Replies

1. 
   MikeHennessy | Feb 08, 2006 08:40pm | #1

   The harder, the better. And for kids who'll be using crayons, markers, etc. on the table, the darker the finish, the better! How about red oak stained (or dyed) dark? Very hard wood, pretty reasonably priced (at least, around here), widely available and rugged.

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

1. 
   mrb35 | Feb 08, 2006 10:32pm | #2

   What about pine?  What are the advantages or disadvantages to using pine for a table and chair set.

    

   Is oak a good project for a beginning woodworker?

    

   Thanks Mike

1. 
   Ricks503 | Feb 08, 2006 11:50pm | #3

   Pine is soft and will dent and ding fast under kids.

   It is the design that will make it hard or easy, not the wood, that is an increase in cost only.  I agree that Red Oak is probably best for this - reasonably priced, relativly easy to find and hard enough to stand up to most of the abuse the kids will deal out.1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go        4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

2. 
   MikeHennessy | Feb 09, 2006 12:18am | #4

   What Rick503 said. Unless you are using hand tools, the type of wood makes little difference to the difficulty of execution. And if you ARE using hand tools, it's not really much more difficult using hardwood vs. softwood. You just need to keep your tools sharp, and it goes a bit slower than with softwood. Actually, sometimes that actually helps. For example, it's a lot harder to take a divot with a sander in oak than it is in pine. All that said, if you want to use pine, try to find yellow pine. That's the wood often used as stair treads. It's a lot more durable than white pine. I'd still paint it or use a dark finish though to help hide all the marks the kids will doubtless make.

   Mike Hennessy

3. 
   walnutjerry | Feb 18, 2006 04:05am | #5

    

   the red oak is a harder wood than yellow pine but it machines very well. The pine is "grainy" meaning you have soft sap wood and the harder annular rings whereas the oak has a more consistent density resulting in smoother machining.

   IMHO the red oak would be the better choice.

                                                        Jerry

    

2. 
   Dave45 | Mar 01, 2006 02:09am | #6

   If you hadn't said "last for years", I would have recommended pine, fir, or poplar.  They're all readily available and inexpensive - great for practicing your woodworking skills and it's no great loss if something goes wrong.

   When my daughters were small, I made several benches, stools, small tables, school desks, etc for them - mostly from pine or fir.  They held up reasonably well and by the time they were pretty disreputable, the girls were ready for something nicer.  #2 daughter still has a really ratty night stand I made when she was in Jr. High.  She sprayed it black a few years ago and insists that she'll keep it until it collapses.  I'm secretly hoping that her new hubby will work up the cajones to tell her it has to go - lol.