# My first ever dining table, working out of thick cedar slabs - What finish to use?



## coonazz (Aug 29, 2013)

This is my first dive into any type of real wood working. I've got to say - it's really pretty cool. Of course - I'm realizing at this point there is a lot that I don't know and a lot of tools that I don't have. Anyway - I'll make do.

The wood type really chose me. Price was a big factor. I see that this wood is a soft wood and probably not the best thing to use with a my family of 5. Oh well - that what I have and we'll make the best out of it.

I do have two questions.

What should I use to fill in the cracks between the 3 slabs that will make up the table top?
And - what kind of finish should I use - given that it will be used as my own dining table with kids and will see a lot of use?

Pics of wood below.


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## johnstoneb (Jun 14, 2012)

You need to get a tight egde between the slabs any gap will be a weak glue joint and for a table you don't want weak glue joints. For finish you might look at an epoxy.


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

If you can't get tight joints, make the gaps wide enough to clean out….think picnic table. A waterborne poly floor finish will be the easiest and most serviceable.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

+1 on the tight joints. That can be difficult since I assume you don't have a big jointer. Did you straight line them by using a straight edge and circular saw. If so that may be the best you can do. I know I couldn't do any better with hand tools. For me the best thing for a dining table top is oil based polyurethane and many coats of it. I put 5 on my table top and I can leave a sweating glass on there for days and not get any kind of ring. I doubt you could do that with any water based finish. With those voids that I see and the possible gaps between planks, you might consider one of the poured on finishes that will fill the voids and give you a nice thick finish.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_6?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=envirotex%20lite&sprefix=enviro%2Caps%2C176


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

The red cedar may interfere with the curing of any oil based finish. Better test whatever you decide on.


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## coonazz (Aug 29, 2013)

Thanks all. I should have included a few more details - The top picture shows the latest status after I had sanded, sanded, and re-sanded both boards' edges to get them as close as possible. I then ran 9 - 6" dowels and glued everything. The bottom pic shows the gaps before I actually got started. There are no big gaps now, but it's not perfect. The 3rd (and final board) meets up to the middle board a lot better.

After first wanting to do just a tung, linseed, poly satin finish, I have slowly been turning towards that 2 part/epoxy - pour on finish. SOme refer to it as liquid glass. (Not sure if one brand is as good as the next. Just wondering - SHould I put some sort of oil on first, like a tung oil or just go raw wood with the epoxy finish? Of course - I need to sand the heck out of it and them fill any holes/voids (already bought the turquoise inlay/inlace kit that I've seen some on here refer to.).


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I assume you know what this eastern red cedar looks like with an oil finish on it. If I were doing this table, I would want that look. It really brings out the color of the wood. What I don't know is if you can do the pour on over the oil. I suspect that the pour on will not give it that look by itself. Maybe someone here can answer that question or you can call the manufacturer of the pour on and they can tell you.


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## TheBoxWhisperer (Sep 24, 2012)

an oil finish will "amber" up the color of your cedar. I only put oil on a cedar box once and I hated it. Lost all of that gorgeous color. +1 for the water based floor finish. General Finishes at Lee Valley have kept me pretty happy.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

I'd shellac the whole thing to seal the natural oils and then epoxy finish over that. I'd be worried that the epoxy by itself might not play well with the cedar oil.


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## coonazz (Aug 29, 2013)

Maybe I can fill it, sand it, oil it, poly it and then if I don't like that finish, I can use the pour on epoxy?


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## ClintSearl (Dec 8, 2011)

I can't believe it. Sounds like a disaster in the making!


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## coonazz (Aug 29, 2013)

Wow - thanks Clint for the vote of confidence. Classy.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

You can wipe some mineral spirits on the wood and get an idea of what the oil will make the wood look like. As someone said, the oil will add some amber, so the white parts of the wood will turn a little more yellow. The mineral spirits will evaporate and you can do something different if you don't like the look. You can also use some of your off falls and do some samples to see what works. They do say that eastern red cedar has its own oils that can cause problems with finishing. I have not experienced this, but I have not tried every finish out there on it. Is this wood sufficiently dried?


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Send Monte a pm. I think he has done a pour on epoxy on red cedar.


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## coonazz (Aug 29, 2013)

Thanks gfadvm.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

That's Monte Pittman


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## JsJimmy (Nov 1, 2017)

Wow, you have done a great job. The color of the table looks perfect with a glace shine. The finishing of the corners of the table can be seen in the images.


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