Staples Cabinet Makers

What To Look For In A Quality Reclaimed Wood Farm Table

1. Ask the age of the wood and where it came from.  Was the wood originally cut from the virgin forests in New England? Ask the person from which you are buying your table if they know the ‘story behind the wood’-- Where was the barn or house located?  When was it built?  Who lived there?  Ask for this information to be written down so you can tell the ‘story’ to friends and family.
2. Check to see how the tabletop is secured to the aprons.  Is it nailed or screwed?  If the table has breadboard ends, ask if they are built to expand and contract with the seasons or if they are fastened securely to the tabletop.  Good quality tables have breadboard ends that are engineered to accept movement so the wood can expand and contract without cracking. The tabletop should be attached to the aprons with clips to allow the wood to move.  This is very important especially when shipping into different climates.
3. Ask if the turned legs are machine made or hand turned.  We live in a “cookie cutter world” and most often turnings are machine duplicated.  A quality woodcraftsman can hand turn each leg without the aid of calipers (a device used to measure circumference) enhancing the handmade look of the table.   A machine turned leg spins at a high speed and is pressed against a profile knife that cuts the leg out in one operation.  Each leg is the exact duplicate of the other, which is a perfect example of our “cookie cutter world”.  There is something special about a hand turned leg.  The slight waves and dips add another dimension to the texture.
4. Ask if the tapered legs are made from reclaimed wood.  Are the legs made from the same wood as the tabletop?
5. Ask if there is a choice of table ends.  Quality table ends for farm tables include: 

a. Breadboard ends    b.   Square cut ends    c.   Uneven ends for a more rustic look

6. Ask how bowtie patches are made.  Are they hand cut, slightly irregular, the same thickness as the tabletop? If the bowties are machine cut using a router and a template, it causes the bowties to have rounded corners.  This method only allows the thickness of the bowtie to be about ½” which affords little holding power and used more for cosmetic purposes.
7. Ask how holes in the wood are filled.  You do not want the holes filled with handyman type wood fills that will chip away and fall out as the wood moves.  Holes should be filled with quality epoxy that is colored to match the wood.  Epoxy is flexible and will move with the expansion and contraction of the wood with the seasons.  If the client prefers, nail holes can be filled with wooden pegs of the same vintage wood or authentic hand forged rosehead nails, circa 1750.
8. Check for sharp corners.  Corners that are rounded will give a piece that worn, aged look and feel.
9. Ask what types of finishes are used.  Beware of wax finishes as they may cause white marks and may get sticky in the summer time.  Many furniture makers, who do not have a finishing background or a finishing facility, use wax finish because of its simplicity.  If the wax has been heavily applied you will be able to scrape it off with your fingernail, which is not a good thing.  A wipe on finish that finishes the wood from the inside out, means the finish is in the wood and not sitting on top of the wood.  This type of finish keeps it from chipping, flaking and cracking.  Be sure the finish is maintainable.  How can it be repaired in the event of a scratch?  Can another coat of finish be added once the table has been properly cleaned?
10. If the table has shellac as part of the finish, ask where it was purchased.  Does the furniture maker mix their own shellac or do they buy it off the shelf?  Shellac bought locally only has a shelf life of 6 months.  Skilled craftsman are able to make their own shellac using the finest shellac flakes from India.
11. Ask how the tabletop is glued together.  Are the tabletops glued together with biscuits (splines) every 7” to assure alignment and strength of each joint?
12. If you have your own reclaimed wood, ask if it can be used in your custom-made farm table.  A caring craftsman will be more than happy to build the farm table using wood from the client’s homestead, which adds sentimental value.
13. Ask if the bottom of the tabletop is finished.  When the bottom of a table is finished with the same number of coats as the tabletop it allows the even absorption of humidity, which prevents warping, cupping or twisting.
14. Ask if the table is identified by the furniture maker.  Does the table have a  signed and dated paper label glued to the bottom of the tabletop and/or is it a brand that cannot be removed? Some craftsmen also add their signature mark on the tabletop that cannot be removed.
15. Ask if the table carries a warranty.  Confirm that the furniture maker will repair or replace structural defects or a defective finish barring misuse or abuse.
16. Ask if custom orders are considered.  Confirm that the furniture maker will sit down and consult with you about your taste and style, the style of your home and other furniture when you are investing in a custom piece. It is key that clients get exactly what they have in mind.
17. If there are drawers in the table, are they dovetailed?  A good sign of a quality farm table is if the craftsman adds a dovetailed drawer in the apron of each handmade farm table.  Also, ask if the front of the drawer is made from reclaimed wood like the tabletop.
18. Ask how long the furniture maker has been in the table making business.  Beware that if table making is a sideline, they may be ‘here today gone tomorrow’.   Make sure furniture making is the craftsman’s full time passion and don’t be afraid to ask for references.
19. Ask if the furniture maker has a “buy back consignment” policy.  If you move and cannot take the piece with you, a custom furniture maker may be able to sell it for you.

20. Ask if the boards for the table match.  Do they come from the same tree?  Are they the same species?  Were they reclaimed from the same building and/or floor?  If they do match, it means the maker took the time to ensure the uniform look of the table.  Boards should be chosen with an artistic eye making sure they are symmetrical with similar age worn character from the same reclaimed building.

21. Look for Saw Marks.  All modern day tool marks made by the craftsman like the circular saw blade and jointer marks should be removed with hand planes at the same time leaving some of the tool marks from 200 years ago.  If these clues to the age of the wood are preserved, it is possible to date the antique boards. 

22. Beware of a “skinned” table top.  When an old wood tabletop is sent through a wide belt sander, the entire surface is removed making the table flat and even.  This process cuts hours off the production time and a century or more off the face of the old wood tabletop leaving is smooth and speechless.  Ask the maker if the table top has been processed in this manner.
23. Was the table made in America? Beware of Indonesian knock offs.