Barnwood Table

[Mwalt]

This is my first real furniture project.  The idea came from Mark's trestle table.  The final design was to appease the Mrs.  All the wood is white oak from my great uncles corn crib in Indiana and had to be milled with a router sled.

[Mwalt]

So my wife liked the table but wasn't crazy about the oak yellow that came out after the finishing.  Any ideas how to avoid this in the future?

[wtnhighlander]

Did you use an oil-based finish? That tends to "warm up" the wood with an amber tone. Water bourne polyurathane is a good tabletop finish that changes the natural wood color very little, if any. Lacquer is another very clear finish that should hold up well.

Alternatively, adding a dye to darken the oak might have a pleasing effect.

[Ronn W]

Nice job.  Good tribute to the old barn.  A first coat of amber or garnat shellac followed by you finish would warm up it up.  I like the table.

[treeslayer]

that table looks great, i wouldn't tell anyone thats your first real project, let them think you've been at it a while and charge more for any paying jobs. how did you attach those breadboard ends?

[gee-dub]

Awesome. The origin of the material, the method of milling, all this makes for a special and very personal piece.

[Chet]

That is a real nice table.  Great first project, but like Dave said mums the word.

And welcome to the forums.

[Llama]

11 hours ago, Mwalt said:

Any ideas how to avoid this in the future?

You can use walnut next time.

[CandorLush]

Table looks great @Mwalt, a lot of the color can come down to the finish but you can just tell here that there was probably a Yellowwood tree growing nearby and she might buy that  

27 minutes ago, Llama said:

You can use walnut next time.

[Waldvogel Review]

14 hours ago, Mwalt said:

So my wife liked the table but wasn't crazy about the oak yellow that came out after the finishing.  Any ideas how to avoid this in the future?

If youre looking for darker finished, I have used Polyshades before. They definitely softent he woodgrain look though because its more like tinting than a penetrating stain

 

[Mwalt]

Thanks for the ideas.  I think I should have gone with the polyurethane.  I used the weather oak stain (oil base) because she liked the gray tint with the natural wood.  I then finished it with the polycrylic.

And treeslayer you caught one of my short cuts.  I biscuited the breadboards. I am hoping the wood is so old and dry (120+) and the fact I live in Phoenix AZ that it shouldn't move much.  I was scared to try the mortise, tenon and pins for fear of messing it up without the right tools and not having done it before.  I will let you know if it fails.

Thanks for all the responses, I should've been using the forum before I started the project.  I'm sure I could've save myself some headaches.

[Eric.]

14 hours ago, Mwalt said:

And treeslayer you caught one of my short cuts.  I biscuited the breadboards. I am hoping the wood is so old and dry (120+) and the fact I live in Phoenix AZ that it shouldn't move much.  I was scared to try the mortise, tenon and pins for fear of messing it up without the right tools and not having done it before.  I will let you know if it fails.

Age is not a factor - wood is a hygroscopic material and as long as it exists in a form other than pulp, it will move.  However, you're correct that your fairly consistently arid environment stacks the cards in your favor.  Of course, you do have "monsoon season," as Marc calls it...and that could screw you one day.  Best practice is to follow the rules the universe has set forth.  I see several wood movement violations in your top but we'll forgive you in light of it being your first project.  My fingers are crossed for you.