Thanks to their effortless ruggedness and unique charm, live edge tables are becoming a more popular choice for many homes – Here is what the process is like
- Pick the wood: While browsing at your local woodworking store, you may have come across huge pieces of lumber referred to as slabs. Choosing the right slab is essential in making a beautiful live edge table. When selecting wood for a table, builders have many options. Some great choices for tables include Old-Growth Redwood, Black Walnut, Cherry, Maple, Oak, and Sycamore. Denser hardwoods are typically used for tables because they can handle more wear and tear and aren’t as likely to get scratched. Woods that don’t absorb moisture are also good choices for tables since they make it easier to clean up spills without damaging the table.
- Measure the slabs: Always know the dimensions of your tables- it’ll save you a headache down the road. Depending on how many people you want to be able to seat, a typical dining room table should be between 48 and 78 inches in length. As a rule of thumb, each person needs around 24 inches of space to dine comfortably. However, most slabs only have a live edge on one side. A popular way to get around this is by cutting the slab in half and then putting the two pieces together. If both sides of the wood slab are live edge, you’re in luck because it will save you money from buying less wood overall. For a table with two-sided live edges, realistically, you’ll need a piece that is 96″ to 156″ long. If your table measurements are rectangular and you want live edges on the shorter sides too, the piece may just need to be slightly longer.
- Cut the slabs: After you have length and width established from measuring, the next step is to cut your table down to these dimensions. Most carpenters would use a long track saw for this job. If your pieces are shorter, though, you may be able to get away with just clamping the wood in place. It’s important to take care while cutting so that you don’t make any mistakes. With mindfulness, often a worker can save some of the woodcuts to utilize under the table for its base or legs instead of wasting them- adding to the efficiency and giving off aesthetic uniformity.
- Joining the edges: Joining wood together is essential if you want to create something bigger, like a table. When using multiple pieces of wood, the way that you connect them matters. Biscuit joinery is commonly used for tables because it’s practically invisible while still keeping everything in place.
- Building the base: Now that the tabletop is complete, it’s time to create the base. You can make it as elaborate or simple as you want. Some use metal frames while others prefer wood carvings.
As you can see, building a live edge table top requires a lot of work, these cannot be mass-produced. Each live edge table is one-of-a-kind and has its unique process. Professional craftsmen know better when it comes to picking the right wood slabs, cutting, joining, and making sure your piece of furniture is a true work of art. Visit our website today to learn more about our live-edge furniture and other wood products.
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