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Kitchen Table

MDR

My mum and dad gave us an old farmhouse kitchen table when we bought a house a few years ago. I am quiet fond of it, it made from oak coloured rough hewn wood, circa 1930s. Its now in need of some serious TLC, its needs some restoration and some strengthening. I have no problem finding someone to do this work, but there is another problem.

The actual dimensions of the table are too narrow, we would like to have a narrow piece of marble or granite inserted into the table to make it a little wider. So what I really need is someone to re-engineer the table slightly (in addition to restoration).

Am welcoming any and all recommendations at this point, can't find anyone to do this work.

Thanks

Ray Kinsella

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arnhem44

Moved this thread to Woodcraft,you may find the answer quicker here.

Carlow52

MDR wrote: »

My mum and dad gave us an old farmhouse kitchen table when we bought a house a few years ago. I am quiet fond of it, it made from oak coloured rough hewn wood, circa 1930s. Its now in need of some serious TLC, its needs some restoration and some strengthening. I have no problem finding someone to do this work, but there is another problem.

The actual dimensions of the table are too narrow, we would like to have a narrow piece of marble or granite inserted into the table to make it a little wider. So what I really need is someone to re-engineer the table slightly (in addition to restoration).

Am welcoming any and all recommendations at this point, can't find anyone to do this work.

Thanks

Ray Kinsella

slightly:D

Any chance of a pic with some dimensions of the table now and what you are
after in terms of redesign.

IMO you wont get away with a single piece of granite due to weight/brittleness/flexing of table.

IMO think about a marble or granite 'veneer'/inlay type job

The other issue is do u want to maintain the current look at each end which will need to be widened

galwaydude18

you will end up cutting the table practably in half to do what you want. You will need to manufacture new end rails and add new timber to the table top where you insert the marble

Carlow52

galwaydude18 wrote: »

you will end up cutting the table practably in half to do what you want. You will need to manufacture new end rails and add new timber to the table top where you insert the marble

exactly

D.Craftsman

MDR. Give me some more info about the size of the table and how much wider you need it.Also the size of the table frame.Is it on four legs or other frame?Is the frame loose?

MDR

Hi Guys,

Sorry I didn't relise people had responded to my posts.
Will post pics asap but briefly:-

1. Yes I relise the table will need to be cut in half.
2. The table is a bit shaky at the moment, need strengthening really.

D.Craftsman

M.D.R any more info on your table.Size of top,size of frame ,type of frame etc.It probably can be done.

jack of all

A simple and effective way to gain an extra 6- 9" or so on width would be to remove the top, rip it down and use a contrasting timber board in the middle (possibly laminated, painted or aged in some way). You'll increase the overhang on the edges by 3 - 4.5" all round but the original frame remains unaltered (except for repairs). I think this is a good compromise- you respect the original piece whilst altering it to reflect current needs.

MDR

Yeah, will definitely post pictures tonight, sorry for the delay.
Been a busy couple of days...

MDR

As promised Pictures here.
Dimensions are width 26", depth 2 3/4", length 6ft and height 30"

Sorry for the delay, thanks for all the feedback to date.
Looking forward to hear everyone's thoughts.

Regards

Ray Kinsella

SpitfireIV

Ok, here's my idea (its very late and I really should be in the leaba, but, anyway!

)

My proposal re: widening of table and insertion of stone centre piece.

1. Have table top ripped into three lenghts.

2. Lenght A and C when remain the same lenghts and lenght C will be sacrefised for the new end pieces. (edit: letter should read on picture, from left to right A,C,B....damn!)

3. The new pieces C cut to suit stone insert.

4. Pieces C joined into A & B via tounge and groove, M&T, biscuit, domino joint etc.

5. A rebate cut around the opening to depth of the piece of stone (I dont know how thin you can get said stone? Wouls you consider granite, marble, stone tiles etc? It might be easier, ie a thin ply could be fitted first then the tiles added)

6. Stone insert dropped into rebate. There would need to be strenghtening laths under fixed under the table to give stone insert support.

7. You get the idea

8. As the table will now be wider you're gonna need extra support, so a longer cross piece taking in section A, B and C cut, stained and aged to suit the rest of the table and fixed up onto the underside of the table, the legs can then be joined up into this piece.

Edit: Actually, just looking at the pics again, the table top is made of three section, allbeit the centre section is thinner, but I'd still cut it in three, via those lines!

Also, the brace that runs lenght ways along the base I'd have another one of those fitted at the top, again running lenghtways secured into the two new pieces as seen in pic 8. As this'd be running along the centre it could be used to give support to the stone insert.

Carlow52

Croppy, do you exhibit your work anywhere: if you can sketch like that at 03:36 maybe we need a gallery in Boolavogue
Keep well.

Alun

Looking at the colour of the table, I'd say maybe a piece of slate, or some slate tiles would look good in the centre. Advantage would be that they'd be fairly thin and lightweight and you could rebate a piece of ply in the recess first to lay them onto. You wouldn't need many and you might even be lucky and get a few sample tiles or slightly damaged ones that could be trimmed to size for free.

jack of all

Carlow52 wrote: »

Croppy, do you exhibit your work anywhere: if you can sketch like that at 03:36 maybe we need a gallery in Boolavogue
Keep well.

Ditto; very nice draughtsmanship (I was once a draughtsman myself)! Could I suggest a minor change to your proposal? If piece "B" were long enough (when crosscut) why not biscuit these two to the ends of the other planks, increasing the length of the table also and helping to strengthen the table for stone insert and resisting cupping of the top? Used this detail be referred to as a breadboard joint? I think (roofing) slates could be quite fragile and easily scratched but some 10 or 12mm slate tile might be very attractive and you could have this wet cut to dimension. Some great ideas in this thread guys, I'm sure there's a small business opportunity here!

SpitfireIV

jack of all wrote: »

Ditto; very nice draughtsmanship (I was once a draughtsman myself)! Could I suggest a minor change to your proposal? If piece "B" were long enough (when crosscut) why not biscuit these two to the ends of the other planks, increasing the length of the table also and helping to strengthen the table for stone insert and resisting cupping of the top? Used this detail be referred to as a breadboard joint? I think (roofing) slates could be quite fragile and easily scratched but some 10 or 12mm slate tile might be very attractive and you could have this wet cut to dimension. Some great ideas in this thread guys, I'm sure there's a small business opportunity here!

Cheers guys, I guess my 4 years design eduacation came in useful afterall!

It would indeed be a breadboard end what you suggested JOA, personally I prefer the look of the smaller pieces 'closed' off by the longer ones, rather than the other way round but I hear what you're saying about the cupping. I reckon however that if there were enough fixings applied to the new strenghening piece in pic 8 then that should save it from any serious movement.

MDR

Wow Peter,

Thanks for your response quiet comprehensive ...! I was really blown away, it was much more than I expected really. (Had a look at your facebook page there also).

I also really liked the idea of using the slate in the centre of the table, it would seem like the perfect balance of weight and strenght

What kind of effort do think would involved in this work, is this a big "job". I quit carpentry in school after 2nd class, so there is no way I am doing it

Regards

Ray Kinsella

SpitfireIV

Cheers MDR, and thanks for checking out my link!

I've used slate as the top of a table (can be seen in my Facebook site), I engraved it with a design and finished it with 4 coats of danish oil followed by a couple of rubs of wax, came up really well! The only thing with the slate is (I'd imagine) it would be in sections rather than one clean lenght, but, perhaps you can get them in lenghts, I dont know.

The job would want to be done by someone fairly competent in furniture making, not as a nixer, its gonna be the focal point of your dining room/kitchen, you want it sticking out for all the right reasons!