Can I face glue a table top?

[Brian Erickson]

I have searched and found some helpful information, but I can't seem to get a straight answer for this specific situation.

I am building a dining room table (42 X 84) for a friend similar to the one I built us a few years ago. The top is supposed to be 1.5" thick, and I have a full garage of 4/4 cherry.

So my obvious question is, can I face glue to increase thickness? And if so, do my laminations need to be same sized boards, or can I offset the joints as I go?

I realize the end grain will look terrible, and I am thinking about doing a breadboard end or something to hide that, and maybe a thin veneer on the side.

Thoughts?
Brian

[Howard Acheson]

Why not do what many manufacturers do and just thicken the edge. In other words, make your top a 4/4 glue up and then just glue on a 1 1/2 to 2" wide board along each edge. This gives the table the look of being twice as thick. You can either make an end grain couple of inch wide glue up for the ends or make you breadboard.

The table will be quite a bit lighter too.

[Craig D Peltier]

Im interested in other post here as well.
Yes you can glue up face to face.Make sure its done fast with maybe two people and brushes so glue doesnt set up.
Also stagger the joints. Dont make them even, thats bad for strength.

Also consider the clamping abilities you will have. Put clamps all around entire edge an then use ballast i.e. sand etc to weigh down middle. Lots of it, not sure of what poundage should be per area but maybe 150 lbs spread over each size of sand bag or maybe more? Hope someone else chimes in on this.
You can also use wood calls going across the width but that halps marginally on the inside at such widths.Your calls can be slightly tapered to the middle to creat a rocking chair effect.Not sure on the angle that should be at.Just slight enough to put pressure in middle but still apply pressure along.
I think Ideally you need a vacuum bag but large ones are pricey.

Hope some of this helps.
Im currently doing a glue up face to face. 48x96 triple laminate 3/4 x 3.