Ash or something else for kitchen table .. ?

[cisamcgu]

Hi all,

I am planning on making an extending kitchen table. I have another thread about the mechanics of making an extending table, but I would like advice on which wood

I rather like American Ash, and the table top has to be a "light" coloured wood - but is this a sensible choice, or would something else be better - (this is probably only the table top, the frame and legs are likely to be made from cheap softwood and painted )?

A secondary question is which direction should I lay the wood ? Assuming I want a table 1000mm x 800mm is it best to get 4 of 1000mmm x 200mm and lay them lengthways, or get 5 of 200mm x 800mm and lay them crossways ? And a follow up, do I need to put a piece of wood in the opposite direction at the ends ? (Breadboard ends?)

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Jacob]

Best by far for kitchen table is sycamore. Bread board ends not necessary - very few tables have them if you look around.
Boards usually better lengthways.
Sycamore and painted softwood here. This has non essential breadboard ends, more for effect than anything though they do give an extra few inches to the length. This could be an extender if the ends hinged as drop down leaves.

 

[cisamcgu]

Sycamore seems relatively hard to find in PAR boards ?

 

[rogxwhit]

Boards lengthways always. Breadboard ends unnecessary.

You don't make tables (or anything much else) from par material, because you've thereby jobbed out a crucial component of quality control.

--------

Jacob's table is born of experience and graft and is joyful.

Sycamore is non ring-porous and hygienic (though to me that's never been an issue). You're an innocent. Use pine. Do your learning with it. Save the good stuff for later.

 

[Fitzroy]

Ash is quite open grained so using it would add complexity to your finishing, you’d need to have a step to fill the pores. Not something I’ve done but videos seem to show a pretty involved process. That said I personally prefer ash to sycamore as I find it more interesting. I’d try and source both and see what you can get and what the price/availability is in the sizes you want.

 

[Jacob]

Sycamore seems relatively hard to find in PAR boards ?

You can't make much of a table top from PAR boards. They have to be fitted one against the other.
What about birch faced ply?

 

[cisamcgu]

@rogxwhit , @Fitzroy and @Jacob : Thank you so much - this has given me a lot to think about, but I am not sure what is wrong with using PAR boards. I don't have a thicknesser/planer to do that job and imagine trying to hand plane something that large to a point of flatness would be a daunting task - or am I missing something (which is highly likely)

Many thanks everyone for your input and advice

 

[Jacob]

@rogxwhit , @Fitzroy and @Jacob : Thank you so much - this has given me a lot to think about, but I am not sure what is wrong with using PAR boards.

By the time you get them to your bench they are very likely to have moved slightly and be difficult to make a good join between them, even of they were PARd precisely enough in the first place, which is unlikely.

I don't have a thicknesser/planer to do that job and imagine trying to hand plane something that large to a point of flatness would be a daunting task - or am I missing something (which is highly likely)

Buy PAR, cut to length and hand plane it to fit, and again when joined to finally flatten the surfaces.

Many thanks everyone for your input and advice

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Maple is another option.

 

[Aligish]

Best by far for kitchen table is sycamore. Bread board ends not necessary - very few tables have them if you look around.
Boards usually better lengthways.
Sycamore and painted softwood here. This has non essential breadboard ends, more for effect than anything though they do give an extra few inches to the length. This could be an extender if the ends hinged as drop down leaves.

View attachment 155550

Sycamore?

Very interesting. Would never have occurred to me to use Sycamore. I live in the North West of Scotland and can only really get hold of Ash, Oak, Elm and, yes, Sycamore. I got some Ash boards a few years ago to make myself a kitchen table but never got round to it.

Luckily, I also have some Sycamore boards too.

Thank you for the heads up!

 

[Jacob]

Sycamore?

Very interesting. Would never have occurred to me to use Sycamore. I live in the North West of Scotland and can only really get hold of Ash, Oak, Elm and, yes, Sycamore. I got some Ash boards a few years ago to make myself a kitchen table but never got round to it.

Luckily, I also have some Sycamore boards too.

Thank you for the heads up!

Sycamore the most widely used preferred traditional wood for kitchen table tops. Close grain and easy to scrub clean. Ash not so good.

 

[Aligish]

Ash is quite open grained so using it would add complexity to your finishing, you’d need to have a step to fill the pores. Not something I’ve done but videos seem to show a pretty involved process. That said I personally prefer ash to sycamore as I find it more interesting. I’d try and source both and see what you can get and what the price/availability is in the sizes you want.

Sycamore the most widely used preferred traditional wood for kitchen table tops. Close grain and easy to scrub clean. Ash not so good.

Did not know that.

Funnily enough, a local hotel has had bar tops installed which are spalted Sycamore. Very wide boards - c500mm. They have cupped very slightly but not seriously and I’m told unlikely to move anymore…

very lovely though and unusual.

Food for thought!

Slainte!

Alasdair.

 

[Jacob]

Did not know that.

Funnily enough, a local hotel has had bar tops installed which are spalted Sycamore. Very wide boards - c500mm. They have cupped very slightly but not seriously and I’m told unlikely to move anymore…

very lovely though and unusual.

Food for thought!

Slainte!

Alasdair.

Not sure about spalted myself - I tend to think it's better as firewood.
My sycamore table tops are finished with Osmo oil which seems very tough, but in a trad kitchen they wouldn't be finished with anything except a regular scrubbing down.

 

[Aligish]

Yeah. Seems to be a love or hate thing with spalting.

For myself, I quite like it and in this instance, on such a wide board, I really like it.

Thumbs-up for Osmo too!

Best aye.

 

[recipio]

1000 x 800 is rather small for a kitchen table and I presume you are thinking of drop leaves rather than extendable. The original function of bread boards was to hide the end grain and the boards should be laid lengthways for that reason. It looks better as well.
A closed grain timber like sycamore is better than ash and is easier to finish. Varnished poplar can be attractive as well depending on the species but is a bit soft. Best of luck.

 

[cisamcgu]

@recipio : Thanks for that. It is going to be extending rather than drop leaves (they are out of favour in my daughter's house ) I am thinking of using these or something similar Extenders

 

[Jacob]

..... The original function of bread boards was to hide the end grain .....

More to keep the top straight and tidy particularly in taxing environments like kitchens with variable temperature/humidity etc.
Most tables including high class variations don't have them.

 

[Jacob]

@recipio : Thanks for that. It is going to be extending rather than drop leaves (they are out of favour in my daughter's house ) I am thinking of using these or something similar Extenders

There's a neat little draw-leaf table in "The art of woodworking and furniture making" book recently sold here
Sold - The art of woodworking and furniture making book
The book is a little classic but very pre-war "modern" in style.

 

[cisamcgu]

I'll keep an eye out for other copies - thanks

 

[cisamcgu]

Would beech be a sensible choice, I can get some at a reasonable price ... ?