A sawbuck table or X-frame table is a type of

trestle table In woodworking, a trestle table is a table consisting of two or three trestle supports, often linked by a stretcher (longitudinal cross-member), over which a board or tabletop is placed. In the Middle Ages, the trestle table was often litt ...

having X-shaped supports at either end. It takes its name from the similarity of these X-shaped supports to

sawbuck In woodworking, a sawbuck is a structure for holding wood so that it may be cut into pieces. Easily made in the field from rough material, it consists of an "X" form at each end which are joined by cross bars below the intersections of the X's. ...

s. In addition to the supports, a sawbuck table is distinguished by a sturdy central

rail Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters * Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ...

and key- tenon joints holding the supports and central rail together. Historically, sawbuck tables also often featured

footrest A footstool (foot stool, footrest, foot rest) is a piece of furniture or a support used to elevate the foot. There are two main types of footstool, which can be loosely categorized into those designed for comfort and those designed for functio ...

s running the length of the table. The sawbuck table originated in Pennsylvania in the early 18th century, and is a characteristic example of

Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-sp ...

vernacular design. The design is sufficiently sturdy that some sawbuck tables have remained in regular use for over 200 years. The earliest known modern

picnic table A picnic table (or picnic bench) is a table with benches (often attached), designed for working with and for outdoor dining. The term is often specifically associated with rectangular tables having an A-frame structure. Such tables may be refe ...

was derived from the sawbuck table design, with the addition of attached benches on either side. Picnic table builders continued to experiment with sawbuck designs having separate benches until the invention of the modern A-frame picnic table in 1926. Sawbuck-style picnic tables continue to be used, for example for

backyard A backyard, or back yard (known in the United Kingdom as a back garden or just garden), is a yard at the back of a house, common in suburban developments in the Western world. In Australia, until the mid-20th century, the back yard of a prop ...

applications where attached seating is not required.

References

{{reflist German-American culture in Pennsylvania Tables (furniture)