Wood recommendation for a kitchen table top

[Jim Roche]

Looking for suggestions on what kind of wood to use for a table top. I recently moved to Thomasville NC and my shop isn't currently set up yet but have access to some of my tools (Miter Saw, Kreg Jig, sanders, etc) but not my larger ones yet. I'm hoping in the fall that I'll be able to update the electric, insulation, lighting, etc.

I purchased a cast iron tank base from a member here and want to make it into a kitchen table with benches around 3 sides. I was hoping to be able to buy some dimensional lumber but not necessarily white pine from the big box store. I'd like something a little harder, that won't dent as easily as white pine. I'd also like something that I could stain in a walnut color stain.

Hoping for something that won't break the bank as I'd like to use the same wood to build the bench tops too.

I appreciate any suggestions that you might have.

Jim

 

[Skymaster]

hard maple

 

[mquan01]

hard maple

+1

 

[SabertoothBunny]

Ash stains well and is a great wood for furniture also. Just a suggestion other than hard maple.

In fairness, oak can be used and stained as well.

 

[Rick Mainhart]

Hi Jim,

With all due respect, if you want a tabletop that looks like walnut, use walnut.

Once you look at the price per board foot for big-box store pine and locally milled 'n kilned walnut, you may find your costs are very close, with the addition that the walnut is a "bit" tougher than pine.

The Hardwood Store (see ad at the top right) as well as GPS Hardwoods (Kernersville) are but two of the many local sources for "better than box store" materials.

Good luck, and hope you get unpacked soon.

Regards,

Rick

 

[bob vaughan]

Think short term. Go to a place that sells post formed laminated counter tops. Get a top that's rolled two sides. Laminate makes a great food processing surface. Use the counter top for the short term until you get your shop going. Then you can make something you'll be proud to use.

 

[Jim Roche]

Jack and Mike, thanks for the Maple suggestion. I've heard dark stain on maple can be tricky, so may end up going with walnut.

Thanks SabertoothBunn, I'll have to take a look at Ash. Gives me another excuse to go back to the Hardwood Store!

Rick, you raise a valid point and you're probably right. I very well may just bite the bullet and get what I want. Thank you

Bob, you make good sense too and that's probably the most sensible thing for me to do. I've just about completed a nice wainscot project in the kitchen nook and the table will be the finishing touch for that area. A temporary top would do until my shop's set up and that may be the way I go for the meanwhile. Thanks Bob

 

[tvrgeek]

Dye may be easier. I had to tint the poly on a vanity of Maple to get it dark enough. Test before buying a lot of wood. Maple is not a very exciting grain either.
SYP may be that in-between if you like the grain pattern and cheaper.
I really like walnut, but about $11 a BF right now. Not a very tough surface unless you harden it with the right finish.
There are finishes that soak in and make the surface a bit harder. I have heard, but not tried, acetone thinned epoxy. I have used the super thinned varnish "wood hardener" to some good effect.
I like white oak and hickory for their looks. Maple for toughness. I also like bamboo, but specific to the aesthetics. Walnut and Cherry, other fruit trees. Apple is almost indestructible. Pear darn tough. Of course, Purple Hart is so tough it will kill your tools. High silicate wood.

If you think the Hardwood Store is great ( it is) the one in down south is 10 times the selection. Could make for a very expensive trip though!

FWIW, my kitchen table is Formica. Function over design. Someday I may make a prettier one.

 

[Brantnative]

If you're looking for a table top and want much more varieties than even the Hardwood Store can offer, make a trip over to West Penn Hardwoods. You'll definitely find something with much more character than oak or ash and with the color of walnut. Harder than walnut, too.

 

[Bear Republic]

Since you're limited on tools, check with the lumber dealers about milling(Planing/Jointing) the lumber you select. It might just be a little more /bdft but will help you out. You can cut to size and glue it.

Second idea, some of them may already have table tops or slabs if you want to go that way.

 

[Jim Roche]

Thanks Steve, that's a good idea.

 

[Jclrk]

Pm sent

 

[drw]

I have made several table tops out of hard maple, it is hard to beat for durability. That said, it you want to stain the top dark, maple would be a difficult challenge, it simply does not stain well. Your choice is a trade-off as to what is most important to you.

 

[Echd]

Has anyone made a countertop of hickory? I knew a guy that did his cabinets in hickory and they were very attractive but other than knowing that hickory is tough as woodpecker lips, I've never fooled with it. I do have about 20 bdft around here though, I should make something.

 

[Willemjm]

Any hardwood would work, even a softwood like Pine selected with a tighter grain will work and be durable.
So my best advice is ask wifey which one she likes best and all will be happy.
We do a ton of tops, pictures below.

Sugar Maple with a clear coat

This customer was on a budget, so we did Sugar Maple and stained it.

Walnut, my wholesaler wanted $11 a bd/ft, so I really complained, told him I could get it for $8.50 at my retailer. He warned me about quality and I should have listened, as I went to the retailer at $8.50, but ended up with 60% yield, the rest was scrapped. I used a slight Dark Walnut Transtint die in the clear finish.

Customer wanted something with a lot of contrast and character, so we used Cherry and selected a lot of sap wood.

This one was Red Maple with Ambrosia beetle wounds, it was a bit too much in size for us to handle, so it was farmed out. We paid $4,500 to get this done.

This was Red Maple, or rather selected Curly Maple with a stain, for a rustic project

Customer wanted as rough as it gets, so we used a Butcher Block top from Lowes Hardware, roughed it up with a wire brush on an angle grinder and applied Minwax Ebony stain followed by a couple of clear coats.

This is a kitchen table and chairs I did for myself and wifey, using a combination of Ash and Cherry with a clear coat. Very pleased with how the Ash top worked out.

 

[Craptastic]

Any hardwood would work, even a softwood like Pine selected with a tighter grain will work and be durable.
So my best advice is ask wifey which one she likes best and all will be happy.
We do a ton of tops, pictures below.

Sugar Maple with a clear coat
View attachment 213341

This customer was on a budget, so we did Sugar Maple and stained it.

View attachment 213342

Walnut, my wholesaler wanted $11 a bd/ft, so I really complained, told him I could get it for $8.50 at my retailer. He warned me about quality and I should have listened, as I went to the retailer at $8.50, but ended up with 60% yield, the rest was scrapped. I used a slight Dark Walnut Transtint die in the clear finish.

View attachment 213343

Customer wanted something with a lot of contrast and character, so we used Cherry and selected a lot of sap wood.



View attachment 213344

This one was Red Maple with Ambrosia beetle wounds, it was a bit too much in size for us to handle, so it was farmed out. We paid $4,500 to get this done.

View attachment 213345

This was Red Maple, or rather selected Curly Maple with a stain, for a rustic project



View attachment 213346

Customer wanted as rough as it gets, so we used a Butcher Block top from Lowes Hardware, roughed it up with a wire brush on an angle grinder and applied Minwax Ebony stain followed by a couple of clear coats.



View attachment 213347

This is a kitchen table and chairs I did for myself and wifey, using a combination of Ash and Cherry with a clear coat. Very pleased with how the Ash top worked out.

View attachment 213348

I'm going to just say like about 15 times.

Very nice work.

I'm most impressed with the Ash and Cherry combination. Did you have any difficulties with the different wood species and fitting? Like the woodburning on the back seat support. Nice touch.

 

[Willemjm]

I'm going to just say like about 15 times.

Very nice work.

I'm most impressed with the Ash and Cherry combination. Did you have any difficulties with the different wood species and fitting? Like the woodburning on the back seat support. Nice touch.

No difficulties, the rear seat rails were Cherry with air dried Walnut inlays. The inlays are two wine bottles with a different red wine grape variety spelled out on each chair.

 

[FredP]

Not a kitchen but.... sapele with waterlox marine. No stains required. Depends on the color you want. I don't use stain unless it's demanded by a customer. Even then I may turn down the job.

 

[Willemjm]

Not a kitchen but.... sapele with waterlox marine. No stains required. Depends on the color you want. I don't use stain unless it's demanded by a customer. Even then I may turn down the job.View attachment 213353

Very nice!!

Trying to figure out where the water goes when the faucet is opened?

 

[FredP]

Very nice!!

Trying to figure out where the water goes when the faucet is opened?

here.