Farm Table w/ Box Store wood, how to AVOID warping?

[Patrick Irish]

Sister wants a 12' table for the yard and of course sent me a bunch of pinterest DIY links. They all use 2x10 fir from home depot. I came across a post where one guys table majorly warped. Is warping avoided when using home depot 2x10 lumber? If so, how? From my understanding, the moisture content is too high and warping is nearly guaranteed.

Plan was to biscuit glue and join the boards together making a table top. Add breadboard ends and then screw it to a base with some cross stretchers/support from underneath.

I can source some decking wood that's been kiln dried and use that instead. Cost more probably, around $2.50 a linear foot.

[Chris True]

Yes, construction lumber is generally very wet from the store. You could sticker it all in a cli,ate controlled area for 6-12 months and then build after jointing and planing flat

[Earl McLain]

I did a 9' trestle table (for inside use) last fall using 2x lumber. Local building supply (NOT big box) stocks SPF in nominal up to 10", but all 12" was Douglas Fir. So, I bought 12' lengths of 2 x 12, ripped off the edges, then cut 4 1/4" from each fresh edge, discarding that few inches in the center. Sorted them in the yard for tightest grain before buying. Anyway, joined them with 1/2" thick splines when I glued up the top. 8 months later, still dead flat even without breadboard ends--despite all the warnings I gave to the recipient.

It worked, but i'd never do it again given a choice--even the DF had way too much pitch in it for my taste, and I spent as much time cleaning bits & blades as I did cutting!!

earl

[Scott T Smith]

Sister wants a 12' table for the yard and of course sent me a bunch of pinterest DIY links. They all use 2x10 fir from home depot. I came across a post where one guys table majorly warped. Is warping avoided when using home depot 2x10 lumber? If so, how? From my understanding, the moisture content is too high and warping is nearly guaranteed.

Plan was to biscuit glue and join the boards together making a table top. Add breadboard ends and then screw it to a base with some cross stretchers/support from underneath.

I can source some decking wood that's been kiln dried and use that instead. Cost more probably, around $2.50 a linear foot.

Patrick, I am a miller and kiln operator.

Typically framing lumber is dried to 18%MC, give or take a couple of points. For interior lumber, you want to bring the MC% down to below 10%, with a target of 6% - 8%.

Depending upon where you live, most construction lumber is a softwood such as Douglas fir, southern yellow pine (SYP), or SPF (spruce-pine-fir hybrid). All of these will acclimate very quickly in a climate controlled area if stickered with a gentle breeze across the lumber. If the temps are above 70F, they should acclimate in 30 days or less for 1.5" dimensional lumber.

1" SYP will air dry from green to 16% MC in less than 60 days in the southern US during the summer.

[David T gray]

why dont u just find a lumber yard get some good wood or even building suppler is going to have kd studs u could use you might even pay less.

[johnny means]

You could groove the bottom of the panel. The breadboard ends would hide the grooves. The grooves would make the panel flexible enough so that the substructure would easily hold the panel flat.

[Andrew Hughes]

That's a tough one buys 2+ from the Borg and hope it doesn't warp badly as its drying.Or spend a few hundred more on Kiln dried wood from a lumber yard.

Im sure glad I'm not in your shoes

[Jamie Buxton]

If you're making a table for outside, you're better off if you don't edge-glue the planks into one big sheet. Instead, fasten the planks to the undercarriage with gaps between the planks -- like a wooden deck. Water drops through, rather than pooling on the table. Furthermore, if the tabletop planks are narrower (2x6 or even 2x4) rather than wider (2x12), there's less chance that the whole table top will warp. The narrower planks each move, but they kinda average each other out.

[Wayne Lomman]

Forget breadboard ends if it's going outside and go with Jamie's concept. It will work fine if you do it this way. Use the timber with respect for its characteristics. Cheers

[Patrick Irish]

I'm Bay Area NorCal. Table will be outside. Acclimating wood won't work, sister is too impatient. I found batu decking wood for $1.25 linear foot. It's 5/4 and 4" wide and 12' long. Of course it's red'ish and that doesn't 'go' with the red brick patio. I dont think I can oil/stain it grey.

I was gonna use 12' tongue and groove pine but I know it's gonna warp.

Trying to make the table for under $300. The top alone is 36 soft roughly. The base I thought just 4x4 for and again in dark or paint it black. I'm looking to make it fancier than how my sister wants it, mainly so it will last.

[John McClanahan]

You could groove the bottom of the panel. The breadboard ends would hide the grooves. The grooves would make the panel flexible enough so that the substructure would easily hold the panel flat.

This is what I would do. It has worked well for me when I made steps with 2x12 pressure treated lumber.


John

[Prashun Patel]

"Instead, fasten the planks to the undercarriage with gaps between the planks -- like a wooden deck."

I agree with Jamie. It's a lot to ask of kd or BORG lumber to stay stable over 12 feet outdoors.

(unsolicited suggestion): Remind your sister that a 12ft table will be a bear to manipulate and move around. Instead, you might consider 2 6-feet tables that can be aesthetically placed end-to-end. This will make for a more stable, versatile, and mobile arrangement.

[Greg Parrish]

Lowes here in Florida sells nice cedar boards in 12' lengths. Think they were somewhere between 8" and 12" wide and 1" thick. You could build your top and frame from that if you glue up your legs. It was kiln dried too so not dripping wet like pressure treated. Just a thought.

here is a piece cut in half to show what I'm referring to though.
http://txbonds.zenfolio.com/img/s1/v5/p2199861763-4.jpg

[Patrick Irish]

Looking at these cedar slabs later.

Guy said he can mill them square and straight so I can join them. Make a nice table top. 12' long and about 22" at the widest. Not sure the narrowest, going to see them today or tomorrow.

https://images.craigslist.org/01010_7hVQDm3YvFq_600x450.jpg

[Mark Gibney]

"Of course it's red'ish and that doesn't 'go' with the red brick patio. I dont think I can oil/stain it grey."

People paint on a solution of ferrous sulphate to make wood go gray all the time. It's used a lot on film sets to age wood. It's cheap, and safe too - it's often added to breakfast cereal. Well, they tell us it's safe...

[Rick Malakoff]

2x6 - 2x12 Construction common redwood will solve all you problems, leave it natural and let it oxidize to a nice weathered gray and it should be readily available in your area.
Rick

[Jim Becker]

I'd make that table out of white oak, not construction lumber. It's not just warp you have to deal with...it's rot and insect damage. ;)

[Brian Holcombe]

Whatever wood you end up using it will turn grey within a season or two. I built a padauk outdoor table, it's going on five years now and nicely silvered.

It started Red off bright orange then became a nice brown pretty quickly but eventually turned grey.