Len’s Arts and Crafts Dining Table

Viewer Project - By Len Meyer from Mesa, AZ
Added on May 5, 2013

This dining table is Arts and Crafts Prairie style to mate with a set of 6 dining chairs completed prior and also posted on Marc’s viewer projects. The table is 84″ by 43″ at standard height and seats 6 spaciously with room for at least two more diners. It replaces a smaller round table that matched the Copenhagen style teak buffet in the photo background.

I wanted to keep the buffet so I selected Canarywood for the table top since it has a bold grain and coloring that is complimentary to teak that has aged a bit. I stayed with Cherry for the table frame since it matches the Rodel design chair set and other nearby pieces. I expect the cherry frame to darken with time and improve in contrast to the top relative to the new table photos.

I used 4/4 Canarywood available locally and built up to 8/4 for the breadboard ends and for the tabletop edges to provide the massive look of Prairie style without the weight and expense of thicker material. The breadboard ends were installed with both a long base tenon and six extended tenons using a combination of techniques from Rodel and Garrett Hack. The Wenge plugs cover the screws used to anchor the breadboard to the top tenons. The legs and apron pieces are solid cherry with mortise and tenons that can be disassembled on the long aprons.

The finish is Watco Natural followed by 4 good coats of Minwax Poly wipe-on. I did just a little testing with water and wine drops and this seemed to be the best choice for me for a bit of protection.

Discussion

Sean Walker May 5, 2013 8:32 am

Great looking piece!

Reply
Dave May 5, 2013 7:25 pm

Awesome looking table…Never heard of Canary wood, is it a hard wood? I’ll ask to see if they have that around here, because like you said the grain is remarkable. Thanks for sharing.

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- Len M May 6, 2013 10:41 pm
  
  Dave, the Canarywood is not as hard as oak or maple but harder than cherry or walnut. It works pretty well with hand or power tools.
  
  In the 15 months since this table was completed the cherry frame has darkened nicely from light exposure and has a good contrast with the Canarywood as I had hoped.
  
  Reply
Mike May 6, 2013 2:19 pm

looks great. nice choice of wood. Nice to see someone do prairie style in something other than cherry or QSWO. It does do a nice job of working with the midcentury buffet.

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Dean W. May 10, 2013 9:55 am

Very nice. Did you design it yourself or is it from a plan?The chairs look very of similar style. Did you make them or purchase them?

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Tom Buhl May 11, 2013 9:43 am

nicely done

you’ve done a good job of maintaining some continuity between other pieces in the room.

thanks for sharing

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Daniel Ogden May 11, 2013 11:42 am

Len that looks great! I love the touch of Greene&Greene. That’s probably the best I’ve seen Canary wood.

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Rick May 12, 2013 3:30 am

Len what construction did you do to allow for movement in the top as the ends to cover the end grain could cause cracking.

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Rose Kampschroer April 3, 2017 10:21 am

I have a teak table that over the years it is showing light blotches and i would like to know how to fix this and give the table a harder finish. i have been using the scan oil that i purchased from the table vendor Scan Home, it may have worked in the beginning but now longer works. Should I sand the table down a bit and use some type of sealer on it?

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Len’s Arts and Crafts Dining Table

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