Natural wood fits harmoniously into almost any interior. A tabletop made of a high-quality processed solid piece looks original and stylish, creating a cozy atmosphere in the room. The material is warm, pleasant to the touch, and has a beneficial effect on the psychological state of people.
However, it is not easy to buy a ready-made countertop made of natural wood. There are few of them, the prices for such products are very high, and the quality of the wood may not be the best. Especially when it comes to a tabletop made from cut wood, which requires high-quality preparation and processing. It is much cheaper to make such a product yourself. Let's look at the features and methods of making a table from cut wood with your own hands.
Features of tabletops made from cut wood
An ordinary tabletop made of natural wood is a wood panel glued together from several boards. It has the correct geometric shape, the edges are processed with a shaped cutter or, at a minimum, are polished with high quality.
Expert opinion
Korzhavin Daniil Dmitrievich
Designer of stylish home furniture
A saw-cut tabletop is a solid piece of a tree trunk, which is a cut made perpendicular or oblique to the longitudinal axis. The thickness of the cut is chosen based on the shape and characteristics of the existing piece of wood. As a rule, the edges of the cut are not shaped in any way, leaving the natural contours of the tree trunk as nature created them.
There are different cutting options:
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis . This cut produces a plate, the size of which is determined by the diameter of the trunk. The stresses in the massif are distributed approximately equally in all areas, which avoids deformation during drying;- at an angle to the longitudinal axis . This cut allows you to obtain a plate of a larger area, the shape of which is close to an oval. Shrinkage stresses are located unevenly, which requires high-quality preparation and conditioning of the trunk before sawing;
- along the longitudinal axis . This cut allows you to obtain a layer of maximum size. Its width is limited by the diameter of the trunk, and its length is determined by the size of the log. Loads during shrinkage are located according to the direction of the annual rings, which often causes the board to bend into a tube.
The first and second cutting options are most often used. The first is chosen if there is a workpiece (log) of large diameter. Such a cut is economical; here only the thickness of the cut and the allowance for grinding are wasted.
An inclined cut gives an expressive and unique pattern of annual rings. However, this cutting method is the most uneconomical - the remaining parts of the trunk have a small area and cannot be used for any large-sized products.
A longitudinal cut gives a regular board of the required thickness. Sometimes the trunk is cut exactly in the middle and two halves are obtained, of which only the flat sides are processed. This option allows you to get two tabletops with a pattern that is repeated in a mirror image.
Expert opinion
Korzhavin Daniil Dmitrievich
Designer of stylish home furniture
There are other options for assembling a tabletop, in which they use cuts not from one trunk, but from a large number of thick branches (or thin trunks). As a rule, many cuts are laid and the spaces between them are filled with epoxy resin (or other hardening high-strength polymer).
This method allows you to get a tabletop of any size, but does not provide the attractiveness that a solid piece of wood has. Sometimes, instead of pouring, a large piece of glass (or monolithic polycarbonate) is used, which is installed on top of a set of saw cuts.
Methods of dissolution
A template wooden cut does not exceed a thickness of 5 cm. The standard scheme for dissolving slabs is that when dissolving the core remains 10 to 12 cm thick.
This is a necessary measure because stress in the barrel leads to the formation of cracks. But the production of wooden cuts 12 cm thick does not guarantee that the output slab will be intact.
- To form a wide blank, you need to glue two cuts.
- Creating glued forms goes against the principles of creating solid slabs, but such actions make it possible to create a workpiece with certain parameters.
- The technology helps reduce stress in the barrel, thereby increasing the quality and service life of the product.
Table legs
The design of the legs is usually chosen based on the characteristics of the tabletop, as well as your own capabilities. Sometimes a full-fledged tsar belt with conventional supports is made. Many users make legs from thick branches from which the bark has been removed. On the reverse side, blind holes of the appropriate diameter are made into which the ends of the branches are glued. All that remains is to adjust their length so that the table stands tightly and does not wobble.
There is an interesting option using combined materials. The table legs are forged supports, which in themselves have high decorative qualities. The overall appearance of such a table is very attractive; the product looks elegant and rich.
Possible options
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Despite its simplicity, the table is considered a variable product and, with the right approach, will organically fit into any room. Manufacturers of wooden furniture usually offer the consumer the following types of models: with the correct geometry - rectangular, round, oval; corner - help save internal space; transformers – multifunctional structures; folding and sliding – allow you to accommodate a large number of guests; “books” are a common modification of a folding table.
It is noteworthy that all of the listed table options can be made in a home-made environment, literally from scrap materials. Regardless of the design and shape, a homemade wooden table must satisfy two requirements. Firstly, it must match the interior of the room; if this rule is not followed, even a beautifully designed carved tabletop will look unpresentable. Secondly, the width of one seat must be at least 70 cm, otherwise people will experience discomfort. Otherwise, the width and height are selected individually, depending on personal preferences and the intended use of the table.
How to choose material
The easiest way is to purchase a ready-made saw cut and look for suitable options in online stores. However, for many users it is more interesting to choose the material themselves and make a plate from a log.
To make a tabletop, you need a plate of the largest possible size. It can be obtained from large diameter logs, at least 500 mm (ideally more than 600 mm).
Coniferous trees predominate on the territory of our country. They have pronounced annual rings, straight-grained wood with a large amount of resin. It is the resin that can become an undesirable point, since it has poor contact with paint and varnish coatings. It is noteworthy that most conifers have a similar texture and are easy to confuse.
Hardwoods have a wide variety of textures. There are rocks with pronounced annual rings and a large number of pores. These are ash, acacia, chestnut. There are species with homogeneous and inexpressive wood - birch, maple. However, it is these rocks that have significant undulation in the lower part of the trunk. Therefore, it is recommended to cut them along the longitudinal axis.
It is difficult for an inexperienced person to determine by the type of log what it will look like when cut. This is a task that is not available to every professional - a tree trunk is a living organism, and its condition is extremely difficult to predict.
However, you can adhere to the basic rules:
- You should not choose a rotten log. You can knock on its side - if the sound is dull and “raw”, it’s better to look again;
- an uneven and knobby trunk in this case will only be an advantage, since its cut looks more attractive;
- the closer to the root the cut is located, the more interesting its texture will be;
- cracks or other imperfections, if not too many, can only decorate the tabletop (although they will have to be completely filled with epoxy resin or polyester putty).
Most often there is not much choice. There are few large trunks, since they are brought only to order. Therefore, you have to be guided by the main condition - size. If the size of the cut is suitable for solving the tasks, flaws can be corrected or hidden.
Transportation of lumber
To transport timber you will need large loading equipment. In particular, this is necessary for transporting entire trunks. If you intend to transport small pieces of wood, then large equipment is not required; it is possible to carry out the loading yourself.
You will need a cable, trailer and ramps. It is necessary to monitor the balance and measured distribution of the weight of the barrel. To secure the slab you will need strong straps.
Making saw cuts
As a rule, the cut is made using an electric or chainsaw.
It is necessary to mark the cutting line by tracing the log in a circle (or along the oval line if the cut is inclined). When making a cut, you should try to maintain a plane to reduce the amount of grinding. Some craftsmen make special devices that make the work easier and help ensure the most even plane. However, if you need to make just one plate, you can do without additional devices - the time spent on their manufacture can be used for processing the cut.
Expert opinion
Korzhavin Daniil Dmitrievich
Designer of stylish home furniture
The task is quite complex and responsible. If you do not have experience and skills in such work, it is better to contact a specialist and ask him to make a cut according to pre-made markings. This will not take much time, but will significantly speed up the processing of the saw cut.
Decoration of any interior
Many horizontal rounded cuts of wood are now actively used as decoration for walls, floors and, of course, in the production of tables, chairs, and other furniture. Tables finished using this technique are unique; the arrangement of small and large cut circles can be arbitrary or form a specific pattern.
Making a beautiful product with your own hands is not easy, but very interesting. And if you follow all the requirements for the work, the result will please you.
Leveling the plane
The cut that has just been made usually has to be prepared for grinding. You can immediately take up the grinder only in particularly successful cases, when the cut turns out to be very even.
First, the surface must be planed using a manual or electric plane. It is important to keep in mind that the blade of a hand plane must be prepared for such work and fine teeth must be applied to it. Otherwise, it will stick, especially when passing against the direction of the fibers. An electric planer is much more effective in this regard. You just need to adjust the reach of the blade so as not to remove too thick chips and not reduce the thickness of the sawn block.
Planing is completed when a sufficiently flat plane is obtained. It is checked with a ruler or a straight strip applied to the plane of the block in several places and directions. After this you can start sanding.
Grind the cut using a grinder or a special attachment on an electric drill. First, the plane is inspected and checked for cracks, potholes or other flaws. If there are any, it is recommended to fill with epoxy resin or polyester putty. When the material hardens, begin processing the plane.
Using successively sandpaper with coarse, then finer grains, a smooth cut surface is obtained. The quality of sanding depends on the skills of the craftsman and the type of wood - some of them can be practically polished, others can only be leveled as much as possible.
Expert opinion
Korzhavin Daniil Dmitrievich
Designer of stylish home furniture
As a rule, change 2 or 3 sizes of sandpaper. This is enough, since wood is not metal, too small marks on its surface are almost impossible to see.
The principle of choosing wood for a slab
Not every type of wood is suitable for creating slabs yourself. The following types of wood are best suited:
- Elm is an excellent material for creating slabs. Can be used in both dry and wet rooms.
- Oak slabs amaze with their excellent color palette: from light brown to straw-yellow shades. Thanks to its straight grain, oak wood is much easier to work with than other types of wood.
- In the color scheme of elm, light shades with red-brown specks are more common than others. Fine-pored texture is a distinctive feature of wood.
- The color palette of larch depends on the age of the tree. Sand and amber are the leading shades. Easy to use thanks to the high concentration of essential oils.
- Walnut wood has a wide range of colors. Dark chocolate shades are in the lead. A significant disadvantage is that the texture is susceptible to cracks.
- Maple saw cuts in beige shades. The colors are practically independent of the age of the tree.
- Cherry cuts are distinguished by chocolate and soft pink shades. Suitable for creating decorative elements.
Varnishing, polishing
When sanding is completed, the surface is thoroughly cleaned of dust and finishing begins. First, apply a layer of deep penetration primer. This allows the top layer of wood to be compacted and improves the adhesion of the final varnish layer to the surface.
Would you make your own countertop from a cut piece of wood?
Of course! It's better to buy
Please note that primer is not needed for all types of wood. Basically, it is used to reduce the consumption of more expensive varnish. At the same time, the varnish is often absorbed much deeper, which helps to fix and compact the material. Therefore, only highly porous workpieces need to be primed.
If coniferous wood is used, the resin escape routes must be closed. To do this, the material is thoroughly wiped with turpentine and solvent (645, 646, 647). After this, you need to apply a varnish that does not react to the presence of resin. It is recommended to use nitrocellulose compounds, since other varnishes may dissolve upon contact with the resin.
If there is a lot of resin, you can heat the top plane - this will cause abundant resin. The workpiece will have to be heated for quite a long time until the bulk of the resin is removed. However, it is unlikely that it will be possible to completely get rid of it; additional measures will have to be used (resin removal and coating with neutral grades of varnish).
Varnishing can be done using a spray gun, or using a regular paint brush. The number of layers depends on what further actions are planned with the countertop. If polishing is carried out, you need to apply a couple of extra layers - they will go away when polishing the surface. It is necessary to keep in mind that after each layer you need to wait for the varnish to dry completely, usually for a day (there may be other options, it depends on the type of varnish).
Polishing the varnish is done in several stages:
careful sanding with fine sandpaper. First they use coarser grains, then move to almost zero grains. The entire process requires the use of 2 or 3 numbers of skins. Grind only by hand, wrap the sandpaper on a smooth wooden block and do not apply too much force;- When the surface is brought to the smoothest possible state, take the foam rubber attachment to an electric drill and polish the varnish. Use 3M automotive polishing paste;
- first polish with the first number, then with the second. There is no point in using the third number at home - its effect is rarely noticeable.
Expert opinion
Korzhavin Daniil Dmitrievich
Designer of stylish home furniture
The polishing procedure is quite complicated and requires a lot of time and effort. However, if you try, you can get a very high-quality coating that corresponds to group A.
We use leftover building materials
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On almost any personal plot there are boards left over from the construction of a house or outbuildings. This material is quite suitable for creating a simple rectangular table that can be placed on the veranda or in the garage, used as a dining table or utility table. Here you need to follow these instructions: assemble the frame. To do this you will need 4 boards: 2 long and 2 short. The sides are fastened together with self-tapping screws, forming a regular rectangle. To preserve the geometry, we use a square. Iron corners can be placed at the joints, which will give the structure rigidity and reliability; screw the legs. For these purposes, 4 boards or bars are suitable. The length is chosen arbitrarily: 80-100 cm. Support posts are installed on the inside of the frame, secured with nails or self-tapping screws; stiffening rib. An additional wooden crossbar is nailed approximately in the middle of the legs. A crossbar is installed on both sides, making the structure more durable and stable. In addition, these crossbars can later be used to install a shelf where you can place dishes or other small items necessary for the household; tabletop. This is where the remaining boards go, which are best placed across the frame. The material is cut with a hacksaw to the width of the table and attached to the frame with finishing nails.
At the final stage, all surfaces are treated with a grinding machine, primed and varnished. You can paint the table, in which case the wood will last much longer. And if you go over the boards with a brush and apply stain on top, you will get an antique table.
Questions and answers
Making a table from sawn wood is a largely creative process. The search for the right techniques often leads novice masters to a dead end. A large number of questions arise, some of them should be answered immediately. This will save time, and may give someone useful ideas.
Can I use epoxy to level the surface without sanding?
You can, but you will have to be more careful with the table surface. Any load can lead to cracking of the coating and cause peeling of the epoxy. In such cases, it is recommended to use an additional transparent element - for example, glass.
What types of wood are best suited for making a saw-cut table?
Here we can recommend such species as oak, walnut, ash or more exotic ones - mahogany, rosewood, paduk. However, they are extremely difficult to find in log form - they are usually supplied as lumber. You can look for thick birch stumps, or use a cut of maple or alder.
Is it possible to stain wood?
This procedure is done very often. However, you need to choose the right material. It is recommended to use an alcohol-based stain, or even better, a regular water-based stain. It is applied before pouring epoxy or primer. This is an important point, since after this the stain will not be absorbed into some areas of the countertop, and unsightly stains will appear.
What varnish is best to use for finishing?
It is necessary to take into account that the tabletop experiences significant operational loads. Therefore, you will need the hardest varnish. Automotive acrylic products should not be used - they resemble hard rubber. Furniture nitro varnish (for example, domestic NTs218) is best suited. However, it is best to use polyurethane varnishes for parquet. You can buy Rustins clear Varnish. It dries quickly and is highly durable. It will take longer to polish, but the quality of the coating will be very high.
Is it necessary to polish the varnish?
No, you can simply cover the surface with a neat thin layer. You can do without it altogether by using linseed or any special oil (for example, Danish Oil for treating gun stocks). This impregnation does not form a surface layer, but makes the wood brighter and more attractive.
Drying process
After carrying out the procedures for dissolving wooden cuts, you need to carefully study the drying methods. The process is extremely necessary; it is the one responsible for the quality and service life of the future slab.
Drying occurs naturally in special drying boxes. You can dry the wood yourself, without using special chambers.
Certain conditions must be met:
- Choose a place where the sun's rays do not reach. Dry indoor air will speed up the process.
- Build the canopy so that there are air gaps in it.
The process of drying the blanks takes place over the course of a year by about 2-2.5 cm. A wooden cut, 5 cm thick, will dry for about 2 years.
