Fri, 28 Feb 2025 18:31:50 -0500WeeblyMon, 23 May 2016 16:30:52 GMThttps://www.stabletables.net/blog/what-makes-wood-interesting-part-ii-figuringWood with figure.

   Here at Stable Tables, we pride ourselves on our ability to produce table designs that our clients love. We thoughtfully design dining room, coffee, cocktail, console and side tables based on your custom needs. We strive to do our best in order to create and to build you the table of your dreams. But, we cannot create beautiful tables without beautiful wood.

    One option for our clients is to order a table with wood that has “figuring”. Think of figure as grain with spunk. Wood figure can result in a myriad of stunning patterns that can resemble tiger stripes, ripples and swirls, just to name a few. Wood figure can appear curly or tiger striped when grain direction varies, thus reflecting light differently. This flame-like pattern can commonly be seen in maple.  If you cut across the grain of wood where several sections of the tree split, the figure of the wood can look as if it was fused together. This pattern is most commonly seen in cherry, mahogany and walnut. Another type of wood figure can result in a swirly pattern. This happens when the grain swirls around and begins to fold in on itself. 

    Wood figuring can take its natural course under several circumstances. For instance, the tree could suffer injury or disease. When the trunk of a tree begins to twist,  figure can form. Ambrosia maple often receives its figure from invading ambrosia beetles. The beetles create holes through the tree and as they journey through the wood, they leave behind dark, streaky lines. These streaks leave behind marks and character that can make for a stunning table. Finally, sometimes growths develop on trees. When this happens, the growths may begin to pile and crowd on top of each other. This process can result in a three-dimensional, quilted and swirling pattern. 
   Every variation of wood figuring creates differences in color that allow for the patterns to really pop. Tables with wood figuring are an excellent addition to any home!

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]]>Wed, 11 May 2016 18:27:49 GMThttps://www.stabletables.net/blog/what-makes-wood-interestingA piece of wood affected by "spalting".

What do you first notice when you look at a piece of Stable Tables furniture, or any piece of  wood furniture? For many, once you look past the fine craftsmanship and unique design of a Stable Table, your eyes are drawn to the coloration of the wood. However, the beautiful coloring of the wood could actually be the work of something not so beautiful: fungi. “Spalting” typically occurs in dead trees but may also occur in living trees, just as long as there is a proper environment for the fungi to thrive. When most people hear the words rot and fungi associated with wood, they consider the wood to be useless. But boy, can they be wrong! When a tree begins to rot and fungi begins to grow and spread, spalting can occur, which in turn can create gorgeous coloration on the wood.  After wood is kiln dried, any living fungi is killed because of the high temperatures in the kiln.
There are three main categories that spalted wood can fall into: white rot, zone lines and pigmentation. White rot occurs when fungi consumes the pigmented area of a wood cell wall. When a piece of wood is affected by white rot, the fungi essentially bleaches patches of the wood.  Zone lines occur when two individual  fungi either combine with each other or create a barrier to separate themselves. This results in dark red, brown and black splotches and lines throughout the wood. Lastly, pigmentation, or blue stain, is a type of spalting that occurs when the fungi grows and colonizes in the wood. Pigmented spalting can cause wood to show streaks or spots of red, pink, orange, brown, black, blue, white, green and blue.

Because of the beautiful coloration and magnificent patterns that appear on wood affected by spalting, the woodworkers here at Stable Tables are able to create tables that are both one of a kind and aesthetically pleasing.  #spaltedmaple #liveedge #stabletables

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]]>Wed, 29 Jul 2015 22:52:52 GMThttps://www.stabletables.net/blog/alice-flintthere-from-the-startAlice,  wife of one of my best friends (Bruce), has been a supporter of Stable Tables from the start.  When I first started making tables, with no customers, and no one knew who I was, it was Alice who helped me with my first "show" at The Highlands Craft Show.  She painted some table legs, and even came up with the name Stable Tables for me!  Recently she published my new Web site.  Throughout the years she has been a great customer,  encourager, and friend.  I thought it fitting to do my first blog ever about her...thanks for everything, Al!]]>