best wood for a kids art table?

[Chris Hughes]

  I'm not sure what to use.  I just did a table in dining table in alder and I like it but it is a little soft , my kids are maniacs.  Beech seems cheap enough is it hard, does it take stain how does it work?  I'm open to most options but would rather not use anything with too much grain, like oak.  Please help.  C Hughes

 

[Tinker]

For kids projects, i use maple if going to get rough wear.  Something like a drawing table or easle, I would use tulip poplar.  it is a little harder than pine or alder and some of the other soft woods, but lighter in weight than maple.  Also, it is a very stable wood that does not splinter along edges as with the oaks.  If you look over your supply, you can run across some very interresting grain patterns.

If you find green heartwood, it will darken to an interresting brown color with time.  the color from heartwood to sapwood provides an interresting contrast in color.

Tinker

 

[Dave Ronyak]

I'd consider soft maples, too, if you don't intend to stain your projects.  This maple is somewhat harder than poplar.  Beech is harder than poplar and the soft maple.  Sugar maple is a hard maple.

Dave R.

 

[Chris Hughes]

  Thanks guys.  I went with beech.  I enjoyed working with it and it was super cheap.  I'll be posting the project in a few days.  The beech took stain well though I don't like the color my wife picked out.  C Hughes

 

[Eli]

form board