Making a Round Table with Hardwood Flooring and Through-Legs

Let's make a round oak table with through-legs out of solid hardwood flooring. This was a fun one! And a little trip down memory lane too...
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[@dinkyshopYT]

Good use of the leftover flooring material. One twist might be to rout out 1/8 in slots about half the depth of the top down from the top's surface (and add contrasting color wood wedge) across the areas where the table legs poke through the surface (either in a straight line or X) as a way to pin those legs to the table top (so it doesn't wiggle loose over time). The wedges could be sanded/cut flat with the table top surface. Good basic project. I like @BigFatTonys idea of making the angled hole guide the diameter of the forstner bit shaft and not the final bit width.

[@nigelwylie01]

I wonder why we favour four legged tables now. A three-legged table is superior in so many ways, but primarily for stability on any surface, and in my opinion pleasing looks. Odd numbers are more pleasing and calming to the eye. Just ask a flower arranger. “But a table isn’t a flower arrangement!” I hear you remonstrate! No, but it is an object of beauty, especially one like this one.

[@TheLunnyBear]

To my eye, when using thin legs like this, seeing four thin ones looks better than 3 thin ones, however the thicker you go with the leg, the less I'd like to see.

[@SamiKankaristo]

In my opinion, it's a bit wrong to say that using 3 legs provides more *stability* than 4 legs. A table with 3 legs is always *even* on any surface, but as long as the surface is even, more legs provide more stability.
As an example, imagine a square table with 3 legs. When pressing down on the surface, at least one of the corners is going to have a lot more wobble compared to the same table with 4 legs.

[@nigelwylie01]

@@SamiKankaristo, You are right of course. Thank you for correcting me. I find it hard to be accurate with my language in this circumstance. Stability issues change with the shape of the table top, and with the flatness of the ground. The possibilities of design and creative experimentation just go on and on. I love it.

[@darbinorvar]

I think three legged designs are great too... next build!

[@jimmcnett]

Very nice. It is great to find out ways to use offcuts. Especially for expensive flooring.

[@Wildevis]

A lovely, simple yet elegant project. Great advice on applying the wax with steel wool, so while sealing also smoothing

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks Erika!

[@BigFatTonys]

Drilling guide sized for the shank of the drill bit. Then cut away for the drill bit head

[@cliffscuts5948]

I like your table. Thank you for showing us your process of building it. I would have liked to see how drilling the hole for the legs could have been done on a drill press, that would have been cool and have you ever seen the old trick of cutting a groove in a something like the leg then putting a different colored wedge in the grove once the leg is sticking out the top to expand the leg in the hole insuring that it stays solid and add color to the top.

[@ddutton0]

Great table and video

[@darbinorvar]

Thank you! 😊

[@johnford7847]

Very nice. I expected you to wedge the top of the leg tenons, just for another design element, but the utility grade flooring is already pretty busy, visually. I've made a small table top from red oak flooring, but only rectangular, with a couple of batons on the back to ensure flatness over time. It sat on a simple rails-and-legs frame I threw together from scraps. Like you, I intended to do better but forgot about it. Thanks for giving me a kick in the rear to get going and finish it.
Thanks also for the advice about using a wax to improve the appearance of water-based poly. I don't like the cold appearance but I do like the lower VOC's.
Good video, Linn.

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks so much John! I was thinking about the wedges, which probably would have been a nice addition.... but then in the end I ended up not using it. I bet your table is looking nice! 😁

[@Syrkyth]

A great result!
My parents have probably two livingrooms worth of finished hardwood "left over" from renovations (I think - it might be a case of "we'll do this later" and it's now 20 years after the "first stage" of the project lol). Maybe they'll part with a few cords =D
I wonder if the underside of the flooring could be filled with a coloured resin or, better yet, inlaid wood strips?

[@darbinorvar]

Haha sounds like a lot of fun projects waiting to happen to me.

[@Kkuts37]

Love it!😊

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks Kathleen!

[@MCsCreations]

Really beautiful work, Linn! It looks fantastic! 😃
Hot glue is great indeed, I love it!
Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@darbinorvar]

Thanks MC!

[@DanaOredson]

I like the blue, actually.

[@johnyb9884]

Nice

[@ronnieahman6958]

Det blev ett jättefint bord. Duktigt jobbat!

[@darbinorvar]

Tack så mycket Ronnie!