What is a rustic table? It is plain or made from logs, twigs, and sticks when referring to rustic furniture. Simultaneously, live-edge tables and wood slab tables, along with natural wood tables and farm tables, are also plain or simple made. All built with materials such as live edge wood, solid wood planks, and salvaged or reclaimed wood. With wood species such as redwood and Claro walnut wood slab table options are limitless. This diverse range of materials and natural designs fuels the trends towards natural wood furniture. So, what better than a rustic table handmade from natural wood. Although commonly built, a skilled furniture maker adds an elegant complexity. The modern rustic table built from natural wood slabs supported polished metal or acrylic style table bases.
Rustic table
Rustic style wood slab table
When choosing to order a custom table, it can be a little scary, but here are a few things to consider.
- How long has the person or shop been in business? Although many new shops need a chance to show what they can do.
- Do they have a portfolio of their work? Everyone should have a few pictures and maybe even projects in production to see.
- What forms of payment do they except, and what are the terms? A reputable company will accept credit cards. An industry standard on custom orders is a 50% deposit with the balance due when finished. This can vary, but this is a good baseline.
- Most importantly, relationship – do you feel comfortable with the furniture maker.
Ordering a custom wood table should be a fun adventure while supporting a small business. Along the way, you will develop a life long relationship with your custom furniture maker.
Live edge table
Wood slab tables of all shapes and sizes can be found throughout history. Such as a harvest or farm table built by farmers and were used as a general-purpose. This rustic table served many functions in everyday farm life. One minute it could be a workbench while the next a dining table. At the same time, built from wood planks or wood slabs bought from a local sawmill. The labor to harvest and mill one log sawers maximized each log cut into lumber. This was a time that a two by four was 2″x4″, not 1.5″ x 3.5″. A farm table hand made from a basic or simple design, much like a rustic table. There rugged but artistic and functional wood furniture. Typically long a narrow and used day-to-day life but also functional for large harvest and family gatherings.
Farm table
Also, with the live edge wood craze, new designs and styles have emerged. Such as river tables, canyon tables, and others that celebrate the beauty of natural wood. Nothing compares to the stunning beauty of a solid wood plank or tree table. While a rustic table made from old-growth redwood, Claro walnut ( Juglans hindsii ) and Oregon black walnut are stunning. Though protected these old-growth trees harvested at the end of there life as dead-standing or salvaged from the forest floor. High-quality burl wood such as maple burl, redwood burl, and others also make a great coffee table or dining table.
The tree table made from old-growth wood
A rustic table made from live edge wood is not a new trend, although the names are new. George Nakashima and others blazed the modern trail, but rustic style natural wood furniture has dotted the history of humankind. With the diminishing resources of old-growth trees responsible and ethical sourcing comes into play. This includes managing the forest through selective harvesting and not clearcutting. Allowing young growth forest to grow into an old-growth forest. Thus assuring that we will have an old-growth forest for generations to come as nothing compares with solid wood plack table or rustic table crafted in rustic furniture design. Unmatched and breathtaking as the gold standard in natural wood furniture.
Custom wood slab table
