Reply To: Trestle Table
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What’s your budget, and what’s your question…exactly what are you wondering about wood species? It sounds like maybe you’re asking which wood to use?
If so, it’s a shame your sweetie doesn’t like darker woods — I think they’re the best for dining tables. Some options that come to mind (since you didn’t mention a budget I’ll assume you’re wealthier than Bill Gates and money is no object)
A not-too-dark-but-still-interesting wood option are the Hawaiians. Monkeypod and koa. Sure, a curly koa slab will cost you as much as a car, but I’m assuming you’re Bill Gates. We all know what it looks like, but if you’re not familiar with monkeypod, here’s a dining table done in Hawaiian monkeypod: https://www.custommade.com/hawaiian-monkey-pod-dining-table/by/customwoodworkingla/
Since it’s a trestle table, you might want a wood more suitable for something rustic or informal. Take a look at this black limba table: https://www.tehwoods.com/sites/default/files/great_color_and_figure_on_this_black_limba_tabletop_by_chastaincreations.jpg
and for a more affordable option, you can consider one of Paul Sellers’ favorite woods, mesquite, although that might be pushing the light / dark thing.
Primavera is also known as the blond mahogany, here’s a surfboard fin made out of primavera by an expert fin-maker here in San Diego, John Cherry: https://www.tehwoods.com/sites/default/files/primaverfin.jpeg
and you can tone down the drama and get something much more Scandinavian-looking like this: https://www.tehwoods.com/sites/default/files/primavera_desk.jpg
On the off chance you’re not Bill Gates, and want to stick to more affordable woods but still want something special, you can always go conventional but kick it up a notch…for example, cherry is great, but you can buy curly cherry, which can be stunningly beautiful. Instead of maple, maybe ambrosia maple or birds-eye.