Desk Top

Re: Desk Top

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Warp and cup is a result of uneven moisture - loss or gain, or poorly dried lumber. Starting with properly dried lumber, there is no magic fix to moisture gain or loss (depending on the use/storage conditions).

Coatings typically slow, but do not stop, moisture transfer, although I do not know what the rate through epoxy is. One advantage is that epoxy coatings are typically much thicker than many other furniture finishes.

But there is hope...

A set of boards for a table top that have been acclimatized and well glued can survive just fine in a modern climate controlled house, without breadboards. I have many examples in my own home, both pieces I have made myself as well as commercial furniture (and yes there are indeed humidity swings in NC). It really helps to have a base under the top that provides more structure across the width of the boards, but technically even that is not required (although it can make up for imperfections).

So in short - yes this is very doable - WITHOUT breadboards. Exactly 0 of my all wood furniture (desks, tables etc) have breadboards; all are indeed attached to set of legs that do have cross piece supports (generally an apron).

Henry

Cleats, sure.  And a ?

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Additionally - you don't really describe what sort of frame will be used to support this tabletop. Knowing that would help to answer.

I have made many table tops without breadboards and without cleats, just attaching the top to an apron.

Whatever you do to support or constrain that top, ensure that you allow for the wood expansion and contraction, the inevitable movement across the width of the boards with changes in humidity.

Re: Desk Top

Clint Searl

I agree with Henry. IMO, Padauk is about as ugly as wood gets. Not only does it produce tenacious red sawdust, it ages to a nondescript dark-darkness with no life.

Why the epoxy? Waterborne poly floor finish would be fine.

Padauk *LINK*

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Yes Padauk ages, but here's a 3 (?) year old piece that does not get much sun. Finished with Target's CV. If it ever goes ugly brown, I will sand down and refinish.

Henry


https://photos.app.goo.gl/i6YG4cr4CZvupujn7

Re: Padauk

Barry Irby

Are your sure that's padauk? Looks like Bloodwood to me, but then I have a really cheap computer.

Or...

Ellis Walentine

could it be another padauk that doesn't oxidize the same way, such as Andaman? Or some other Pterocarpus like narra? The typical blood red African stuff we normally think of doesn't usually have that sort of character in its color.

Regardless, that's a gorgeous piece of wood Henry.

Ellis

Re: Or...

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Thanks Ellis.

I have no 'real' expertise in species identification, especially not non-native species. There's a local lumber yard reselling species (i.e. not a saw mill; they are retailers). When they label it Padauk, that is what I call it.

I regularly browse the yard's inventory; one Saturday morning I noted a stack of 15-20 pieces(?) labeled as Padauk, that were 27-32" wide and up to 14' long. I instantly recognized my table-to-be and pried my checkbook out of my pocket.

We wanted a feature table for our kitchen re-model, and was considering learning to veneer when this piece sprang into my lap. Their sale at the time had no premium on wide boards for this species, so that was a bonus ("the more I spent the more I saved"). Since it was 4/4/ material I doubled the edges to make it appear as thick top; it is a single board forming a 2x7' top.

Henry

Re: PS

Henry (Raleigh NC)

if I would have thought of it, and IF I had the funds, I should have bought the whole stack.... I wish I had.

Ah, hindsight

Henry

Re: PS

William Duffield

It's fairly easy to tell the difference between bloodwood and padauk: you would have significantly more trouble lifting a bloodwood table that big. Specifically, the bloodwood is more than a third heavier for the same amount of wood. Specific gravity 0.75 vs. 1.05, respectively at 12% mc.

Bloodwood holds its color much better than African padauk.