After throwing me for the initial loop, these clients added yet another challenge: They wanted the table to be 50 inches wide. After lots of research, I was only able to find one company in the U.S. that was even willing to attempt a 50 x 120 glass top table. Ultimately, the challenges paid off, and the dining table has fast become one of my favorite builds.

Here’s how we built a client’s glass top table with maple legs — and how it almost never happened.

Flipping the Script

I was so excited to talk options with the clients. They knew they wanted a glass top but weren’t sure about the base, so I gave them several options. In the end, we settled on:

1. Cutting two of the highly figured maple logs I’d been storing for over 10 years in half to display the figure inside. The maple was a perfect match to the decor and decorative beams above.
2. Decorating the wood bases with steel bow ties to match their beautiful wine rack the table would sit in front of. 

I demonstrated how we’d cut the logs on one of my spare logs. I also sent them videos and photos of how the bases would sit opposite each other. I provided them with photos of other tables we had used the steel bow ties on so they could see the look and contrast. 

Sourcing Wood for the Base of the Glass Top Table 

The maple logs we used for the base were from right here in Utah. One of my general contractor friends calls me whenever he needs trees removed from land they’re developing. These logs came from two different homesteads in the Salt Lake City area. 

Both hard maple trees are well over 100 years old. It was hard to think they were healthy and could have kept living, but the homeowners wanted them removed. By repurposing the trees as the base to the glass top table, we were able to give them new life. 

And what a process it was to repurpose these slabs! The trees had to be rough cut to size with a chainsaw, then milled down closer with a horizontal bandsaw before being sent to the kiln for almost five months to get rid of moisture and bugs. Then, we took the slabs to the bandsaw again to get them just over exact size.

The next step was to adjust our surfacing machine to fit the 11 x 27 x 31 blocks and make them exactly 30 inches tall. It took several days of turning them onto each side and making sure each one was level to get the perfect shape. Four heavy levelers were recessed into the bottom of each base. 

Finally, it came time to hand carve the 21 decorative bow ties into the four bases. The steel ties serve the dual purpose of being decorative and supporting splits to ensure they don’t spread more over time. Each has to be tight and coated with epoxy to stay in place and prevent residual moisture in the wood from rusting the ties or staining the wood black.

Overcoming the Challenges of Building a Glass Top Table

Every step of this beautiful dining table was a challenge and time consuming, which was expected. It took the glass company six attempts to get the one-inch-thick glass top table perfect — and even though many companies would have given up after that many attempts, the company stayed positive throughout the process. 

It was definitely worth the wait. The glass is tempered and crystal clear and weighed over 500 pounds, so we had six guys from a local installation company we trusted carry it around the back of the house, up a hill, and through the back double doors. 

The hard maple base was the perfect color, and the steel ties matched everything in the room — from the floor to the wall and overhead beams.

The bases themselves took time and patience. I had to make sure each one was perfect before every cut and again before and after the drying process. Then, I had to place each bow tie so it was perfectly carved in and there were no gaps displaying patient craftsmanship. Each tie takes about an hour to place. 

Revealing the Glass Top Table & Maple Legs

Everything was perfect. I was so extremely pleased with glass — so beautiful and clear, with zero flaws. The bow ties were so much fun to put in and are one of my favorite parts of the craft. I always love placing them, no matter the time it takes. 

The clients were so excited to get the glass top table in and remarked at the clarity of the glass. They were so excited how the colors of the wood matched the room perfectly. I was so glad to be a part of this piece, and I look forward to many more challenging projects in the future.
To discuss the project of your dreams, contact me today!

The post A Client’s Glass Top Table With Maple Legs That Almost Never Happened appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

I was so excited to be introduced to the client by one of my interior design friends, and loved working with them on such a mammoth project — every detail, from the figured wood to the dramatic table legs to the soft satin feel of the finish, was custom designed and selected to match the client’s grandiose, elegant space.

Here’s how we designed and built a massive maple conference table for our condo company client.

A Maple Conference Table of Epic Proportions

Given the size of the conference table, I knew the exact slabs to present the clients. These incredible slabs come from a maple tree North of Sandpoint, Idaho. Because of the tree’s close proximity to the local library, it had to be taken down once it started to show signs of disease. It was a massive spectacle and had become dangerous. 

We worked with a local arborist and crane rental company to move the ginormous tree. We brought it directly to our Sawyer friends in Nephi, Utah, who are the only company in the state with a horizontal bandsaw wide enough to cut it into slabs and give it a second life. It took two huge forklifts to move the tree around and onto the saw. 

Because of its size and weight, the wood was under intense pressure, which created some of the most (if not the most) highly figured slabs I’ve ever seen. The figure was easy to see before starting the sanding/finishing process and just kept getting more and more beautiful as the process went along

I wanted the figure to speak for itself and be the focus of the conference table, so when it came to filling the voids, we used a simple smokey — but still clear enough to see through — black epoxy. 

Building a Strong Foundation

Naturally, such a big conference table requires strong, solid legs to hold its weight. The clients had concerns about legs at first, but the designer came to me with an idea she was hoping we could bring to life. She wanted them to be oval shaped with a textured concrete finish.

Together, the designer, my metal fabricator, and I created some truly beautiful legs. My fabricator used his plasma CNC to cut and build a perfect interior frame. He was able to use a single piece of metal sheeting to create the legs by heating and tacking the sheet around the frames. We hid the seam by turning it toward the middle of the table. 

Bending metal can be extremely difficult because the metal can bow and bend when heated too much, especially when welding it to the frame. But because he’s the best at what he does, they came out perfectly. We then took them to our friends at Great Basin Coatings, who created a perfect texture to go along with the concrete color.

Challenges & the Final Result

This particular slab was extremely solid, so the biggest challenge came with moving around slabs this size. We even needed a forklift just to flip them over as we worked on them. The finished product was a whopping 12 feet long and 58 inches wide. 

The clients wanted a centerpiece and truly received what they had asked for with this stunning, highly figured maple slab. The legs were a true feat of skill by our metal fabricator and a fun way to show the designer exactly what we’re capable of. 

The amount of figure in every square inch is beyond words and photos. The designer was elated at the results, and the clients were so excited to receive delivery. So much so that they kept sending someone to get more people to come and see the final result. They emphasized that we’d definitely hear from them in the future for their upcoming projects.
Whether you’re an interior designer representing a client or you’re a homeowner looking for a one-of-a-kind centerpiece, contact me today to discuss options for your interior design project.

The post Creating a Mammoth Maple Conference Table for a Condo Company’s Office appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

I was introduced to Matt through a general contractor I work with. Needless to say, as a fan, I was both excited and overwhelmed at the chance to build pieces that would be displayed in his home for years to come.

Here’s how we designed and built a live edge table and shelves suitable for an All-Star client.

Finding the Perfect Slab

Dining tables are such a focal point in the home because anyone that visits you will probably sit at it. That’s a lot of pressure to build something eye-catching, functional, and durable. Designing a dining table that an All-Star’s family and friends would sit at added a whole other layer of pressure to make something Matt would be proud to show off. 

My friend made a point to ask me to find something unique. And that’s exactly what we did. Back in 2010, we had to take down a walnut tree in Kinton, Ore., due to an apple grove expanding and moving in. Ever since, we’d been saving a few unique slabs from the middle and widest cuts for a special project.

I think the opportunity to build a one-of-a-kind live edge table for an All-Star was as good a time as any to put those slabs to use.

Working out the Details

Even with the perfect, unique slabs, I wanted every detail to exceed this two-time Golden Glove winner’s expectations. I made sure the live edge table had as much figure as I could possibly find, and I filled the holes along the slab with a jet black epoxy. 
The table has what’s called cathedral or flame figure, where large branches meet and grow together, creating the appearance of the top of a cathedral mixed with the reflective appearance of a flame when it’s moving.

We also custom designed the legs so they would be original and complement the herringbone-patterned floors in Matt’s new home. 

Finally, no matter the project or client, we always use the best finish on the market and supply each client with the cleaner and maintenance product to ensure so there are no questions on how to maintain it. We want our one-of-a-kind pieces to stand the test of time and be passed down through generations.

Revealing the Live Edge Table & Shelves 

We sent Matt pictures all along the way as the piece progressed. He was especially excited to see the videos of the epoxy pour along with the application of the final finish to the live edge table. 

The figure on this table is next to none. The cathedral figure runs almost the entire length of the nine-foot table. I was happy to install this table myself and to have the opportunity to see it in its final home. As an added touch, we even made some custom baseball bats. Not only was Matt kind enough to sign the bats, but he also gifted us a signed league ball. 

He was so excited to get the table into his brand-new, still-not-finished home a couple days before Christmas. 
You don’t have to be an All-Star to treat yourself to a one-of-a-kind piece of furniture. Contact me today to get a quote for the custom project you’ve been dreaming of.

The post Creating a Live Edge Table for an All-Star Client appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

I was excited to receive a direct call from this particular client because he had been referred to me by both the designer who was helping him put his new house together and his brother, who I used to work with in an emergency department. Between his brother and his designer, he had two great references. 

Here’s how we highlighted a diseased maple tree’s imperfections and turned it into a stunning, one-of-a-kind maple desk.

Choosing the Right Wood

The client’s new home had a lot of space to work with. This particular maple desk was for his new office, which had huge windows overlooking the yard. He wanted a river table for a desk, and once I presented him with the Oregon maple slabs I had in mind and explained how the finished piece would look with other examples I’ve made, he was in love. 

The ants, bugs, and fungus made for some very unique pieces to work with, but because of they’re imperfections, the slabs required a lot of prep work to be usable. First, they needed several years of being air dried and sprayed with bug killer to stop destruction from invasive insects and kill any residual fungus. Then, they were ready to go into the kiln.

Because the tree was huge, the slabs have a lot of chatoyance and figure. We decided on straight black for the resin to contrast the maple. The color is absolutely incredible, and offsetting the wood with a black epoxy really made for a one-of-a-kind maple desk.

Navigating the Challenges of an Imperfect Slab

Because of the wood’s instability — it was so soft you could dent it with your finger — we had to use a special clear epoxy for the stabilization process. It took a lot of time to harden everything around the main voids.

Once those large areas were hard and ready, I was able to start pouring the main areas. I worked layer by layer, inserting a heavy metal mesh into the inside edges of the wood voids, then going back over with epoxy to hide everything. This assured that neither the wood nor the epoxy would shift or crack over time. 

By far the hardest part of building this maple desk was the long process of stabilizing the “punky” soft areas on the top and bottom of the slab. I ended up having to use about three times the epoxy that had been initially estimated!

Revealing the One-of-a-Kind Maple Desk

Even though I sent the client photo updates throughout the process, he couldn’t believe the final piece. He was so excited to get the desk in place and had even brought in incredible art to compliment the desk in color and uniqueness. 

The epoxy was flawless, and the wood had more figure than can even be translated in a photo. The client initially planned to sit on the side on which I’d created a straight edge using the epoxy but instead loved the live edge and wanted to be on the more natural side. 

He loved the black metal X-style legs and couldn’t stop admiring the piece and talking about the figure he’d never seen before in a slab. 

Do you have a one-of-a-kind piece in mind for your home? Contact me today to discuss the project you’ve been dreaming of.

The post Highlighting Nature’s Imperfections in a Client’s One-of-a-Kind Maple Desk appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

These particular clients were introduced to me by one of my interior design friends. As an engineer, the husband had custom designed most of their new forever home in the mountains of southern Utah. Naturally, he had some ideas about this walnut table we were building for the home.

Working with a client who also works in the industry can be both a little scary and a lot of fun. Ultimately, it was an opportunity for us to put our minds together and come up with something truly unique. Here’s what went into designing and building a walnut table for an engineer client’s Utahn forever home.

Tying the Walnut Table Into the Rest of the Home

When building the clients’ custom forever home, they wanted something large and special for their dining room. Moving to Utah from California meant they’d be hosting family for extended periods, so they wanted a massive table to gather around so there would be no shortage of seating when their children and grandkids came to visit for the holidays.

As an engineer, the client had designed and specially crafted the railing inside their home, the gate outside, and the front door. These details were all taken into consideration when it came time to design the legs on the walnut table. We took photos of all his designs and came up with the exact detail he wanted to fit with the theme of the rest of the home.

Paying Homage to the Client’s California Roots

Because of how the clients designed their dining area, we wanted to maximize the space as much as possible. Specifically, they wanted to be able to seat two people at each head of the table. 
I was able to go back to the clients’ California roots by finding a massive four-foot-wide California Claro walnut slab from a Northern California supplier, which had originally come from a farm property near Maysville. This beautiful tree was originally taken down because of a lightning strike in 2003, which damaged it heavily.

We had to take special care to stabilize a slab this wide to ensure it would stand the test of time. Because large slabs have a higher chance of twisting, it’s essential to take extra steps to ensure the pieces are as stabilized as possible. 

Every woodworker will have his or her preferred stabilization technique. For this walnut table, we chose to make cuts on the bottom of the slab and route a heavier channel iron into the bottom and hidden from view.

Revealing the Final Results

We kept the clients up to date throughout the process to make sure the details matched their expectations. Making sure they approved the design of the legs was key, especially given how personalized the home was, as was figuring out the logistics of installing the walnut table in the dining room space. To make sure we were always in sync, we sent the clients photos from concept design to construction until the piece was complete and ready for installation. 

As native Californians, They were so excited to have a piece of California nature in their home in the form of this grand walnut table. They loved how the piece came together and how perfectly the legs matched the railing, gate, front door, and other accents of the home. And I know they were so excited to host their family in their new forever home for years and years to come.
Contact me today to discuss the project you’ve been dreaming of and get a custom quote, plus ideas for how to make your custom furniture match the other custom elements of your home.

The post Building a Custom Walnut Table for an Engineer’s Forever Home appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

A friend from my hometown works as a finish carpenter with one of the biggest builders in the state. He made the introduction directly to the absolute best and most hardworking clients themselves. I couldn’t say no to this extravagant project.

Here’s how we created three statement bar countertops for a client’s new home.

Going Over the Client’s Checklist

Talking to the clients was like talking to friends I’ve known for years. They absolutely love to entertain friends and were building a huge pool and temperature-controlled outdoor space where they could play outside and enjoy drinks and movies. They also wanted the bar to be the focal point of the entire entertainment area. 

As soon as the clients told me their goals of creating an entertainer’s dream bar and that they wanted all three bar countertops to be one uniform wood — walnut — I knew the exact set of slabs we needed for the build.

We had sourced four huge walnut slabs from a town near North Portland, Ore., in Cedar Hills, so I showed them photos of the raw slabs before they went into the kiln, and we agreed that they were perfect. Because we were able to get them all from the same tree, all the grain, color, and mitered joints matched perfectly. 

Maximizing Space & Focusing on Details

One of the reasons I loved this piece so much was because of the elevated bar. The clients wanted to maximize the utility of the space and make the bar as long as possible. The mitered extensions are five feet long, making this one of the largest bar countertops I’ve ever made. 

But one of the coolest details in this bar is that four inclusions still had walnuts in them, which I exposed and encased when filling the cracks with black epoxy, making them look like hearts stuck in the resin. It’s always fun and amazing what can be preserved in a tree that’s well over 100 years old.

Finally, we had to install the sink. I contracted a company I work with for the cabinets and showed him samples of the barnwood oak along with samples of the finished walnut bar countertops. The clients wanted an undermount sink, which we ended up cutting out after installation. 

Overcoming Challenges & Revealing the Final Result

Handling slabs this large is always a challenge made easier with overhead cranes and forklifts. But the real challenge is finding the trees themselves and making sure that every inch is properly dried. Huge trees hold water in the outer veins of the tree, so the smallest amount of moisture could cause the slabs to split or warp down the road. 

The counters are huge and heavy. But because I work with the best cabinet company, installation was as simple as bringing in the bar countertops and screwing them down. We used coated hardware and clear silicone to assure adherence and that it won’t shift over time. 

The clients absolutely loved the epoxied walnuts, which encased perfectly, and the finish is absolutely flawless. Cutting out and sealing the sink hole went smoothly, so the clients will never have to worry about the counters absorbing water and expanding or warping over time. 

The clients could not be more impressed or excited. The family has since then finished the pool installation and hosted many parties. They’ve also had me back for several art pieces and décor. I’m grateful for such a wonderful relationship with both the builder and the clients, who I know are thrilled to have these unique bar countertops in their forever home. 
Are you dreaming of a one-of-a-kind piece for your home? Contact me today to get a custom quote and make that dream a reality.

The post An Entertainer’s Dream: Statement Bar Countertops for a Client’s New Home appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

It’s always a fun challenge to design multiple complementary, but still unique, pieces. And this client’s dining area layout posed an added challenge: finding the perfect slab to fit a long and narrow space.

Here’s how I designed and brought to life a custom wood bar top and matching dining table for a client’s family.

Finding a Wood Slab With Character

Because of the layout of their dining area, we had to be particular when choosing the correct slab for the dining table. It had to be 11 feet long and not too wide. 

For both the wood bar top and the dining table slabs, we chose a beautiful piece of black walnut taken off an orchard in southern Oregon back in 2010. The trees were huge, and because of disease in one of them, all three walnut trees needed to be taken down. 

The slab we chose for the bar top had a lot of small voids in the middle and along the sides, which made it the perfect piece for adding the eye-catching blue epoxy. It also fit perfectly between two columns, which the clients wanted as a pass-through countertop.

For the dining table, I was able to find the perfect slab with a fun shape — it had a curve that would fit the space perfectly. The dark Oregon black walnut slab added some needed depth and color to the cabin dining room. 

Dining Table & Wood Bar Top Challenges 

Creating these large pieces takes a lot of time. Utah has an extremely dry climate, so bringing in massive slabs from a humid state like Oregon meant they needed several months to acclimate to our heat. The slabs had even been air dried for five years before we purchased and put them through the kiln process.

I stored these slabs in my big shop that’s heated with a coal furnace and has to be cleaned every night. This allows the slabs to move and expand under the dry Utahn heat and makes sure there won’t be any more movement once these massive beautiful slabs go to their final homes. 

When the time came to install the wood bar top and dining table, the size of the table created a final challenge: getting it from Utah to the clients’ Northern Salt Lake City cabin. I wasn’t able to find a moving company, so my brother kindly drove up with me to deliver it the night before Thanksgiving. 

Keeping It in the Family 

This is one project I’ll always remember because my beautiful daughters were with me throughout the build, coloring all over the walls of my 1,500-square-foot shop with sidewalk chalk. I even taught them how to use a card scraper to smooth the top before sanding. 

As a final added detail, the clients wanted the dining table to fit the cabin theme. They had seen a set of legs with pine tree silhouettes I’d done for an earlier project, so we copied the pattern, and they absolutely loved the results! The legs fit perfectly with the cabin theme, and the tabletop was the perfect centerpiece for their gathering space. 

Once in place, the clients got to see the final product. The wife cried with excitement to have their beautiful walnut table and matching wood bar top in place for their family Thanksgiving Day gathering.
Contact me today to discuss the project you’ve been dreaming of.

The post Designing a Client’s Custom Wood Bar Top & Matching Dining Table appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

A Jack-and-Jill bathroom is “a full bath that has two or more entrances,” according to Badeloft USA. One of my absolute favorite ways to use highly figured slabs is as sliding barn doors — and in this case, I got to create two. The clients wanted one live edge door and one painted in a custom color from Sherwin Williams.

Here’s what went into designing and creating a live edge sliding barn door for the client’s son’s bedroom entrance to the bathroom and a painted sliding barn door for the daughter’s bedroom entrance.

Designing the Sliding Barn Door for the Son’s Room

The live edge door was to be one of two doors on the kid’s Jack-and-Jill bathroom. For the boy’s bedroom entry to the bathroom, we chose a beautiful highly figured maple slab from a huge tree out of southern Idaho. 

Although the tree was short, it was extremely wide, and the two branches that came out of the trunk were massive and created the pressure to form all the figure in the main trunk. We chose the innermost slab because it was the widest. It had a fun inclusion toward the top that we filled with a clear, smoky epoxy. 

We went to Rustica Hardware, a local company owned by some friends, for the sliding barn door’s brackets and rollers. I was so excited to feature their hardware on these beautiful doors; the matte black really pops against the door’s rich, vibrant wood tones.

Designing the Sliding Barn Door for the Daughter’s Room 

The client’s daughter had her own specific vision for the sliding barn door in her room. She gave me a base drawing of the design she wanted, and I had the opportunity to bring her vision to life.

For this sliding barn door, I opted to use some local soft maple for the main base. Then, the client’s daughter wanted slats laid out on the surface of the bedroom side of the door. After cutting, sanding, and laying out the slats in a geometric pattern, I sent over photos for her approval.

Once she approved the final layout, I finished sanding the flat surfaces before nailing down the slats and spraying the primer. I then sent it out to a local friend who sprayed several coats of the final color. After her sliding barn door was done and the paint had dried, I brought it back to install the hardware before delivery. 

Revealing the Finished Sliding Barn Doors

The doors came out absolutely perfect. The client has had me back for many projects, and we’re excited to work together again on their entire kitchen next year. 

Step by step, Andrea and I walked through the conception and creation of both doors so they would fit each space perfectly. We even made sure to match the color of the sliding barn door to the walls in the daughter’s room so the decor was cohesive.

I was so excited to be a part of Andrea’s design and work directly with her on the design of each sliding barn door. The two rooms have been featured in major publications, and the doors are always a highlight. 

I always enjoy collaborating with designers to bring their visions to life. Contact me today to discuss options for your next interior design project.

The post A Jack-&-Jill Sliding Barn Door for a Client’s Son & Daughter appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

Dining tables and benches are pretty common requests that I get from clients, but the coat rack was a final addition to a reading nook for their many beautiful grandchildren and a fun extra on an already big project. 

Here’s what happened behind the scenes of the creation of this client’s wood dining table, matching benches, and coat rack.

Selecting the Perfect Slabs to Compliment the Space

Entering their space, I knew these pieces had to be my best, so I brought along images of several slabs worthy for their new forever home. They were drawn immediately to my first choice — one of our private reserves brought out for special projects. 

The slab we chose for the wood dining table was solid, didn’t have a lot of checking to fill, and had an incredible amount of color and figure. It also had a noticeable hole along the edge, which had most likely been home to a squirrel at one point. 

The clients loved the checking in the large branches toward the top, which I planned to fill with black epoxy. The colors of red and purple are offset by the light sapwood and dark heartwood — characteristics known only to the beautiful black walnut of Oregon. 

Bringing some of these slabs to life is truly an honor. I showed the clients photos of the well-over-100-year-old tree where it had stood, next to an almond grove near Portland that the owner wanted to expand. We had convinced him that we could give the huge tree a second life as the center was dying out and it needed to come down — luckily, he agreed.

Building the Wood Dining Table & Matching Benches

I was so excited that the clients wanted benches for the table and entryway. We went with rectangular tubing for the legs to match the table and add more weight to the benches so the small grandchildren couldn’t tip them over with ease.

Because of its location next to the back door and windows, the dining table bench needed to scoot under and in between the legs of the wood dining table for easy access to the back yard and pool. 

Designing the One-of-a-Kind Coat Rack

After the wood dining table and matching benches, I had to create a coat rack worthy of their space. That meant it had to be able to hold a lot of coats for when the entire family gathered together. The clients envisioned that walking through the mount of coats into the reading nook under the stairs would feel like walking through the wardrobe into Narnia. 

Because the family all lives within a half mile of each other and planned to visit all the time, the coat rack also had to be mobile. We outfitted the bottom with felt pads so it could easily be pulled out from the reading nook as needed.

Revealing the Final Product 

One of my favorite parts about working on big projects like this wood dining table is being able to jump on top and hand scrape the slabs flat and smooth using card scrapers. This particular slab was so wide that I had to be on top of it to reach the middle. 

Because of their size and weight, moving these massive heavy slabs can be tricky — but it can also be hilarious. The clients had a few laughs watching us maneuver the big pieces through the entryway into the home but were ultimately elated and relieved to get everything in safely. 

With the wood dining table, benches, and coat rack in place, I helped the clients set up new lighting over the table and move everything into place for their weekend family party. They were so excited and loved it all so much that we’re already talking about adding some unique shelving next to the dining area.
Contact me today to discuss the project you’ve been dreaming of.

The post Designing a Wood Dining Table & Matching Benches for a Client’s Forever Home appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.

With the goal of seating all her grandkids, the client wanted a huge 12-foot centerpiece in her new Sundance Mountain cabin. Not only did the table have to be big and durable enough for family dinners, but it also had to be eye-catching enough to match a food-blogger-quality kitchen aesthetic.

Read on to learn about the process of creating a custom maple table for this food blogger’s Sundance Mountain cabin.

Designing a Maple Table Fit for a Food Blogger

For this client’s dining space, we wanted a lighter wood species to offset the dark cabinetry and complement the white marble kitchen counters. After going through tons of samples, we even made a site visit while the cabin was being built to make sure the slab wasn’t too orange or too dark in the space. 

She wanted something with a ton of character and figure, and we talked about having a lot of open splitting for epoxy and metal bow ties to hold it together. According to WiseBond, bow ties are a great way to strengthen and stabilize cracks in wood slabs (while also creating an “aesthetically unique look”).

I showed the client both wood and metal ties, as well as a piece of the actual slab once it arrived. Ultimately, we decided on an incredibly beautiful Idaho Maple slab. A maple table would be heavy and durable enough to withstand any wear and tear from the client’s grandkids.

Maple Table Details & Challenges

A local arborist friend in Northern Idaho contacted me about a maple tree that had to come down because of disease. We ended up using it for the client’s maple table. After seeing the tree’s beauty, figure, and size (the client wanted a 12-foot table!), it was an easy decision to salvage the whole tree to give it a second life. 

We went with a smoky epoxy for all the splitting and voids. To offset the lighter wood tones, we aged the steel bow ties to be a bit darker. Finally, because of the metal bow ties, the slab had to be surfaced flat, so we chiseled the ties into place by hand before pouring epoxy around them.

After several days of pouring epoxy, once the slab was completely set, it had to be hand scraped and brought back to perfectly flat. With a slab that size it took an entire day to continually scrape, hand plane and make sure it was level.

The two biggest challenges we faced with this project were placing bow ties and scraping epoxy. Once those were done, after a few coats of finish, this one-of-a-kind maple table was ready for its big reveal.

Revealing & Installing the Maple Table 

This maple table was one of the most enjoyable projects and one of my favorite pieces I’ve ever made because of all the figure and character along with the incredible bow ties. Because it was delivered during the worst winter in Utah’s recent history, we had to time the delivery after the roads were cleared and the cabin was shoveled out. 

We arrived after the roads were narrowly passable. We had to back down their road about a mile and a half. Unfortunately, the snow was too high to drive through, so we had to improvise by sliding the slab across the six-foot deep snow like a sled.

The client was so pleased with the end result and even sent us family photos at the table and featured us in her food blog! They were so excited to have their first family dinner and gather around their new centerpiece — where they’ll no doubt have family dinners for years to come.
Are you renovating or redecorating your home and looking for your own one-of-a-kind centerpiece? Contact me today to discuss options for your interior design project.

The post A Custom Maple Table for a Food Blogger’s Sundance Mountain Cabin appeared first on Redpoint Woodworks.