Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | May 07, 2003 06:11pm | #1

   Dave, both of these woods are exceptionally stable, especially catalpa. Catalpa is our only native hardwood that actually has a lower average volumetric shrinkage than genuine mahogany. Sassafras is not quite so stable, but it still has shrinkage properties lower than either walnut or cherry.

   The bad news is, neither of these woods are particularly well suited for use as a counter top. They are much too soft for a surface that will be expected to take some abuse. Sassafras is only slightly denser than yellow poplar and catalpa is softer still...it's only as dense as ponderosa pine. I suppose you could bury the counter top under a high body bar-top plastic coating...but then you might just as well use something like rosewood grained formica (yuk.)

   Another negative of both woods (with respect to this application) is that they are ring-porous species, meaning you would have to use a filler in order to get a glass smooth surface. Catalpa has an added disadvantage in that its earlywood tissue (open grain area) is extremely fragile and tears out easily. A counter or table top made of it would quickly develop a corrugated surface.

   As a final note though, these are two of my favorite woods for a host of light duty cabinet making and musical instrument making purposes. I especially like working with sassafras, because of its mild spicey scent...but not for tables or other high wear surfaces. These two species simply lack the strength to take much abuse.

   
   

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   Edited 5/7/2003 11:16:53 AM ET by Jon Arno
   

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   Edited 5/7/2003 11:17:48 AM ET by Jon Arno

   
   

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   Edited 5/7/2003 11:24:52 AM ET by Jon Arno

1. 
   BertJ | May 07, 2003 09:56pm | #2

   Dave, years ago I lived in an old house with a re-modeled kitchen. Whoever did the work replaced one of the counter tops with very old reclaimed yellow pine, about 8/4 if I remember correctly. He/she added a sturdy custom glass top to fit, with a nice rounded edge. It was a wonderfull combination because the beauty of the wood was clearly visible and the glass provided a durable and easy-to-clean surface.

   BJ

1. 
   DaveHeinlein | May 07, 2003 11:40pm | #3

   The reason I have aked about the two woods, is because one of my clients has aksed for a Pine counter on the new kitchen I am building. I would like to use something a bit harder and better wearing than Pine, and still get the rustic 'country' look she is after. Plus the fact that the counters are deep anyway(28-1/2& 32") I'm looking for something that won't move as much as EWP.