Questions on building a dining table.

[Roger Barga]

One project that has been on my to-do list for a long time now is to build a dining table – not for everyday use but for when we have family over and can’t fit everyone at the kitchen table. My original plan was to veneer a sheet of MDF for the top but I recently found an affordable source for 5A western quilted maple and it’s got me thinking. But before I rush out a purchase a bundle of lumber, I have a few questions I hope some of you can answer.

- Would quilted maple be too soft for a dining table top? I did a Google search and couldn’t find a single dining table made from quilted maple (lots of decorative hall tables and the like, but no dining tables).

- lengthwise or widthwise? In my web search I found several dining tables constructed from figured woods, though most were veneered I think, and the wood ran lengthwise (long strips running the length of the table). Is this wise for solid wood, or should they run widthwise. I would think wood movement might be a problem, but have never built a dining table before so maybe this is one of the old tales that isn’t really an issue.

- favorite finish? I prefer a natural looking finish and I’m not set up to shoot lacquer. For the tables that I’ve built, mostly decorative, I have use an oil finish such as Tried and True. I’d be very interested in hearing from those of you who built dining tables/furniture, what finish you would recommend for protection and natural look.

Thanks everyone!

[Mark Singer]

Roger,
I have used quilted maple for tables and it is fine...it is definitley hard enough. Tried and True is what I have on my Wenge dining table. I think your choice to use solid wood is much better than veneer which is too sensitive to water and heat and cannot be sanded if a problem occurs

[Todd Burch]

Roger, this is a straightforward project. I would run the boards lengthwise (for asthetics). You'll actually get less total wood movement effect running lengthwise that you would widthwise. For example, let's say for conversation purposes, maple moves 1/16" for every 12" of width. If a table is 3' wide and 6' long, and the boards are lengthwise, you'll get a max is 3/16" movement. That same table, with boards widthwise, you'll get 6/16" movement. Get it?

Now, wood movement doesn't occur that much, or, that often, being in a climate controlled house, but you do need to allow for it.

For a durable table top finish, oil based or water based poly would be fine, so would brushing lacquer or a varnish. The water based products will not yellow as much over time as the oil based products, so think about the cast of color you want the table to look like after 6 months and for the rest of your natural life. Also, maple will darken/amber too over time on its own.

Should be a gorgeous table!! What style table will you be building?

[Jamie Buxton]

Western maple is lovely stuff. The copper tone is much prettier than eastern's white color. I've done a bunch of furniture with it, and it is hard enough for a dining table.

As to finish, who's going to be using the table? My favorite finish on most wood furniture is the Maloof brew. It is the most natural-looking finish for a guy who loves wood. However, it is not as water and oil resistant as varnish. If you'll only have adults, and they promise not to spill anything, and they'll clean up immediately if they do spill, then finishes like the Maloof brew will be okay. However, if you expect to have kids using the table, or if you have raucous parties, I'd suggest polyurethane oil-based varnish. It is among the toughest finishes made; that's why they use it on floors. You can brush it with pretty good results. I suggest a semi-gloss sheen. Gloss shows skratches too easily, and satin is too dull. I use the variety that is often called "2-hour" or the like. The shorter drying time means that there is less exposure to dust and bugs and such. Like all oil-based finishes, it does have an amber cast, but it nicely combines with the copper color of the western maple.

(As to Todd's mention of brushing lacquer, I stopped using it after I had a big row with a customer who spilled fingernail-polish remover on her desk. She said "finger-nail polish doesn't hurt my fingers, and your desk should stand it." Funny thing -- fingernail polish and brushing lacquer are the same stuff, and her nailpolish remover nicely removed the desk's finish.)

Jamie

[Kent Cori]

Roger,

I've taken to using the Maloof mix for the first two coats on table tops. The higher oil content really pops the grain. I use two coats in case I miss a small spot with the first. I love the way it looks.

I've then been using some thinned semi-gloss poly on top of it foir at least two more coats. This provides a harder finish and also cures much faster than the third and subsequent coats of Maloof's mix. It doesn't seem to visually affect the underlying tone impated by the Maloof mix.

[David Brown]

Hi, I just finished a cherry dining table w/ several leaf extensions, Kim Carlton Graves has a great book called Dining tables. Lots of designs and methods, but I offer you a finish thought I hardly ever see, yet I swear by it. Waterlox ! It is suitable for Gym floors, yet wipes on / sprays on to a goergous finish, stands up th gasoline, laquer, gasoline, almost anything! several sheen levels avaliable. I do all my table w/ aniline dye, the pad on shellac, then waterlox, stuff wears like iron! They are awesome people to talk to, give it a try, ez to use, but can will go bad if you do not purge from oxygen or take up space to minimize air(i use clean steel blocks) good luck, dave

[Roger Barga]

My thanks to everyone for the input I have received so far. It was reassuring to hear that QM is not too soft for a dining table. A few years back I found a beautiful piece of Oregon Walnut, just one board, and always thought it'd make a beautiful trim board for a maple/birch Craftsman style dining table. The wife and I are still debating, err discussing, the style of the legs. I prefer a stout looking trestle style base and she prefers something a bit lighter; there’s going to be a lot of sketching going on this week, but at least I’ll get the maple ordered and start working on the top.

Thanks also for the finishing tips. I requested a copy of Kim Carlton Graves book through our local library (all the copies are checked out so it must be a good read). This is the largest project, in terms of size, that I have tackled so I will post updates from time to time.

Cheers,
Roger