Replies

1. 
   MBerger | Mar 05, 2007 11:01pm | #1

   Hi Jerry,

   This is a very unconventional idea so I'm hesitant to say it won't work, but I would say it is potentially problematic. The big issue here of course is wood movement. The other issues I have are with appearance and convenience.

   Wood Movement.
   The large width of your tabletop means that the overall shrinkage and expansion is going to be significant. The way a wood floor handles this is by allowing attaching each plank with nails that allow each board to shrink and expand independently; the tongue and groove joining the boards allows for the movement and keeps everything flat.

   Plywood on the other hand, doesn't move. Just like in the wood floor example, gluing the boards to a substrate is bad because it will prevent the them from shrinking and expanding. It eventually cause a failure somewhere. 

   Appearance.
   Unless you have already come up with a plan, I'm curious how you are going to deal with the edge of the table. Given that the hardwood and plywood won't always be the same dimensions, I wouldn't recommend that be an exposed edge.

   Convenience.
   If the boards join with a tongue and grooved, which I suspect they do if it's flooring, you are going to end up with a gap or dip between each board. I wouldn't make a table like that for my house for the sole reason that everyone in my family is a messy eater and the gaps would be filled with crumbs in a few days.

   Suggestion.
   Follow a more standard plan of attack. Edge glue all of the boards into a tabletop (cut awy the tongue and groove if they are already milled in the boards so that the surface is consistent in thickness) and attach that tabletop to the base in a way that allows for wood movement and holds the table flat and secure. Browse through our Tables category for some ideas and plans.

   Matt Berger
   Fine Woodworking

1. 
   jmortick | Mar 06, 2007 06:10pm | #2

   Thank you for you suggestion. Back to the drawing board - so to speak.