# Pine OK For Table Top?



## MichaelR

I need opinions on what kind of wood to use for the dining room table that I'm building. This is just a simple farmhouse table, very large to seat 10-12, nothing fancy about it. I didn't know if pine was ok to use or if there was a better choice? The top boards will be 2x6.


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## WillemJM

It depends on how much you value the piece and your time put into the project. High end, no pine, low end pine is good.

Linky is a "low end top" I did in hard Country Maple, tried to let the wood talk. I got this lumber for 98c a bf, by shopping around, cheaper than pine, very hard and durable.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f5/were-you-glue-up-table-top-32049/index2/


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## Hammer1

You didn't say what kind of pine but most pine is soft. You can certainly use it and it is used for farm type tables but it will mark and dent much more easily than hardwoods, it's called character but not everyone likes that. You could beat it up with chains, rocks, etc. so a few new dents wouldn't show, this look is very popular, sometimes the more beat up, the better.


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## MichaelR

With lots of children I know it will get marked up, but I don't necessarily want to speed up the process with poor wood selection. I'm just talking about pine from Lowes so if that's soft pine, I'll shop around and as long as I have to do that, I may as well get something a little nicer. I don't know anything about wood and pricing, so can you recommend something that is durable that isn't too expensive?


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## WillemJM

If you are looking for dimensioned finished lumber, moving away from Pine will get real expensive. I'm assuming you do not have the equipment to mill?

You can always put an epoxy coat over Pine to protect it, they sell these kits at the home centers also.


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## ACP

There's two kinds of pine really. The two by fours you are talking about are generally construction grade. Your going to see more knots, checks, and other defects that aren't desirable. They are also going to be more wet generally. There is also select and better pine that they sell. This is the 3/4" stuff, AKA 4/4. This is generally kiln dried and free of the defects. The caveat is, if the table is going to be that large, you probably want thicker wood for the top, especially if it's pine. Also, they are going to rake you over the coals by charging you a lot for that nicer pine by the linear foot, not the board foot. I'd see if you can find a sawyer in your area. You'll get a better deal than at Lowes. If you do want to go through lowes, the bigger construction lumber is usually better, and by that I mean less defects. 2 x 10's and 2 x 12's are generally clearer. Saw them down and sticker them up to dry and you'll save money for the FAS stuff they sell.


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## Joeyflaum

If you are not worried about knots or blemishes you could buy a lower grade like # 1 or # 2 common of oak, cherry, maple, walnut........but it will have knots and blemishes


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## Paul W Gillespie

Go to this website http://www.woodfinder.com/ and type in your zip code. Find a wood supplier near you and see what they have before you buy the wood at Lowes. They may even be able to joint and plane it for you for an additional charge. You never know what kind of deal you could find and it might be cheaper than the finished boards from Lowes.


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## cabinetman

If you go to a regular lumberyard, you might find dimensional Heart Pine or Yellow Birch, which are as hard as Red Oak, and likely cheaper. Other selections but softer would include Douglas Fir, and SYP (Southern Yellow Pine).










 







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## One Ozark American

We have a commercially made pine dining room table. It does develop a little character over the years but I don't believe it will look like an antique in my lifetime. It would look better except I tend to use it for a work table occasionally. Not a particularly good idea:no:


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## Corbin3388

Almost every 18th & 19th century American table I've seen are all pine with the exception of the folk that had $$$$ back then

Sent from my iPhone using Wood Forum


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## GeorgeC

Paul W Gillespie said:


> Go to this website http://www.woodfinder.com/ and type in your zip code. Find a wood supplier near you and see what they have before you buy the wood at Lowes. They may even be able to joint and plane it for you for an additional charge. You never know what kind of deal you could find and it might be cheaper than the finished boards from Lowes.


I know that people put a lot of faith in this "wood finder." However, in parts of the country it does not have much value.

For instance when I try to use it I find that the closest supplier of oak is 100 miles away and the next closest is 150 miles away.

George


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## Paul W Gillespie

George, sorry that the woodfinder site didn't work out for you. I guess it is just a matter of the local wood suppliers getting their info to the woodfinder people. Not sure how they get their info on suppliers. I discovered a supplier that is only about two miles from my house, on the site, and would not have known of them without it. So for some it is useful and what have you got to lose giving it a try?


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## b sco

You might like looking at a pine table top a few years down the road. Ours has some of our kids homework embossed in it, and now my grandson is leaving his mark.


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