How to make tabletop with strips from different timber species?

Hello @alfredx

I've seen a great number of chopping boards assembled using different types of wood and I've never seen any of them come apart after being glued together. I have used Selleys 460ml Aquadhere Polyurethane Wood Glue Durabond Adhesive on a number of projects and I find that it provides superior holding power. I suppose if it were for a larger project then the possibility of larger movement becomes more pronounced. But for smaller projects it would not be so severe.

Let me call on our experienced members @fhk56, @PeakyBlinder71, @Arcc, @kel and @Dave-1 for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

PeakyBlinder71

Alfredx,

Whoever told you laminating different species of wood together is a bad idea is quite frankly talking out of their backside. If this was the case, we would see millions of people around the world complaining that their chess boards were coming apart.

Alfredx,

Whoever told you that gluing different timbers together is a bad idea is talking crap, they must have never seen a butcher block, a parquet floor, or a chessboard. If wood movement were that catastrophic, we'd all be playing chess on bare tables and eating off metal slabs. Yes, different species expand and contract at different rates, but unless you're planning to leave your table outside in the sun, rain, and a hurricane all at once, you should be fine. Just make sure your timber is well-dried, use a good adhesive, polyurethane is overkill for what you need, use Titebond II or III, and clamp it properly. Worst case? You get a bit of movement over time -best case? You’ve got a gorgeous tabletop with natural contrast that people will envy.

Go forth, glue, and conquer!

Thanks @EricL , thanks for sharing your experience, that sounds pretty positive. And I hear people say using thin strips can reduce the impacts of movements from different timbers, what I am not sure is whether in my case using 40mmX40mm timber would be considered 'thin' or not.

Hi @alfredx

If your timber pieces are properly seasoned and planed properly you should get a strong positive join even if they are 40mm thick. Using the right compression clamps will definitely help secure your tables structure.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

Good morning @alfredx

I have buit a table with various recyled hardwood timbers. Its still going strong 🙂 Dining table build and seats reupholstering in case you want to look at it.

If you have a planner, then you should have no issues, I only had a hand electric planner so it was hard to match up the surfaces. I did but no way would you call it "smooth and level"

I used timber glue to bond the pieces together and also three threaded bars. Way over engineered and over the top thinking it out. I could have used some strips of timber supports to make sure they boards stayed together instead of drilling through them all. Live and learn 🙂

Some decent wide clamps is one thing Id suggest, When I was compressing my boards and glue (much larger then your side table) they did want to bow a resonable amount.

The table hasnt seperated, the glue is still going strong and Ive only oiled it the three coats of oil when I first built it. Any imperfections you might end up with adds to the story and also the learning curve 🙂 It would be a nice project to post up here btw 🙂

Dave

Many thanks gents, it really helps me getting confident to go ahead to try this out.

@PeakyBlinder71 I am having the table top used indoors, no sun or rain. I will probably put a varnish once finished, hopefully can help reduce impact from moisture changes.

@Dave-1 impressive how you used template and long bit to join boards threaded, is this threading what you meant by over engineering? I was also thinking to create dowel joints between boards so they stick together tighter, sounds like this is actually unnecessary esp. considering tabletop size is small in my case? Regarding planner, unfortunately I don't have planner, was thinking just use electric sander to do best-effort.

Morning @alfredx

Yeah the threaded rod was what I was meaning about over engineering 🙂 Looks very industrial tho 🙂 But really I could have cheated and only done the sides of the table 🙂

The main thing I found is it was hard to accuratly line up the holes (or dowel) It joins them nicely but even half a mm out will require a bunch of sanding. For the size of table you are thinking of I would think glue alone will be fine. Especially if you have rails underneath to support legs. Have you done a sketch of what you want and how it will be supported? I find while figuring out how to do the sketch and the dimensions it shows up things I have missed.

Dave

@Dave-1 yes, I have a sketch of the side table (tabletop and tableside) - warning of my terrible writing and drawing! The main idea for tabletop is stripes and tableside is checkers, where the timber species aligns from tabletop to tableside. In below photo the blank blocks in tableside are actually voided (no timber). I guess I didn't plan for a strong rail or apron, the nearest support to tabletop is piece of tas oak of 12mm thick.

Afternoon @alfredx

Nice sketching 🙂

I am thinking of lateral movement as I go through your sketch. Does that outer edge stay solid all the way to the other leg? or is the table a large upside down U? If its solid (or cut out segmants) then Ithink it will hold up well. If its an updide down U it may want to lean with time especially if you come in against the end of the table frequently. It will weaken the joins as it gets bumped.

I think it will look stunning when you have completed it. I do like the holy legs 🙂

Dave

Hi @Dave-1 , yes, good point in lateral movement. My plan is a upside down U where tablesides are on two sides, to tackle lateral movement, my thought now is:

1. Dowel join the table top with table side in areas like the top of the long table leg, the top of blocks (spotted gum of size about 4cmX8cm) that is at the top layer table side, maybe drill three holes onto each of the the 40x40mm areas;

2. If lateral movement still exists, attach triangle of timber (three angles of 90/45/45 degrees) to join the tabletop and tableside at corners, with dowels to join the triangle with tabletop and tableside.

Wonder if these solve the problem?

Thanks/Alfred

Hello @alfredx

After seeing your plans I'm a little bit worried about those gaps in the table. If you are only using 12mm strips to hold the timber pieces in place, it might be necessary to pin or anchor them somehow. I was under the impression that it would be solid pieces of strips joined together. If you have access to a brad nailer, it would be enough to hold the timber pieces in place along with the use of timber adhesive.

Between your two ideas, I vote using dowels as this will give you the support you need and still be hidden from view, unlike the triangular support piece which will be seen.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

@EricL , the tabletop is solid pieces of strips joined together. The gaps is in the tableside only. My thinking is only the four legs (which are part of the two tablesides) are supporting the table. I can dowel join the decorative checker blocks with the 12mm strips, just I think the gaps and checkers are more of a decorative use, which don't require to be strongly joined together?

Afternoon @alfredx

With the upside down U I would be thinking of the dowel as well. Or you could make a thin L shapped bracket to sandwich between the outer layer of the sides to give it strength. Imagine 4 of these shapes (or two big U's) cut out so they sandwidch between the last lengths of timber. They will only be a mm thick but will add a huge amount of stength.

Empire 600mm x 400mm Steel Framing Square - Metric/ Imperial is the example shape I am describing.

Dave

Hi @alfredx

As long as you are confident that it can support the weight of the table and its not subject to a great deal of stress then it should be ok.

Eric

Yay @Dave-1 , believe the L shaped bracket you thinking is not metal but timber. I feel like it can be hard to put it in (sandwich the corner bit of outer layer of the tableside and tabletop, if I understand correctly) while not impacting aesthetic aspects of the table.

yea, @EricL , it is a sidetable more for living room decoration and aesthetic improvement, I'd not plan to have the table capable of supporting lots of weight or stress. Hopefully applying dowel joints is enough for this situation, I'll post some updates here once I am at the stages of joining the tabletop and tablesides.

Thanks/Alfred

EVening @alfredx

I was actually meaning a metal piece to give that strength whilist minimally changing the overall look of your side table 🙂 Even a local welder/boilermaker place in a light industry area near you could cut a few out I am sure if you dont have the skillset 🙂 (My metal cuts always go straight then angle down and away lol )

Dave

@Dave-1 my bad misunderstood. I probably do the dowels and see how it feels first. The L shaped metal bracket though, is it sit at the outer layer of corner edge between tabletop and tableside, and requires screws? if so, it is then easily visible when we look at the table?

Morning @alfredx

I was actually thinking of sandwiching it between the outermost layer and the second, with small countersunk screws (and countersunk metal holes) facing inwards to the next piece of timber. so the only thing seen would be a thin silver strip.

01 28-03-2025.jpg

The larger holes on the thin piece is the coutersinking, you will screw through into the first section of the timber. The countersunk holes will be deep enough that the screw head nestles in nicely so you have a smooth surface to glue the next batch of timber on.

Dave

Thanks @Dave-1 for writing up and presents the picture. Ok, so the second layer and outermost layer of timber boards are the bread, the U shaped metal is the meet and cheese in a sandwich, is my understanding correct?

I have few questions on this approach:

1. In my sketch/design of the table, the outermost layer is the the outermost strip of the tabletop and the table leg (which is the outermost layer of the tableside), the second layer of the tabletop is a solid strip, but the second layer of the tableside is not a full solid strip, it is checkers with gaps, meaning the upsidedown U shape or L shape metal will have one section of it being short because I am thinking it can't extend further than the top checker block from tableside but closest to tabletop. It will be shorter than indicated in the picture you drew.

2. After the U shape metal is screwed with the second layer, we glue the outermost layer with the metal so that the U shape metal becomes the middle layer surrounded by two layers of timber. This will become glue joining timber and metal, not glue joining timber and timber, that would require a different and special kind of glue?

3. With metal in the middle, would it present difficulty when sanding the surfaces such as the top side of tabletop?

Regards,

Alfred

Good Morning @alfredx

🙂 So lets go through the points (brain is foggy as its 12:40am lol)

1) I will draw up a nicer sketch tomorrow to see if I can show and spot what you mean (I think I know where we are crossing paths. What I see and what you want are a little different)

2) Yes you are correct and I hadnt thought of that 😲

3) I dont think it would be particulary hard, I was thinking aluminium for the re-enforcement upside down U but its a fair point.

Will have a think about it later this morning over a coffee 🙂

Dave

Morning @alfredx

Sorry I didnt end up sketching 🙂 Was lazy plus painting some bookcases i am retro fitting 🙂

Here is the sketch.

02 31-03-2025.jpg

So the solution came to me with the issue of the offset footing and the metal U while I was sketching it out. One reason I love sketches is it makes you think of how it should be and you build up on that. The last "stepped" block will have a shiny surface on one side is all. You will be able to see it all the way up the edge where the missing block would be. It depends if you want to see the silver. or maybe go for a black material?

So instead of putting the U between the 1st and 2nd board, how about put it between the 2nd and third board. That way the missing square wont be missing at the bottom of the leg. It will be one block back. The countersunk holes are still alligned with the blocks and the short countersunk screws will be hidden.

With the small sketch on the right It shows how the timber would look with the aluminium sandwiched between the two timbers at least for the rung that is against the U. You could have the U anywhere within the width of the timbers, Id prefer two but one would work as well. Its just a hidden bracket afterall.

Dave

Many thanks @Dave-1 for the sketching, it becomes much clearer now. Have to say this is a pretty new way of thinking I would not have thought of. Although I feel like not huge need to apply to my small side table where it is not intended to heavy duty, I think it is worth doing for something else that required to support heavy workload. I feel it is fascinating to ponder over design of things, balancing robustness, aesthetics, usefulness, and cost etc. and it is pretty hard. This is just like the software industry I am from. 🙂

Regards/Alfred