by a welded aluminum frame that has an industrial powered coated finish. 

The bench seats and tabletop are made from 2” thick old growth yellow pine in a nod to the timber company that owns Raydient, Rayonier Inc. The wood is protected with four coats of a special marine-grade polyurethane. The hand sanding between coats made the wood smooth and will protect it for many years.

But the strength and durability of the table is just part of what makes it unique. In the center of the table, Jeff built a large ice trough with integrated hose bib drain (just connect a garden hose).

Surrounding both the outside and interior of the ice trough are rings of dimmable LED lights. And finally, the table is outfitted with GFI electrical outlets to ensure any device (be it a sound system or cocktail blender) could be confidently powered at the source.

It's the perfect conversation piece for any big, beautiful, rural backyard.

If you live near Jacksonville, come see us at booth #206 Oct. 1-4, 2015, and enter for your chance to win the table. Learn more about the Jacksonville Home + Patio Show on the show’s website, www.JacksonvilleFallHomeShow.com. Take a look at the properties available for your rural lifestyle at RaydientPlaces.com.