When these customers came to us requesting a farm-house-style table, we were excited for this opportunity. We guided them through the various options of a custom table. Many of the tables by DIYers that are found online, are made from dimensional lumber (2×8’s or 2×10’s). There is nothing substantially wrong with that, but southern yellow pine is a soft wood. Because the customers wanted a table that would last multiple generations, our choice was hard maple for the top of the table as well as the top of the matching bench. Hard maple not only met the requirement of great durability, but it also stains well, it fit into the budget, and it can survive a lot of wear and tear by the two year old. For the legs and aprons we used soft maple. This wood is still harder than pine or poplar, and therefore machines and paints well. The customers also asked for bread-boards – a traditional and aesthetic way to keep the table top from warping. The finish is an exterior modified urethane, that is extremely hard, water-proof and wear-resistant. The painted surfaces were finished with a lacquer for durability. The chairs were purchased unfinished by the customers from another retailer, and they requested that we finish them to match the table and bench.

As this table is used and ages, it will be able to take on a lot of character instead of falling apart. We were really glad to be a part of this project.