Wood that would match well with oak?

[Adam Herd]

I am building a coffee table for a friends girlfriend and her housemates. I found a guy that has a sawmill and has a couple of oak slabs. I am going to see what he has this Friday. My design is pretty basic just going to make a 3 foot long by 2 foot wide table top with 4 legs and I think horizontal bars going around the perimeter to brace the legs. My problem is I think all this guy has is 2 inch oak slabs and 1 inch oak lumber. I want something thicker for the table legs at least 3 inch square. I am going to attach the horizontal bars with mortise and tenons. I am wondering if any one has a suggestion of a second wood to use as table legs. What wood would compliment the oak? I am not sure if it is red oak or white oak he has. My guess would be red. I believe he has red maple, ash, elm, cherry, and hickory as well as the oak. Would any of those compliment the oak table top? He also sometimes has random pieces of other woods that I could maybe use as legs. Let me know your thoughts. Thank you.

[Jim Becker]

Use the 4/4 oak and build mitered posts to the size you require. The internal space can be left open which reduces the weight of the unit without compromising strength. You clearly want to have the same kind of oak as your slabs...white oak and red oak can be a challenge to mix visually, IMHO.

[Adam Herd]

Thats a good idea I never thought of that. Except I can never seem to get miters to work for me I can never get a good 90 degree angle on all for corners.

[Ted Reischl]

This is just my opinion. Nothing will compliment or go with the oak. Nothing.

That said, and understanding you want thicker legs, I would laminate up the legs I needed and then dye them jet black. That seems to be popular these days.

[Ron Kellison]

You could also consider ash as a reasonable facsimile with red oak, especially if you're going to put any kind of stain/dye on the wood. There's a ton of ash available here in the North East due to the Ash Borer!

[Wade Lippman]

Depends on what you mean by "compliments". I frequently use butternut and walnut together because they compliment each other. Nothing really compliments oak in that manner.

OTOH I have mixed ash and red oak together because of the stock I had on hand; with a slight stain on them you can't really tell them apart. If that is what you meant.

[Doug Hepler]

Adam,

Harmonizing wood species involves color, grain and porosity. Color can vary within a tree or even a single board, so that's a matter of choosing your workpieces. Grain depends on how the board was cut at the sawmill, so that's also a matter of choosing your workpieces. Flatsawn oak (with cathedral shapes) and quartersawn (with flake) is distinctive but rift sawn may have nice straight grain pattern that is not that hard to match. Finally with respect to porosity consider ash, catalpa, elm, hickory.

I agree with earlier advice to make up (laminate) the legs. If you can get the mating surfaces smooth and flat you can glue them together with Titebond. These woods are difficult to work, however, especially to joint with a handplane.

When you buy lumber from a sawmill you have to be very aware of moisture content. The "slab" will move (shrink, warp, etc) as it dries.

Doug

[Jim Morgan]

Ash and oak can easily work together. I used to own a house with beautiful oak paneling and trim in the foyer and dining room and ornately turned and carved ash in the adjoining front and rear parlors. The pocket doors between the foyer and the front parlor were oak on one side, ash on the other. I visited the house a couple of years ago and pointed this out to the current owners - they had never noticed any difference.

[Mel Fulks]

Thats a good idea I never thought of that. Except I can never seem to get miters to work for me I can never get a good 90 degree angle on all for corners.

Try useing a coarser saw. Too fine can be a problem since one side is cutting with grain and the other is cutting against the grain. Real small stuff does need more teeth.

[andy bessette]

Stick with oak. Mixing wood species often spells amateur project.

[Adam Herd]

I really appreciate every ones feedback. I will see what this guy has on Friday and that will make my decision. I would prefer to stick with oak but I might go with ash if it will be unnoticeable. the table will being going in the basement of a college girls' house so it doesn't have to be perfect. Thanks again

[Martin Wasner]

Use the 4/4 oak and build mitered posts to the size you require. The internal space can be left open which reduces the weight of the unit without compromising strength. You clearly want to have the same kind of oak as your slabs...white oak and red oak can be a challenge to mix visually, IMHO.

You can laminate the legs together and leave the center hollow as well.

I've found oak goes real well with oak.

[Matt Day]

Stick with oak. Mixing wood species often spells amateur project.

I would disagree with that.

[andy bessette]

I would disagree with that.

I don't have a problem with that.

[Martin Wasner]

meh. Depends how it's done. One kitchen, two species in two different cuts in three different colors.