Building an old look trestle table - Part 1 - Advice Please

Because you are going to stain it dark, I would suggest pine or popular. Distressing is done with a variety of things. I have even seen a slapped together mallet with nuts, bolts, screws and chain pieces embedded in it, also it is fun to just hit it with a chain. Don’t get too carried away with that it could hurt you. Be sure to sand the edges a LITTLE, nothing looks worse that overkill. Apply the stain before and again after the distressing process. Don’t use a glossy finish. I am not too good with stain, I always start with something lighter than I want because it seems to end up darker, especially because you will need to stain before and after distressing.
I am going to try wood conditioner with my next project.

-- Berta in NC

Southern yellow pine would provide a fairly hard surface. However, most all pines blotch when trying to stain them unless you seal them with something like a 1# cut of shelac. I think I’d use oak and dye rather than stain, red oak for a more open grain and white oak if you want a closed grain appearance.

Steve Mickley on Wood magazine’s Finishing forum is the moderator and he can give you much more instructions than I can on the finishing. He will ask you questions about the wood you will use, the texture you want when it is finished and of course the color you want and how it will be used.

-- Roger1

If I were building a table like this, I’d proably use Poplar…it’s fairly cheap and plentiful ‘round here, including 8/4 and even 12/4 pieces if you’re looking for something massive. It’s also relatively light weight—which could come in handy in a larger piece. I’ve never done it, but I’ve also seen a number of articles about staining Poplar to look like a wide variety of more expensive woods.

-- Patrick, Chicago, IL www.TenonAndSpline.com

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have made the decision to go ahead with Pine, because that is the grain that my wife seems to favor, it is inexpensive and soft enough to play with it to make it look old.
I guess my next step in this part is to test it out with glaze, stains, etc…

In part 2, I will be coming with the design. Anyone has an idea on where I could get information on the structure of the trestle table? We’d like to be able to sit 10-12 people possibly. I assume that I will do a breadboard design on the ends. I am wondering about how I should support the top? One long board in middle, or cleats across?

Thank you all again for the help!!!

If you just type in “free woodworking plans/ trestle tables” you’ll get a good idea. Otherwise check out some books on Shaker Style woodowrking & designs. It’s pretty straightfoward. Luck

-- Bob Schilke

My shop is in the middle of a Tuscan style job that I will begin posting in a month or so. We are doing all the millwork trim etc from our local woods including a couple of trestle tables. I am working for an architect who is really into this style and the amount of hand crafted wood is beyond belief. Stay tuned—-

-- rob

Rob,

Please make sure to share when done, I’d love the see what you come up with! I’ll probably have to be done by then, but I always enjoy seeing other’s work.

On a side not for others and anyone trying to recreate pin holes in an antique furniture: Use your nail gun on empty. The pressure alone with the tip will create “vintage” pin holes that will age your project!