One of my projects this week was to apply a coat of wax to the kitchen table that Ray built me a few Christmas’s ago. It’s a Farm Table style with bread board ends.
The wood for the table top was salvaged from a renovation here in Colorado. The thick 2′ x 12′ rafters are made of rough-finished Douglas Fir. The Pine legs are from back East. They came from a staircase of a hotel that was knocked down on Block Island. I’ve saved those legs for 11 years waiting for this table! It has nail holes, dings and knots — lots of character.
When Ray brought the table up from the shop I finished it with two coats of a natural oil and a beeswax base hardwax. It was the exact finish I’d hoped for; inviting, smooth, and begging to be touched. With every coat it grows warmer and richer in color, enhancing the grain of the wood.
I give the table a coat of wax at least twice a year. I wipe the table down of any dirt and rub the wax into the wood with circular motions. I let the wax dry for two hours and then, using a bit of elbow grease, I buff it out with a clean old t-shirt. The finish holds up very well to our abuse and a damp sponge is all it needs for clean up.
Which Island hotel?
Not sure, they were given to me by a someone who was cleaning out their basement and had the posts for a very long time. Remember it was mentioned they came from a staircase from an old hotel, salvaged from the old dump maybe. Great treasures were found there! Sorry, I was so excited at the time of getting the posts that I wasn’t paying attention to the history of them.
It looks like a great table and I love how you know the history of where all the wood came from!
Thank you.
Just was admiring your work on your website, very nice.
MB