Started By
Message

Woodworking baws: table top thickness thoughts

Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:10 pm
Posted by Coon
La 56 Southbound
Member since Feb 2005
18563 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:10 pm
I was given some 6x6 cypress columns (not old wood) and think I might make a 60” or 66” round farmhouse style table out of it for my dining room. I was thinking about going 2.5” thick. I can go that and get 2 boards per column or 3 boards at about 1-5/8”. Y’all think that 2.5” would be too thick?
Posted by Sigma
Fairhope, AL
Member since Dec 2005
3665 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:16 pm to
How fine and flat a surface do you want in the end? The finer, the more you’ll have to budget extra thickness for loss during flattening.

1.5” can work, depending on the design.
Posted by Coon
La 56 Southbound
Member since Feb 2005
18563 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:21 pm to
I’ll plane it down and have allowed for flattening.
Posted by Sigma
Fairhope, AL
Member since Dec 2005
3665 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:27 pm to
Personally, 2.5” might be too thick for me. But it depends on the design. It can be done.
Posted by Coon
La 56 Southbound
Member since Feb 2005
18563 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:33 pm to
I think so too. Just wondering.
Posted by Shepherd
Member since Nov 2009
3079 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 8:40 pm to
Never made a round table. Made several rectangle.. the thickest I’ve gone is 2 1/2” but that was placing a new top over an existing one. It weighed a TON. I’ll usually go about an inch to inch and s half. I’ll band it three to three and a half inches to give it a thicker appearance but making it round would take me out of it at that point. I’d be interested to see any pics of the final product. Good luck.
Posted by Chuckd
Louisiana
Member since May 2013
797 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 9:06 pm to
Is say 1.5 inches
Posted by ChocoLab
Member since Aug 2017
147 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 9:42 pm to
1-1/4” to 1-1/2”
Posted by bbvdd
Memphis, TN
Member since Jun 2009
28147 posts
Posted on 12/3/18 at 10:02 pm to
I have a table I made my parents that’s pecan. The top is breadboard ends and they’re 1.75” thick.

Amazing how heavy that thing is.
Posted by fishfighter
RIP
Member since Apr 2008
40026 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 4:43 am to
1.5" is fine. How dry is the beams? You have a way to saw them?
Posted by Pectus
Internet
Member since Apr 2010
67302 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 5:14 am to
You have to joint it before planing. Planing needs one straight side.


I guess a table saw will get that...
Posted by CHEDBALLZ
South Central LA
Member since Dec 2009
23093 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 5:37 am to
Have you thought about making it out of a couple layers of plywood and overlaying it with the cypress? For a round table it will be more stable that way.
Posted by mikie421
continental shelf
Member since Nov 2008
817 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 7:11 am to
Whatever you do, make sure you mill your wood to rough dimension first, and let it sit in the house for a month or so. Or get a moisture meter. Good chance you’ll get some movement after initial stress is released from first milling.
Posted by TU Rob
Birmingham
Member since Nov 2008
13329 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 9:50 am to
Chiming in here since I’m going to be making a table top soon. It will be around 6-7 feet in length and around 3 feet in width. Going to use planks and have one board at the end with 6-8 boards between them. Similar to this design:


It will be our main dining table and I want it to look nice. Thoughts on what type of wood and finish as well as thickness. I have an old table my wife picked up with a busted top. It has 76 inch benches for each side and we’ll have armchairs at the ends. We’re going to paint the base and benches and the top I’ll stain and seal.
Posted by bbvdd
Memphis, TN
Member since Jun 2009
28147 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 2:36 pm to
quote:

You have to joint it before planing. Planing needs one straight side.


I guess a table saw will get that...



You joint one side then one face.
Run through the planer for the second face
then get your 2nd side on the table saw.
Posted by SportTiger1
Stonewall, LA
Member since Feb 2007
29856 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 5:05 pm to
quote:

Y’all think that 2.5” would be too thick?


depends if you have a forklift available or not

too thick IMHO. 1.5" would look good with 6x6 legs
This post was edited on 12/4/18 at 5:06 pm
Posted by fishfighter
RIP
Member since Apr 2008
40026 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 5:10 pm to
You can use just about any kind of wood. Problem there, buying from a box store, you will still need to pass the ends on a jointer or planner. Reason, box stores and most lumber company's, the edges are round.

One I built for my daughter.



The top stained and varnished

Posted by gumbeaux
Member since Jun 2004
4995 posts
Posted on 12/4/18 at 5:40 pm to
I just built a 48”x96” farmhouse style table. I used a 1 1/2” thick top. Needed some help to handle just the table top.....weighed a ton. My table is rectangular and the apron around the perimeter gives the illusion of a thicker top.
This post was edited on 12/4/18 at 5:44 pm
Posted by TU Rob
Birmingham
Member since Nov 2008
13329 posts
Posted on 12/5/18 at 9:06 am to
Thanks. That’s more the look I’m going for. I’m going to get a planer or borrow one. My neighbors dad builds custom cabinets and has a huge workshop. He said I could drop off some boards and let him plane them. Or he could get them and plane them for me.
Posted by lsutiger2010
Member since Aug 2008
14790 posts
Posted on 12/5/18 at 5:42 pm to
(no message)
This post was edited on 10/19/21 at 4:35 pm
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 2Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram