It took ten years of woodworking to come across the perfect wood for our own dining table. Reclaimed wood is our passion and this salvaged wormy chestnut was perfect! Saved from an East Tennessee tobacco barn facing destruction, we gave it new life.
The table and bench base is maple, including the matching turned legs. Hard to see from the picture but we started with General Finishes pre stain conditioner, then two coats of GF Antique Oak stain, followed by some GF High Performance. And finally finished with GF Lamp Black milk paint. Ultimately, we decided not to distress any of the paint. Rather, over time any damage will reveal the stained legs that match the table top.
The top began with 500 board feet of wormy American Chestnut, in very poor condition. So, I did what any good woodworker would and named each piece, then nursed it back to life. The table is 9’ long, 42” wide. Most pieces were not long enough, so I hand cut half lap joints to get the length we wanted. Then, carved dowels from scrap pieces to secure the joints. Finally, it’s finished with several coats of Arm-R-Seal.
The unique characteristics in the wood tell it’s own story and it provides a perfect place to gather at the end of the day.
