A client asked for a cedar coffee table. They brought us a large cedar plank, approximately 7 feet long, two feet wide x 4 inches thick, that was still quite wet. We decided to make it right away and the slab can dry on their patio. There was a nice knot on the cut side of the slab, so this became the center point for the design. We chopped the ends at ten degrees on the big miter saw using special rollers to handle the weight. Then we re-cut the ends of the slab from the opposite direction at twenty degrees. These two angles, one half of the other, make the design symmetrical and balanced. Because of the weight of the legs, four inch aggressive screws were used with glue to lock the wood together from below. We didn’t want dowels interrupting the beautiful grain on this specimen. Cedar has long strands and will crack and split with time and that’s part of the look. Because the wood is still carrying a lot of water, we only applied finish to the top and ends of the wood. The underside and inside legs can stay open for evaporation. A table this size will drink up lots of finish over the years.
Size: 51″ long x 22″wide x 20″ tall. Slab is 4″ thick. Image: the table was just glued together and is sitting on blocks. Wood Source: hawleyscape.com