How To Choose The Best Wood For Making A Dining Table

People who have not spent much time in a woodworking workshop will likely underestimate the effect of choosing the right type of wood on the finished product. The type of wood will also have a huge effect on the total cost of the project.

Hardwoods are better choices for a dining table, but they are also generally more expensive. Pine and fir are some of the best softwoods to use on a dining table and can be veneered with more expensive woods like mahogany or walnut. In general, you want wood that is durable and takes stain well.

There is a lot to talk about when it comes to different types of wood. Do you want hardwood or softwood, or how well will a particular type of wood take stains? This article will look at the different types of wood and how to choose which is the best for a dining table.

What to Look for in a Wood

Before we get into the specifics, let us have a look at some of the things you will want to consider when choosing a species for your dining table:

Hardness: As we will see, hardness is not always directly related to whether a species is a hardwood or a softwood. Hardness, however, remains an important factor to consider when choosing a species.
Appearance: Some woods like mahogany have a naturally striking appearance thanks to their coloring. Others, like oak, get their visual attractiveness from the beautiful grain patterns. Visual appeal is another important consideration.

Workability: How easy is this wood to work with? Does it split easily? This is an especially important consideration if you are starting in the world of woodworking.

So, now that we have looked at a few general considerations let us get into more detail on some of the different wood species’ defining characteristics.

Choose Between Hardwood or Softwood

This is one of the most important questions you will need to ask yourself before choosing a wood. Contrary to what you might believe, what qualifies as hardwood or softwood does not depend on the wood’s actual hardness. It is a botanical classification based on whether the wood comes from a flowering tree (angiosperm) or a conifer (gymnosperm). In other words, it depends on how the tree reproduces.

How to Choose the Best Wood for Making a Dining Table

Softwood comes from conifers, which are usually evergreen. Conifers reproduce by producing seeds inside cones, for example, pinecones. Softwoods are softer than hardwoods because they grow more quickly, which means they are less densely packed. They generally take finishes like varnish or shellac better than hardwoods. That is to do with the wood pores, which we will get into in the following section.

Consider Opened or Closed Grain Wood

Another consideration that will affect the wood’s final look is whether the grain is open or closed. This is down to the size of the pores in the surface of the wood.

Open grain wood, which is generally hardwoods, will have much larger pores than closed grain. The grain of an opened-grain wood will be much more visible than a closed-grain wood. More open grain wood will also not take varnishes and other finishes as well as their closed-grain cousins.

Closed grain wood is much smoother and takes finishes better than open grain, but it comes with a price. If you want the beautiful look of pronounced grain like you would get on a wood-like oak, then a closed-grain wood will not be the best choice for you. Examples of closed grain woods would include cherry, birch, and walnut.

Perform the Janka Hardness Test

The Janka scale has long been used to measure the hardness of different species of wood. The way it works is that a small steel ball (0.444″) is pressed into the wood using a precise amount of pressure. The wood’s Janka rating is how much pressure is required to make the 200 sq mm indentation, which the ball leaves after being pressed halfway through the wood. This process is then repeated and averaged.

The Janka hardness test essentially tells us how much force it takes to damage the wood. The better the wood can withstand the pressure of the ball being pressed into its surface, the higher its Janka rating will be. That is an important figure to know when deciding which wood to use for your table. It will tell you how susceptible the tabletop will be to dents and scratches over its lifetime.

Consider Engineered Wood as an Option

So far, we have mainly talked about solid wood, which is naturally obtained by cutting down a tree and processing it for timber. However, engineered woods like plywood and HDF (high-density fibreboard) have become more popular in recent years due to the increasing scarcity of trees due to deforestation.

Here are some of the pros and cons of engineered wood compared to solid wood:

Pros of Engineered Wood

Engineered wood is generally cheaper than solid wood

It is also generally more water-resistant due to the multiple layers
More eco-friendly since it is made from the discarded waste of solid wood
Can be veneered to have the aesthetic appeal of solid wood

Generally lighter in weight than solid wood

Cons of Engineered Wood

Engineered wood is not as durable as solid wood and can chip easily
Not as visually appealing as solid wood

Can only be sanded and refinished once or twice since the top layer is thin
Does not expand or contract – can crack from temperature changes

If you do not care so much about the appearance and are looking for a cheap and eco-friendly way to make furniture, engineered wood might be the right choice. If you care about appearance, you can always veneer the tabletop with a more attractive solid wood to get the best of both worlds.

The Best Softwoods for a Dining Table

As a general rule, the higher-end furniture is made with a variety of hardwood. However, several softwoods will also do a great job and for a much more attractive price. The problem with all these woods is that they are likely to get scratched or dented. If that is a worry, you could always build the table using softwood, then veneer the tabletop to make it more durable.

Here are a few of the best softwoods to use for a dining room table:

Is Pine a Good Wood for a Dining Table?

Pine is one of the cheapest and most used species of wood out there. It is also one of the softest, with white pine coming in with a Janka rating of just 420. The softness is down to the fact that pine grows very quickly, and that is also why it is one of the cheapest species you can use. Another plus is that pine is very easy to stain because of its closed grain, so you can change the color to suit your interior style.

The main downside of pine is that it is susceptible to scratches and dents. While it is very cheap to buy, you may have to spend time repairing or refinishing it. Pine is also prone to having lots of knots, which can be a problem during construction. On the other hand, fast growth means that it is better for the environment since the cut-down trees can quickly be replaced. This is not the case with many hardwoods.

Is Poplar a Good Wood for a Dining Table?

This is technically not a softwood from a botanical standpoint. Still, we have included it here because it is quite soft. Poplar has a Janka rating of just 540, making it one of the softest hardwoods out there. While it is a bit harder, poplar will have the same kind of problems as pine since it is soft enough to be dented or scratched from regular use. Again, a veneer might be the way to go to solve this problem.

Like pine, poplar is also a very cheap choice, and it is easy to work with. If you are making the table as a learning exercise, then it could be a great choice. The colors are also great, and many people think the wood looks better the older it gets. Unfortunately, poplar is also quite susceptible to insect attack.

Is Fir a Good Wood for a Dining Table?

Fir is quite similar to pine in many ways. Both are lightly colored closed-grain softwoods. Fir, however, is that little bit harder, coming in at 660 on the Janka scale. That means that while fir is still a very affordable and workable wood, it will not scratch or dent as easily as pine. However, it will also not take stains and pine and does not have an interesting natural grain pattern. Still, it will take the stain well enough to look pretty good for the price.

The Best Hardwoods for a Dining Table

Most woodworkers would agree that hardwoods are the better choice for a dining table since these tables are likely to get some abuse. You do not want to build your table, for example, only to have someone use it to write a note and leave indents from the pen in the tabletop. The main drawback of using hardwood is that it is generally much more expensive.

Here are some of the best hardwoods to use when building a dining table:

Oak

One of the most popular choices for tables, oak, is a visually beautiful wood resistant to scratches and dents. It has a Janka rating of about 1200-1300 and is one of the less expensive hardwoods. One of the downsides is that oak is quite susceptible to insect attack, so it is good to keep an eye on that if you decide to go with oak. If it survives insects, oak is an extremely long-lived wood that can last for centuries if treated well.

The hardness of oak can make it quite tricky to work with and blunt your tools’ blades faster than softwoods. Despite being reasonable for a hardwood, oak is also pretty expensive compared to the softwoods listed above. The higher price tag, however, is probably offset by the longevity of the table.

Think of it this way: you can make a table that will last 50 years or make two tables that will last 25 years each.

Maple

Maple, with its creamy golden hue, is another great hardwood for making dining tables. With a Janka rating of 1400-1500, it is one of the hardest species commonly used to make furniture. Maple is quite resistant to water, but like oak, it is susceptible to attack by insects. However, if you can keep the bugs out, this is a very durable wood that can take a serious beating.

Fortunately, there are many different types of water-resistant and insect-resistant coatings that you can use to keep your maple table safe from harm. Consider purchasing pre-treated Maplewood to save a step. It might cost a bit more, but you’ll save a ton of time and energy.

Despite being a closed-grain wood, maple is notoriously difficult to stain. It can take a dark stain quite well, but often the finish comes out splotchy. Because of its ability to take a dark stain, it is often stained in such a way as to mimic more expensive woods like mahogany. While maple is significantly cheaper than woods like mahogany and ebony, it will still set you back more than any of the softwoods listed above.

Walnut

One of the more expensive species listed here, walnut, is reserved for the high-end stuff. With its rich, chocolatey color and beautiful open-grain patterns, walnut is one of the best-looking woods you can get! While the Janka rating is only about 1000-1100, walnut is still known for being a very durable wood. While insects can still do a lot of damage, walnut is also known for being resistant to decay over time.

The heartwood (center of the tree) is often a much darker color than the sapwood (edges of the tree), producing a strange effect of the wood changing color from one side of a board to another. Because of its high price, walnut is often used as a veneer over less expensive wood species than as the furniture’s main body. That can be a great way to cut down on the price and still have a great looking table.

Mahogany

Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful woods you can find! Unfortunately, that beautiful appearance comes with a not-so-beautiful price tag. Mahogany is a bit softer than some of the other hardwoods listed here, with a Janka rating of about 800. However, it remains a durable and easy to carve hardwood that should last a very long time indeed. Unlike the other hardwoods we have covered, mahogany is extremely resistant to insect attack.

Mahogany is also extremely resistant to splitting. Combined with its medium hardness, this makes mahogany a great wood to work with. Like walnut, there can be quite a lot of color variance within a single mahogany board. Again, this is a costly wood, so it may be an idea to build the table out of a softer, cheaper wood, then veneer the top with mahogany to get that beautiful appearance and durability.

Beech

With a Janka rating of about 1300-1400, beech is an incredibly hard hardwood. While its light golden/creamy color is not as striking as mahogany or walnut, beechwood is widely available and relatively cheap for a hardwood. It is durable, flexible, and takes stains very well, which means it can be colored to look like a more expensive species. On the woodworking side, it is also an easy species to work with.

If you value the ability to absorb shocks, but you are also working on a budget, beech is a great choice. Unfortunately, this species is also prone to cracking and insect attacks. Another drawback is that it is a hefty wood, which can make transport tricky. It is also known to soak up water, which can cause the wood to warp or rot, but that shouldn’t be a problem for your dining table.

Summary

Which wood is best for your dining table depends to a large extent on your budget. If money is not an issue, then go with something fancy like mahogany or walnut. If you are on a budget or just getting into woodworking for the first time, then a cheap and simple softwood like fir or pine will do just fine!

There are so many great wood choices for furniture that we did not have time to go over here, for example, ash and cherry. No matter what you choose, the time and skill you put into building your dining table will make the biggest difference in how the finished product looks.

Good luck building your dining table!

How to Choose the Best Wood for Making a Dining Table

What to Look for in a Wood

Choose Between Hardwood or Softwood

Consider Opened or Closed Grain Wood

Perform the Janka Hardness Test