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Author Topic: Solid Wood Table Top?  (Read 1051 times)

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Offline Captain Emo

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Solid Wood Table Top?
« on: November 11, 2009, 03:06:18 PM »
I have a solid piece of poplar.  It measures about 14"x22".  It has really nice grain.  Could I make a small table top out of it or will it just cup and split over time? 

Thanks in advance guys.
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Offline DalesCarpentry

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2009, 04:18:30 PM »
How thick is it? Does it apear to have any cup to it now? If you were to put some type of frame under (to hold the legs) it then fastened it to the frame that would keep it from cupping. I think if it is about 1 1/4'' to 1 1/2'' thick you would not have to do that though. Another thing you could do is rip it down with a table saw in 2'' rips. Then alternate the grain and glue it back together. I don't think you have anything to worry about unless it is less than 3/4''. I hope this helps. Dale
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Offline Captain Emo

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2009, 04:30:01 PM »
It's about 1.75" thick.  There is no cupping now, but is it not perfectly flat.
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Offline DalesCarpentry

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2009, 04:31:34 PM »
I say run it through a planer enough to get it flat and go for it. Dale
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Offline mirage1988

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2009, 04:34:47 PM »
Dale, I think he wanted to keep the grain as he said it has nice grain. If it is 14" you could probably get by with ripping it in 4 1/2 rips, then you would only have 2 glue joints. How dry is it? That is more important than the thickness. To be stable indoors, wood needs to be air dried to 9-12% moisture content, then kiln dried to 6-8% to close the pores. If the slab is green, it will crack and warp as it dries.
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Offline DalesCarpentry

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2009, 04:41:26 PM »
Quote from: mirage1988 on November 11, 2009, 04:34:47 PM
Dale, I think he wanted to keep the grain as he said it has nice grain. If it is 14" you could probably get by with ripping it in 4 1/2 rips, then you would only have 2 glue joints. How dry is it? That is more important than the thickness. To be stable indoors, wood needs to be air dried to 9-12% moisture content, then kiln dried to 6-8% to close the pores. If the slab is green, it will crack and warp as it dries.
Very good points. I never even considered it could be green. Dale
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Offline torpedoman

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2009, 05:00:23 PM »
put a piece of wood across the bottom of the piece make elongated holes in it put wood screws with washers in the holes, the board can now shrink and swell without splitting and the tension from the screws will hold it flat.
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Offline mirage1988

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Re: Solid Wood Table Top?
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2009, 05:10:27 PM »
That will let it expand and contract, but it won't keep it from splitting as it dries.
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