Finishing an oak and maple table

[Pdevore]

I am in the process of building a new dining room table for wife. The table is 49" wide by 107" long. It is made up of 1x8 oak biscuited together. Around the perimeter I am glueing and biscuit 2x2 hard maple. My wife would like a dark kind of espresso finish to the oak and a lighter almost natural/blonde finish to the maple.
I have never  tried to finish in multiple colors and I really don't know where to start.
I could use help with product and technique

Thanks guys.

Pete

 

[mouppe]

I would prefinish the oak top before attaching the maple skirt. Blonde shellac and wax would look great for the maple and very simple, and it could be done with the skirt in place as it would not visibly affect the oak.

When you get an answer to the oak part, I'll be very interested as I am looking for a similar recipe myself!

 

[Pdevore]

I would love to finish them before attaching but the maple is not really a skirt board but rather framing the table. Basically if you look down on from above it will be a picture frame of maple.
I have the framework/skirt built already and that is all oak.

Thanks guys.

Pete

 

[tiralie]

This is not an easy project
Based on your comments to Richard, I am assuming that you have already attached the maple to the oak and the oak you are using is Red Oak.  After sanding I would  tape off the oak edge and coat the maple with some shellac (I like amber on Maple) and let dry. I would then tape off the maple and with a rag, carefully wipe a gel stain away from the edge rather than into it so you don't get any bleed or stain on the just shellacked maple. After the stain dried I would remove the tape from the maple and apply a top coat of choice to the whole top, lightly sand out the line between the maple and Oak and continue with another coat or two of your top coat till the surface of the Maple and Oak joint was seemless.

Tim

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Pardon me if I don't understand how you are building the table, but there may be an issue.  The 49 inch wide table may grow and shrink as much as 1/4 inch with humidity changes. 
a 'picture frame' may not accommodate that movement, causing something to break.
The maple that runs the width of the table needs to provide a way for the central part to move as it grows and shrinks, this is sometimes done with a breadboard end, though there are other ways to do it.

 

[tiralie]

The 49 inch wide table may grow and shrink as much as 1/4 inch with humidity changes. 
a 'picture frame' may not accommodate that movement, causing something to break.
The maple that runs the width of the table needs to provide a way for the central part to move as it grows and shrinks, this is sometimes done with a breadboard end, though there are other ways to do it.

I was thinking the same Jesse...
Tim

 

[Pdevore]

Guys thanks for the replies, you both make a great point that I thought of all be it for only a second and kept going with the picture frame idea.
I have not build the maple edge yet so I can still change that if need be. The main reason for a picture frame style is, my wife really wants miters and no end grain. However, my first choice was to make it with a bread board style. I have a great piece of 8/4 x8" hard maple.
I'm now thinking that may be the best would be to edge the long sides with 2x2 maple and the ends with 2x6. Then I could drop in a v groove bit right on the seam of oak to maple set to 1/16" deep.
Thoughts?

Thanks guys.

Pete

 

[tiralie]

The main reason for a picture frame style is, my wife really wants miters and no end grain.

If your wife wants miters, I think she should have miters.
Unfortunately you may have to buy more tools to accomplish this.
You could buy some nice book matched veneer and veneer some mdf or similar with your new very large vacuum press. Then you can add the maple frame with a miter as you described above without worrying about it splitting.
I am kidding (slightly) but other than buying over sized oak veneered panels this would be your only option to preventing the miter joint from eventually pulling apart if you used solid wood. Your table could look spectacular with a nice book matched oak.

However, my first choice was to make it with a bread board style. I have a great piece of 8/4 x8" hard maple.
I'm now thinking that may be the best would be to edge the long sides with 2x2 maple and the ends with 2x6.

If your wife could ever give you permission  [wink] to to it this way I think it would look great and she would like it. Are you planning to include the 2x2 maple as part of the top that is capped with the breadboard?

Then I could drop in a v groove bit right on the seam of oak to maple set to 1/16" deep.

Unless you are looking for a rustic or country look, I personally I don't like grooves in tables, dirt and crumbs sit there. Additionally, I am not sure what esthetic value the groove will give you that the visual contrast of the maple next to the Oak is not already providing.

 

[Pdevore]

Tim thanks,
Not buying a vac press (not that I don't want one)
But actually I went back to my lovely wife and explained that the table would look great for a very short period of time and then gaps would start to show and the miters would open. She has agreed to my original breadboard style.
I am planning on the maple on all 4 sides. I am planning on 2x2 stock on the sides and 2x4 on the ends.
I am only a hobbiest so all of your input is very helpful.

Thanks

Pete

 

[thebicyclecafe]

Tim thanks,
Not buying a vac press (not that I don't want one)
But actually I went back to my lovely wife and explained that the table would look great for a very short period of time and then gaps would start to show and the miters would open. She has agreed to my original breadboard style.
I am planning on the maple on all 4 sides. I am planning on 2x2 stock on the sides and 2x4 on the ends.
I am only a hobbiest so all of your input is very helpful.

Thanks

Pete

Pete, is a floating center panel an option? You'd do the whole top much like a cabinet door, with the center not glued down and allowed to expand and contract within a mitered frame. That's the only other way I can think of such that you can get miters without doing a veneered panel.
I would then prefinish the maple frame with blonde or clear shellac, and then do the center separately, slide it into the frame and glue up the frame.

 

[tiralie]

Pete, is a floating center panel an option?

That would be cool. You would need to have a space between the oak and the Maple but other than having to vaccum out the crumbs in the space between the oak and the maple every now and then I think it would look good.
Tim

 

[thebicyclecafe]

Pete, is a floating center panel an option?

That would be cool. You would need to have a space between the oak and the Maple but other than having to vaccum out the crumbs in the space between the oak and the maple every now and then I think it would look good.
Tim

Exactly what I was thinking- an expansion gap is necessary here if the top and frame are to be flush, but can be integrated into the design much like the reveal on inset doors. Another option is to make the frame ever so slightly thicker than the center panel and then the panel could be completely encapsulated within the frame. I'd round over the inside edges of the frame for looks.

 

[tiralie]

Another option is to make the frame ever so slightly thicker than the center panel and then the panel could be completely encapsulated within the frame. I'd round over the inside edges of the frame for looks.

That way no one will feel comfortable with their elbows on the table... [big grin].

 

[mouppe]

Another option is to make the frame ever so slightly thicker than the center panel and then the panel could be completely encapsulated within the frame. I'd round over the inside edges of the frame for looks.

Or you could make the float OVER the frame like this. My photo doesn't have mitres but it would be the same result. The thickness of the overhang is less than 1/8". You would have to make the frame wide enough so as to not interfere with the place settings.

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