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My brother wants a "farm" style table. I'm not a fan of the style, but I did manage to talk him out of the construction lumber junk that seems to pervade today's market and into solid black walnut that will last forever.
The top will be solid walnut (starting with 5/4) with breadboard ends. I figure I'll do a trestle style table because it's fitting into (or over, I guess) a corner bench.
My question is has anybody used different woods for a walnut table base? I have been able to stain lots of woods to look like walnut, but the grain is different. I am wondering if there's any reason in particular not to save a ton of money and do the trestle base out of radiata pine or poplar or something. Consistency, yes, and it's not my money. Just wondering.
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I've seen plenty of farm tables with stained tops and painted legs.
You see it less often with trestle tables but you do see it once in a while:
http://woodlandcreekfurniture.com/wp-con...d-Base.jpg
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Alder would work the best
Willow would work as well and likely more available to you
the last one I did but it was all walnut for the frame with maple panels ( not my design)
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Cooler said:
I've seen plenty of farm tables with stained tops and painted legs.
You see it less often with trestle tables but you do see it once in a while:
http://woodlandcreekfurniture.com/wp-con...d-Base.jpg
I actually like this style. I'll run it by him and see if he likes it.
I haven't seen black willow in forever at my local place (Colonial) and I don't know that I've ever seen alder thicker than 4/4. Those would be nice though, especially natural.
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No help here, but I know where you are coming from. I am designing (drawing plans) for a trestle table for our DNL. She will likely choose walnut, I'm looking at $1000 just for rough stock.
Oh well, she puts up with, guess she deserves a little extra!
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If you make the base out of pine, poplar, or probably even alder I don't think you will have a a table "that will last forever" unless the users are the extra careful type. That's probably not right; it probably will last a very long time, but it's going to show all the dings and knicks that come with using a soft wood. Personally, if I didn't use walnut for the whole thing I'd strongly consider using a painted base made with maple. Black or white in a classic farmhouse design.
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JGrout, on the breadboard ends, what are the white diamonds made of? They look really sharp. Ken
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jteneyck said:
If you make the base out of pine, poplar, or probably even alder I don't think you will have a a table "that will last forever" unless the users are the extra careful type. That's probably not right; it probably will last a very long time, but it's going to show all the dings and knicks that come with using a soft wood. Personally, if I didn't use walnut for the whole thing I'd strongly consider using a painted base made with maple. Black or white in a classic farmhouse design.
Well, as far as being extra careful, they have two boys - one two weeks old, one 22 months, so the chances of them being careful are less than zero...
Maple is a good option.
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well chosen maple
Let us not seek the Republican Answer , or the Democratic answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future John F. Kennedy
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