Outdoor "farm table"

[Eric Ackerman]

So the LOML wants an outdoor table but not a picnic table. She wants it to be "Substantial" and I was thinking of a farm house style with mabe BB ends.. Couple questions and desperate for advice...

1) My first thought was straight grained DF (bad choice for outside)?
2) Better suggestions? White Oak, Red wood? Not thinking dmensional lumber here
3) Best finish? She wants it to age like a table found in a winery (which I explained is inside and not subject to uv rays). So either a good finish or a suggestion on how to change the elements of the universe in my back yard LOL


Want to do it right so any thoughts suggestions would be appreciated...

[Tom Scott]

I did a silimilar table for my wife earlier this year. I used cypress, but found a great deal on Craigslist for some old lumber. I contemplated finishing with an oil or varnish, but in the end left unfinished to weather naturally...primarily because I didn't want to be re-finishing every year (Texas sun is brutal).
This table will be outside, so consider again doing a solid top as it will tend to hold water more on its surface. If LOML is set on solid top, then I would at least refrain from the breadboard ends since it will see extremes in conditions.
Not sure on the use of DF, but others will chime in. White oak is always a good choice, as is redwood, cypress, and of course mahogany and teak.
One other suggestion is to seal the endgrain of any parts touching the ground/patio to keep it from soaking up moisture.

Good luck on the build andlet us know how it goes.

Tom