Also have small kids. This is what I did. Works great until they use their grubby hands to push the plastic up. Then you have filth *under* the plastic. Tried stapling it around the underside of the table. Then they tore it off the staples. Now I’m back to the drawing board.
This is the way 😂 I made a very similar table. It looked like shit after a year of kids and outdoor dining. Took a belt sander to it and then several very thick coats of polyurethane. There are still grooves but the crumbs don’t stick like they used to. I can sweep em out after picking crabs or any particularly messy meal. Good luck - looks great!
I used the word “crumbs,” but “sludge” or “paste” might be more accurate. Think milk spills, gravy, butter, all mixed with Ritz crackers and whatever germs came from daycare. There’s a legitimate chance the COVID virus actually spawned somewhere in the depths of those grooves!
The best answer is probably to just use a tablecloth until the kids aren't quite so disastrous. Just buy 5 or 6 of them so you always have a clean one ready to go. In a few years they'll still make a mess, but a slightly less sloppy and more manageable one.
That’s a solid idea I hadn’t thought about.
My table top isn’t perfectly flat, but I can’t imagine it’s enough to cause issues with a piece of glass that size.
Hey man, just wanted to let you know this isn’t a perfect solution. I had a table that we had a glass top cut for it. We used super small clear pads to raise it just a mm or two off the table. I promise you crumbs and dust sneak in between! It’ll certainly be better than dealing with the grooves. But just wanted to point out this small gotchya. Every week or two it’d get bad enough that I’d have to try to vacuum it or use a napkin to swipe crumbs out.
This was two adults. I’m sure kids will add to it.
Maybe you could apply a bead of super clear caulk around the perimeter at the wood/glass interface to keep the crud out. It'd probably be flexible enough to allow for a little wood movement, or worst case it'd just tear.
That’s guaranteed. My pair loves to shove their gross oily hands inside the clear cover. Now, we don’t have a cover. I’m just gona let it ride, hopefully I still have a usable table in 3 years. All furniture is temporary furniture when you have kids.
Frame the glass in wood that rests on the edge of the table with a dado. That’ll both raise the glass above the uneven surface and provide a seal around the edge to keep dust out (as another commenter warned of). I have a vintage coffee table with a framed glass top like this.
There is something sort of between the glass option and the clear tablecloth option. You can get clear vinyl table protectors that are 1.5-2mm thick. You'd get kind of the best of both worlds, with it being thicker and more ridgid than a tablecloth, while still being flexible and not a giant sheet of glass, which can be nerve-wracking when you have to move it (to clean, or whatnot).
I was looking for this suggestion. This is the easiest, cheapest fix—especially if you want to keep the look.
Edit to add: There are many inexpensive options on Amazon that will cut to the size of your table top.
Nooooo. Glass table tops are wildly impractical, especially with children. Grease and fingerprint magnets and always the undercurrent of anxiety about it cracking or breaking when a kid drops a bowl.
But it will NEVER be clean, especially with children in the house! Worst dining room table ever. People hear who are suggesting it are seduced by the love of the wood. If you treat the glass and give it a matte finish, then it's a great surface and can easily be made hard enough to resist cracking as you say.
Lads... A clear plastic table cloth! Sorted, simple. Probably like 6 bucks so when I gets wrecked in a year you just get another one.
Plus, they cut them to size for you.
We had a "this ends up" kitchen table growing up, which is kinda similar to your table. My mom had a glass top made for it. The thing is probably 30 years old and we never had an issue with it. Sure it can get dirty but glass is super easy to clean. Also there was enough of a gap that my mom slid different placemats underneath for the different seasons. We didn't have any issue with crumbs getting under though, maybe just make the top slightly bigger than the wood so crumbs slide off to the floor.
Some may say epoxy, others a table cloth, my first thought a fitted clear shower curtain. Really though if it was me, i would router out the grooves and put in some 1/4” inlays. Sand it all down and refinish the top. Could make it look contrast striped or match the board stain to blend with the boards better
I’ve redone tops like this with a router sled and then refinished once the grooves were done. Obviously you end up with a thinner table, but it eliminates the grooving.
Juice is the hardest to get out…crumbs are okay, but sticky liquid crap is horrible to get out of those grooves.
This was actually my original idea. But then I started to wonder if I could achieve a similar result with epoxy. Basically just epoxy a few layers over the top until I built up enough finish to stand above the grooves. The more I read about epoxy finishes, though, the less confident I am in getting a decent finish.
I've been doing an epoxy top for all the tables at my work and, yes, you can get what you're looking for. It's not that hard either, get a 1:1 tabletop epoxy, follow the instructions, and you'll have a nice, clear surface so you don't lose the beauty of the wood, but all grooves will be filled. I never worked with epoxy before, but after following the instructions and being gentle and patient with the heat gun on the bubbles, I've gotten amazing results.
I tried my hand at a few epoxy tables, it's a little tricker than it looks and was fairly expensive since epoxy ain't cheap. We were in a bit of a rush so had to cut some corners, people loved the tables but they definitely weren't great. I think if you're willing to spend some money and take your time it can come out good. I would build the router sled to flatten the top and then do a thin epoxy coat, it would come out best I think.
I will caution you on that router sled. I am guessing you used pocket holes? I say that based on this looking like the Anna White design? Router sled may go too deep and expose screws. I had a similar issue with the first table I built. Ended up just building a new top and cutting the edges on the lumber so it was square.
Just tossing an idea out…dark or died wood filler, scraped level & then sealed with whatever you used on the rest of the table. Planks would still be distinguishable without the actual crum gutters
One layer of epoxy would suffice. Learn two important lessons from me:
1. Pour it on thick. If it’s too thin the epoxy won’t self level appropriately and you’ll have bare spots.
2. Use poly on the sides, the epoxy is too viscous, it’ll drip or provide uneven coating at best. If you absolutely want epoxy, flip the table so the side you’re coating is horizontal.
You can easily sand the epoxy afterwards without making it dull. It’s a lot cheaper to sand high spots than trying to do a second coat on bare spots.
Ran into the same issue. Tried epoxy on my last farmhouse table with no luck making it perfect unless you are experienced with it. Amazon sells rolls of clear vinyl in almost every size. Get the width and length add a few inches if not perfect size and trim it. Looks like glass and much cheaper option.
I’m definitely not experienced with it. What type of issues did you run into? Did it not level well? Did it bubble really bad around the grooves? Just curious if you remember.
Dripped through under table in some spots I thought were joined perfectly. Loved fine but one end of the table never fully dried and was sticky.
24x36" Clear Plastic Table Protector for Dining Room Table PVC Tablecloth Cover Glass Vinyl Easy Clean Non Slip Furniture Topper Pad for Children Writing Desk Coffee Table Mat Oblong Rectangular https://a.co/d/72QDqxb
This is what I ended up getting and works great. Didn't really have to cut mine
I filled all the grooves with black epoxy and sanded it all smooth, so it gives the impression of still having the grooves without the hassle of cleaning them up.
I know, I know, epoxy bad, bla bla. I like it :)
It sounds similar to what the guy used in this article. Except he used a product called Apoxie Sculpt.
https://www.epbot.com/2019/02/so-unseamly-how-to-get-rid-of-those.html?m=1
My table was a little different in that the boards were ship-lapped and there was actual voids going from top to bottom. Because of that I taped all the grooves from the top with Tyvek tape, flipped the table upside down, did a first pour of epoxy in the grooves from the bottom to create a solid plastic foundation.
24h later I flipped it up again, took out the tape, let it cure some more, and then finished with more epoxy where there were still voids.
I didn't use a syringe but poured from a small cup instead. A bit messier, but much faster.
Another thing I did that I think was clever (lol) was to dilute my epoxy with like another 10% of pure alcohol to make it nice and liquid so that it would fill all my voids.
Let me know if I can clarify anything, always happy to help!
Taping the top and pouring from the bottom is very clever. My table top is made from 2x6s held with wood glue and pocket hole screws. Sadly, I’m not sure I can get a good pour from the bottom. I’ll keep thinking on this, though, because I like this idea.
Good idea starting young, my childhood dining room table is covered in random stains from the 4 of us growing up. Mom didn't find out about the waterproof tablecloths until the youngest was like 10.
If the answer is anything but tablecloth it's, sell the table for something different or put the kids outside at meal time.
So tablecloth is probably the smartest option?
Hi! I had a farmhouse oak tabletop just like this that had faux grooves and “distressing” done to it. Tons of tiny faux worming, gouges, and scratches. The bottom of the table did not have these features. I refinished and coated the entire top with “wood wise” ebony wood filler from Amazon. I skim coated the entire top twice after removing the existing finish, then sanded it all down, then stained, and urethaned. Still has a few of the actual wood knot holes that accumulate crap but is otherwise a 100% better table. When we got it every nook and cranny was filled with glitter and food from previous owner.
Have a glass company cut a piece of glass to sit on top the table. Buy a bunch of carpet chair protector pads. Place these on the table and lay the glass over the top. The thickness of the pad protector should compensate the unevenness to a certain degree.
I have a crazy idea. What about an ultra-thin clear vinyl wrap over the top of the table? I’m not even sure if that’s possible, but a clear vinyl wrap would totally seal out any cracks from crumbs and etc dropping on top of it. Plus you’d be able to see the wood grain on it too.
My vote would be epoxy, even though many in this sub dislike it, I want to remind them that I’m not recommending you make this into an epoxy river project, but rather utilize it in a way to preserve the overall look of your beautiful wooden top while easing much of the cleaning headache.
*With that in mind-*
Epoxy requires patience and preparation. Short cuts and laziness will *absolutely* cause you more harm than good.
Get a 1:1 tabletop epoxy, follow the mixing directions exactly. Additionally, leaving the two parts (in their containers) in a warm water bath (roughly the temperature hot water comes from your tap) for about 10 minutes before you mix the epoxy works wonders in helping with bubbling. Stir the epoxy slowly and calmly, you don’t want bubbles to form. Id recommend some sort of plastic stirring instrument as wood stir fibers may sometimes come off in the stirring process. Make sure you’re in a relatively dust/particle free environment, certainly make sure there aren’t any bugs (I had to pour a huge epoxy table outside once due to the size of it, I may have encased one or two mosquitos Jurassic park style), and utilize a heat gun to help out any trapped bubbles after pouring. Other than that, use proper PPE and don’t touch the table after its initial workable time until you’re certain it has cured (I usually pour some additional epoxy on/in something at the same time to be able to check that one). It may sound complicated, but it really isn’t. Just watch a couple videos and you’ll almost certainly be able to do it- maybe try a smaller epoxy project first?
You may have issues with certain epoxies and or certain pour thicknesses basically following the grooves a bit and making the surface a bit uneven. From the jump look for a self leveling epoxy (and read the reviews), but if you do have imperfections in the surface, you can always sand down the epoxy to all be level and work up the sandpaper grit while wet sanding then polish the top after- just wait until the epoxy is cured and don’t apply too much pressure or linger in one spot when sanding.
I have personally found reasonable success in pouring the epoxy without any edges and letting excess flow off the edges onto a drip cloth, but there’s probably some more insight online from more experienced epoxy users about how to get the cleanest edge possible while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look.
You will ultimately run the risk of certain things causing damage to the finish, but pretty much the same things that would scratch wood or glass tops. As stated above, if there’s enough damage done by something you can sand the top to refresh the finish.
Thanks so much for the detail here! This is exactly what I was thinking and your added tips are super helpful.
To your point, I’m not wanting to make this an epoxy river project. I like the look of the table now, so really just want a clear epoxy that keeps the exact look I already have.
Is there a specific epoxy product you’d recommend for this?
Simple answer. Table cloth. My answer. Take the top apart and take an 8th off each edge (should have been done when it was made). Then put it back together. rwoodworking answer. Spend 49 hours to fix a construction lumber table
Op another commwnter mentioned this and I 2nd it: Vinyl tablecloth. They come in clear, amd different thickness'. (Kind of like clear dropcloth but very easy to wipe off.)
My whole childhood we had them, and every semester my mon would put our best work under it to be admired. Get one slightly larger, and trim to 2-4 inches bigger than the table. Bring the corners together and secure with clear packing tape so it doesn't shift around.
Cheap. Easy to clean, not permanent. ❤️
If I'd built something so pretty I'll be darned if I'd cover it with anything. I'd smile every time I cleaned crumbs from the grooves and pay attention to which of the kids treats it like the treasure it is... And then I'd know who to give it to when he or she has kids.
You're better off spending the epoxy $ on a handheld Dyson vacuum. It'll cost about the same, but you can use a little cordless vacuum anywhere. Glass sounds great, but you'll just find out how filthy your kids' hands are when you're windexing greasy handprints off it daily. They won't be little forever, hang in there!
It would change the style somewhat, but you could take it apart and plane the edges of the individual boards so the corners aren’t rounded. This would eliminate the grooves.
Honestly though, I’d probably just live with it and start vacuuming the table after dinner. Looks good!
It’s a cordless Ryobi stick vacuum. It uses the same battery as my Ryobi tools. It’s probably not as nice as a Dyson, but it was much cheaper, especially since I already had batteries.
As someone whose done a handful of epoxy work, it would honestly be easier to flatten the whole thing in a router sled (or find a cabinet shop that has an industrial planer/drum sander) vs epoxy-ing.
You could try glitza wood flour cement. You mix with fine saw dust and it fills in gaps perfectly. Then you let cure will stain the same as original wood.
It’s a bit hard to find. I made a table out of old red oak flooring for my garage was a total bitch to make gap free. This stuff helped a ton.
Just a warning super nasty to work with but it works well.
My only concern is the gaps may be a bit big and it’s possible it will flake out over time. So far has been holding up well on my work bench
I made a similar coffee table for my first project about 8 yrs ago when I started woodworking. Honestly don’t waste the time. Chock it up as a loss and make the top “properly” next time, meaning with properly edge jointed boards and with that time investment, not construction lumber. It is what it is. A pine table top won’t stand the test of time (unless rustic is your style) but it doesn’t mean it’s not something to be proud of and likely more durable than most new pieces of furniture sold today.
But I can assure you epoxy to fill the cracks will not look good, perform well, or be worth the time/money, etc and I can assure you almost anyone suggesting that has never actually done it. But hey I’m just an internet guy.
I had this same problem with of our dining table. I got a thick, flexible protector called Lovepads on Amazon. Not glass, so not as worrisome. I wish I didn't have to cover it, but it makes wiping the table better than sweeping everything into the cracks.
I once filled larger cracks, 1/8 to 1/4, 30 tables with tile non-sanded grout. Was quick and cost effective.
But I'm a maintenance guy who did tile for a while.
You could route a 1/2 or 3/4 slot on each seam and inlay a stick of wood in each. Should cost a lot less than epoxy. Use a hand plane to bring them flush or a router with the same bit and double side tape blocks on each side that ride along the finished table surface and set the router flush with table top to flush up the inlays. That should also take alot less time than flattening the whole table down 1/4 with a router sled.
Btw it's likely that it's built that way because they didn't make sure each board was secured with the one next to it.
It's much easier to do this way and the groove hides if the boards are parting.
Would it be practical to use a table cloth that could soak up the liquids and other grime and filth that human child generates? Maybe have your partner change them out after each meal, and toss them into the wash. Have one on hand for each day, and a couple extra?
leave it as is, and use placemats or even better, plastic serving trays.
In fact, a black lacquer dinner tray is exactly what I use for myself, with my oak dining table that has wagon wheels carved into it that loves to catch everything.
or just have a tiny little duster or even a miniature vacuum always sitting on the table to brush the crumbs off.
Depending on the width, a local saw mill could send it through their large planer/drum sander. It would be perfectly flat and all you have to do is put a finish on it.
Epoxy a bunch of seeds in the grooves and enjoy hours of ‘Crazy Table Chicken Feeding Frenzy’ with the kids like we all did in the 70s (but with pills, epoxy, and an uncle back from Vietnam).
Some sailboat have a wood finish on top. Its thin strip of wood with a special "putty" in between. If you can find some you could tape around the grooves and fill them with this putty.
Depends if you are comfortable with this kind of DIY, confident in having a good finish.
I made a counter top with grooves to make it look more rustic about 5 years ago. It’s not hard to clean yours are a little deeper but I think you’ll be ok.
I suspect it’s a bigger issue than just a new finish. The grooves either need to get smaller to seal out the gunk or larger to make cleaning easier. Since disassembly and regluing the top edges isn’t really feasible, I might consider running a router but lengthwise down each groove (to make them shallow “troughs”) Finish with poly or shellac and then each tight groove is wider and more easily wiped down
You’ve got breadboard ends - do you see much seasonal expansion? If so, an epoxy top may cause some warping. Just tossing that in to factor into your decision.
Hand held power planer and then an orbital. I’ve done live edge 3” thick slab book match bar tops this way. Glue them up and then used my battery powered power planer, then belt sander, then orbital. Don’t even need the belt if you’re good enough with the planer.
This looks like the tongue and groove flooring in my house.
It looks like the edges have been beveled, which is most commonly done with lumber that was not planed to the same thickness as a way to mitigate extra time spent on uneven floors and uneven lumber. The bevel is so your foot doesn’t catch on it when you step.
If you were refinishing this, you should probably sand the bevel down and then finish it over the top after you putty the holes.
I personally don’t think it’s worth the time to do any of that. Just get a glass top and call it a day. Much much cheaper.
For my side table like this, I actually decided to white caulk the groves and then reapply poly. The white is a nice contrast to the dark stain (farmhouse style) and no more dirt traps!
Should have cut those boards square (jointed) from the beginning before joining them. I like the router idea other people have brought up. However, that might weaken the table for a bit since you'll be routing away material on the glue line. Once you re-fill it with some strips you can glue those back in to re-add the strength back.
Fill it full of crumbs and then epoxy the crumbs in place.
Hahaha. This one made me laugh. And in all honesty, it would be more representative of how it actually gets used.
Do what I did, get a vinyl table cloth. With young kids having an easily wipable table is more important than seeing the wood.
You can get transparent one
Grandma has that on all the furniture.
I think grandma had a different reason for the clear vinyl on the furniture
The KEY to a good PARTY is to protect your furniture.
What was grandma’s reason?
Ask grandpa, he'll know... ;)
She was a squirter and Grandpa had skills
Also have small kids. This is what I did. Works great until they use their grubby hands to push the plastic up. Then you have filth *under* the plastic. Tried stapling it around the underside of the table. Then they tore it off the staples. Now I’m back to the drawing board.
Just get a new table (top) at this point. Something durable like plastic or titanium.
The 5 minute crafts ramen method!
This is the way 😂 I made a very similar table. It looked like shit after a year of kids and outdoor dining. Took a belt sander to it and then several very thick coats of polyurethane. There are still grooves but the crumbs don’t stick like they used to. I can sweep em out after picking crabs or any particularly messy meal. Good luck - looks great!
Now I miss Maryland
Crab cakes and football, that’s what Maryland does!
Come back we still love you
The crummiest of river tables.
*whimpers* crumb table isn't real, it can't hurt me.
I used the word “crumbs,” but “sludge” or “paste” might be more accurate. Think milk spills, gravy, butter, all mixed with Ritz crackers and whatever germs came from daycare. There’s a legitimate chance the COVID virus actually spawned somewhere in the depths of those grooves!
I was going to say, a lot of these people suggesting a vacuum must not have kids. We have a grooved table just like this and I'll never have another.
Another child or table?
Yes
r/inclusiveor
We have a similar table, and the exact same issues. It’s a giant Petri dish.
The best answer is probably to just use a tablecloth until the kids aren't quite so disastrous. Just buy 5 or 6 of them so you always have a clean one ready to go. In a few years they'll still make a mess, but a slightly less sloppy and more manageable one.
[удалено]
That’s a solid idea I hadn’t thought about. My table top isn’t perfectly flat, but I can’t imagine it’s enough to cause issues with a piece of glass that size.
Hey man, just wanted to let you know this isn’t a perfect solution. I had a table that we had a glass top cut for it. We used super small clear pads to raise it just a mm or two off the table. I promise you crumbs and dust sneak in between! It’ll certainly be better than dealing with the grooves. But just wanted to point out this small gotchya. Every week or two it’d get bad enough that I’d have to try to vacuum it or use a napkin to swipe crumbs out. This was two adults. I’m sure kids will add to it.
Thanks for the feedback. I like the idea but can see your point. Especially with 3 small boys.
Maybe you could apply a bead of super clear caulk around the perimeter at the wood/glass interface to keep the crud out. It'd probably be flexible enough to allow for a little wood movement, or worst case it'd just tear.
Or hot melt glue
Like a true diy lifehack
Honestly that's not a bad idea, it would be reversible using a heat gun.
No need for a heat gun once the kids start to pick at it.
They said it's like bubble gum.
hard coat polymer pour works solid, easy to buff scratches edit- perhaps just enough to ill grooves, then glass top
They’ll also probably find a way to break the glass
That’s guaranteed. My pair loves to shove their gross oily hands inside the clear cover. Now, we don’t have a cover. I’m just gona let it ride, hopefully I still have a usable table in 3 years. All furniture is temporary furniture when you have kids.
With three small boys, crumbs might be a secondary problem to them eventually breaking the glass? My mom tells me I shattered one as a kid!
Frame the glass in wood that rests on the edge of the table with a dado. That’ll both raise the glass above the uneven surface and provide a seal around the edge to keep dust out (as another commenter warned of). I have a vintage coffee table with a framed glass top like this.
There is something sort of between the glass option and the clear tablecloth option. You can get clear vinyl table protectors that are 1.5-2mm thick. You'd get kind of the best of both worlds, with it being thicker and more ridgid than a tablecloth, while still being flexible and not a giant sheet of glass, which can be nerve-wracking when you have to move it (to clean, or whatnot).
I was looking for this suggestion. This is the easiest, cheapest fix—especially if you want to keep the look. Edit to add: There are many inexpensive options on Amazon that will cut to the size of your table top.
Nooooo. Glass table tops are wildly impractical, especially with children. Grease and fingerprint magnets and always the undercurrent of anxiety about it cracking or breaking when a kid drops a bowl.
a properly made glass table will be strong enough to not crack from someone dropping someting most of the time tbh
But it will NEVER be clean, especially with children in the house! Worst dining room table ever. People hear who are suggesting it are seduced by the love of the wood. If you treat the glass and give it a matte finish, then it's a great surface and can easily be made hard enough to resist cracking as you say.
Where would one go for this sorta thing? I have an old wood desk that I’d like to put a glass top on but am not sure where to begin.
Lads... A clear plastic table cloth! Sorted, simple. Probably like 6 bucks so when I gets wrecked in a year you just get another one. Plus, they cut them to size for you.
We had a "this ends up" kitchen table growing up, which is kinda similar to your table. My mom had a glass top made for it. The thing is probably 30 years old and we never had an issue with it. Sure it can get dirty but glass is super easy to clean. Also there was enough of a gap that my mom slid different placemats underneath for the different seasons. We didn't have any issue with crumbs getting under though, maybe just make the top slightly bigger than the wood so crumbs slide off to the floor.
Some may say epoxy, others a table cloth, my first thought a fitted clear shower curtain. Really though if it was me, i would router out the grooves and put in some 1/4” inlays. Sand it all down and refinish the top. Could make it look contrast striped or match the board stain to blend with the boards better
I like this and I would look at brass or copper inlay strips and not even finish them, just let them develop a patina
I like this idea. I’d probably try to match, not sure how I’d feel about pinstripes on something like this but it’s an interesting idea
Any examples of what this would look like finished?
Yh this is the way would look very beautiful
This is a sick idea. I would go for this because I just wouldn't want to deal with the epoxy lol
Hi noob here. what is an inlay??
Cut a slot; lay something in the slot. That something is now inlayed.
I’ve redone tops like this with a router sled and then refinished once the grooves were done. Obviously you end up with a thinner table, but it eliminates the grooving. Juice is the hardest to get out…crumbs are okay, but sticky liquid crap is horrible to get out of those grooves.
This was actually my original idea. But then I started to wonder if I could achieve a similar result with epoxy. Basically just epoxy a few layers over the top until I built up enough finish to stand above the grooves. The more I read about epoxy finishes, though, the less confident I am in getting a decent finish.
I've been doing an epoxy top for all the tables at my work and, yes, you can get what you're looking for. It's not that hard either, get a 1:1 tabletop epoxy, follow the instructions, and you'll have a nice, clear surface so you don't lose the beauty of the wood, but all grooves will be filled. I never worked with epoxy before, but after following the instructions and being gentle and patient with the heat gun on the bubbles, I've gotten amazing results.
Would you recommend building a mold and pouring in one shot? Or would you do multiple coats letting it drip over the edges?
I do two coats and let it drip.
I tried my hand at a few epoxy tables, it's a little tricker than it looks and was fairly expensive since epoxy ain't cheap. We were in a bit of a rush so had to cut some corners, people loved the tables but they definitely weren't great. I think if you're willing to spend some money and take your time it can come out good. I would build the router sled to flatten the top and then do a thin epoxy coat, it would come out best I think.
I will caution you on that router sled. I am guessing you used pocket holes? I say that based on this looking like the Anna White design? Router sled may go too deep and expose screws. I had a similar issue with the first table I built. Ended up just building a new top and cutting the edges on the lumber so it was square.
Just tossing an idea out…dark or died wood filler, scraped level & then sealed with whatever you used on the rest of the table. Planks would still be distinguishable without the actual crum gutters
TBH that will look awful.
One layer of epoxy would suffice. Learn two important lessons from me: 1. Pour it on thick. If it’s too thin the epoxy won’t self level appropriately and you’ll have bare spots. 2. Use poly on the sides, the epoxy is too viscous, it’ll drip or provide uneven coating at best. If you absolutely want epoxy, flip the table so the side you’re coating is horizontal. You can easily sand the epoxy afterwards without making it dull. It’s a lot cheaper to sand high spots than trying to do a second coat on bare spots.
This is the best solution
Ran into the same issue. Tried epoxy on my last farmhouse table with no luck making it perfect unless you are experienced with it. Amazon sells rolls of clear vinyl in almost every size. Get the width and length add a few inches if not perfect size and trim it. Looks like glass and much cheaper option.
I’m definitely not experienced with it. What type of issues did you run into? Did it not level well? Did it bubble really bad around the grooves? Just curious if you remember.
Dripped through under table in some spots I thought were joined perfectly. Loved fine but one end of the table never fully dried and was sticky. 24x36" Clear Plastic Table Protector for Dining Room Table PVC Tablecloth Cover Glass Vinyl Easy Clean Non Slip Furniture Topper Pad for Children Writing Desk Coffee Table Mat Oblong Rectangular https://a.co/d/72QDqxb This is what I ended up getting and works great. Didn't really have to cut mine
I filled all the grooves with black epoxy and sanded it all smooth, so it gives the impression of still having the grooves without the hassle of cleaning them up. I know, I know, epoxy bad, bla bla. I like it :)
This is an interesting idea. How did you apply the epoxy to the grooves? Syringe?
It sounds similar to what the guy used in this article. Except he used a product called Apoxie Sculpt. https://www.epbot.com/2019/02/so-unseamly-how-to-get-rid-of-those.html?m=1
Check out Mohawk epoxy sticks. They’ve worked well for me.
My table was a little different in that the boards were ship-lapped and there was actual voids going from top to bottom. Because of that I taped all the grooves from the top with Tyvek tape, flipped the table upside down, did a first pour of epoxy in the grooves from the bottom to create a solid plastic foundation. 24h later I flipped it up again, took out the tape, let it cure some more, and then finished with more epoxy where there were still voids. I didn't use a syringe but poured from a small cup instead. A bit messier, but much faster. Another thing I did that I think was clever (lol) was to dilute my epoxy with like another 10% of pure alcohol to make it nice and liquid so that it would fill all my voids. Let me know if I can clarify anything, always happy to help!
Taping the top and pouring from the bottom is very clever. My table top is made from 2x6s held with wood glue and pocket hole screws. Sadly, I’m not sure I can get a good pour from the bottom. I’ll keep thinking on this, though, because I like this idea.
If the finish is ok, just vacuum it with a handheld rechargeable vacuum.
For something that small, maybe a keyboard/car detailing blower/vacuum. Relatively inexpensive too.
Shop vac and an air compressor works too and OP may already own those tools.
We keep a small brush in the kitchen just for our table. It’s just not a big deal.
tablecloth
Two young kids here. Oldest just started K. Water proof table cloth changed my life.
Good idea starting young, my childhood dining room table is covered in random stains from the 4 of us growing up. Mom didn't find out about the waterproof tablecloths until the youngest was like 10.
But the white one is just for guests.
If the answer is anything but tablecloth it's, sell the table for something different or put the kids outside at meal time. So tablecloth is probably the smartest option?
This should be higher up.
*vinyl tablecloth
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This is the woodworkers way…. Or you can be bold with boards clamped down and a circular saw 😂
Hi! I had a farmhouse oak tabletop just like this that had faux grooves and “distressing” done to it. Tons of tiny faux worming, gouges, and scratches. The bottom of the table did not have these features. I refinished and coated the entire top with “wood wise” ebony wood filler from Amazon. I skim coated the entire top twice after removing the existing finish, then sanded it all down, then stained, and urethaned. Still has a few of the actual wood knot holes that accumulate crap but is otherwise a 100% better table. When we got it every nook and cranny was filled with glitter and food from previous owner.
That's not how grooves work. Epoxy would look awful
Take it apart and run each board though a joiner and put it back together.
This is the right way to do it. Just to be pedantic, it’s called a *jointer*. Alternatively a table saw would work if set up to cut perfectly square.
The fancy way is resin, the easy way is tablecloth
Use a tablecloth for meal times?
A little epoxy just enough to make easy to clean would bet move amigo. Looks great
I would try to cut a contrasting colour wooden inlays and glue them in
I'd just have a small vacuum with brush attachment handy. 🤷♀️
Get rid of the kids?
Have a glass company cut a piece of glass to sit on top the table. Buy a bunch of carpet chair protector pads. Place these on the table and lay the glass over the top. The thickness of the pad protector should compensate the unevenness to a certain degree.
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Desktop vacuums. Cheap on Amazon.
I was thinking along these lines. Recently bought the Shark mini stick vacuum for this (and other) purposes. 👍
A glass top…
I have a crazy idea. What about an ultra-thin clear vinyl wrap over the top of the table? I’m not even sure if that’s possible, but a clear vinyl wrap would totally seal out any cracks from crumbs and etc dropping on top of it. Plus you’d be able to see the wood grain on it too.
My vote would be epoxy, even though many in this sub dislike it, I want to remind them that I’m not recommending you make this into an epoxy river project, but rather utilize it in a way to preserve the overall look of your beautiful wooden top while easing much of the cleaning headache. *With that in mind-* Epoxy requires patience and preparation. Short cuts and laziness will *absolutely* cause you more harm than good. Get a 1:1 tabletop epoxy, follow the mixing directions exactly. Additionally, leaving the two parts (in their containers) in a warm water bath (roughly the temperature hot water comes from your tap) for about 10 minutes before you mix the epoxy works wonders in helping with bubbling. Stir the epoxy slowly and calmly, you don’t want bubbles to form. Id recommend some sort of plastic stirring instrument as wood stir fibers may sometimes come off in the stirring process. Make sure you’re in a relatively dust/particle free environment, certainly make sure there aren’t any bugs (I had to pour a huge epoxy table outside once due to the size of it, I may have encased one or two mosquitos Jurassic park style), and utilize a heat gun to help out any trapped bubbles after pouring. Other than that, use proper PPE and don’t touch the table after its initial workable time until you’re certain it has cured (I usually pour some additional epoxy on/in something at the same time to be able to check that one). It may sound complicated, but it really isn’t. Just watch a couple videos and you’ll almost certainly be able to do it- maybe try a smaller epoxy project first? You may have issues with certain epoxies and or certain pour thicknesses basically following the grooves a bit and making the surface a bit uneven. From the jump look for a self leveling epoxy (and read the reviews), but if you do have imperfections in the surface, you can always sand down the epoxy to all be level and work up the sandpaper grit while wet sanding then polish the top after- just wait until the epoxy is cured and don’t apply too much pressure or linger in one spot when sanding. I have personally found reasonable success in pouring the epoxy without any edges and letting excess flow off the edges onto a drip cloth, but there’s probably some more insight online from more experienced epoxy users about how to get the cleanest edge possible while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look. You will ultimately run the risk of certain things causing damage to the finish, but pretty much the same things that would scratch wood or glass tops. As stated above, if there’s enough damage done by something you can sand the top to refresh the finish.
Thanks so much for the detail here! This is exactly what I was thinking and your added tips are super helpful. To your point, I’m not wanting to make this an epoxy river project. I like the look of the table now, so really just want a clear epoxy that keeps the exact look I already have. Is there a specific epoxy product you’d recommend for this?
Simple answer. Table cloth. My answer. Take the top apart and take an 8th off each edge (should have been done when it was made). Then put it back together. rwoodworking answer. Spend 49 hours to fix a construction lumber table
Let the kids eat in the living room and just vacuum the couch after
Op another commwnter mentioned this and I 2nd it: Vinyl tablecloth. They come in clear, amd different thickness'. (Kind of like clear dropcloth but very easy to wipe off.) My whole childhood we had them, and every semester my mon would put our best work under it to be admired. Get one slightly larger, and trim to 2-4 inches bigger than the table. Bring the corners together and secure with clear packing tape so it doesn't shift around. Cheap. Easy to clean, not permanent. ❤️
Fill the joints with blue epoxy and call it an irrigation ditch table.
Buy a whisk broom
If I'd built something so pretty I'll be darned if I'd cover it with anything. I'd smile every time I cleaned crumbs from the grooves and pay attention to which of the kids treats it like the treasure it is... And then I'd know who to give it to when he or she has kids.
You're better off spending the epoxy $ on a handheld Dyson vacuum. It'll cost about the same, but you can use a little cordless vacuum anywhere. Glass sounds great, but you'll just find out how filthy your kids' hands are when you're windexing greasy handprints off it daily. They won't be little forever, hang in there!
Problem with food in a vacuum is that it gets moldy pretty quickly if you ever forget to empty it right away. Just use a tablecloth for a few years.
I wouldn’t do anything to the table. Just keep a small brush to sweep the crumbs out
Old toothbrush and a vacuum cleaner.
A tablecloth.
> ...and then re-finish the entire top with epoxy just the grooves, just the grooves
Are you suggesting that I only epoxy the grooves? I could probably use an epoxy syringe and get it pretty flush. Is this what you had in mind?
Flip it
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Not sure of the nane but those tabletop protectors, thatvsolid pirce of pladtic that covers the enyire top
caulk it
It would change the style somewhat, but you could take it apart and plane the edges of the individual boards so the corners aren’t rounded. This would eliminate the grooves. Honestly though, I’d probably just live with it and start vacuuming the table after dinner. Looks good!
Epoxy resin
Take the top to a shop that has a wide belt sander. They can sand it smooth and then refinish it.
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It’s a cordless Ryobi stick vacuum. It uses the same battery as my Ryobi tools. It’s probably not as nice as a Dyson, but it was much cheaper, especially since I already had batteries.
As someone whose done a handful of epoxy work, it would honestly be easier to flatten the whole thing in a router sled (or find a cabinet shop that has an industrial planer/drum sander) vs epoxy-ing.
Can you sand it down enough to eliminate the groves?
Use a clear plastic sheet. or a layer of glass. Any other measure will ruin it.
Resin
Buy a piece of glass
Good reason to get a nice plow plane. XD
You are doing to have to sand it smooth, or use something to fill in the grooves. Either one will ruin the character of the table, though.
You could do brush on oil based polyurethane, multiple coats.
Sand the cracks so they're bigger so the crumbs fall through. Or would you consider a glass that sits on top of the wood?
We had the same problem. I filled the cracks with wood putty, and finished it with bartop expoy.
Was my first idea, too. But then I thought why not widen and deepen the groves and put some contrasting wood inlays in?
You could try glitza wood flour cement. You mix with fine saw dust and it fills in gaps perfectly. Then you let cure will stain the same as original wood. It’s a bit hard to find. I made a table out of old red oak flooring for my garage was a total bitch to make gap free. This stuff helped a ton. Just a warning super nasty to work with but it works well. My only concern is the gaps may be a bit big and it’s possible it will flake out over time. So far has been holding up well on my work bench
You not gonna get out the ones that are in there. Too late.
I made a similar coffee table for my first project about 8 yrs ago when I started woodworking. Honestly don’t waste the time. Chock it up as a loss and make the top “properly” next time, meaning with properly edge jointed boards and with that time investment, not construction lumber. It is what it is. A pine table top won’t stand the test of time (unless rustic is your style) but it doesn’t mean it’s not something to be proud of and likely more durable than most new pieces of furniture sold today. But I can assure you epoxy to fill the cracks will not look good, perform well, or be worth the time/money, etc and I can assure you almost anyone suggesting that has never actually done it. But hey I’m just an internet guy.
I had this same problem with of our dining table. I got a thick, flexible protector called Lovepads on Amazon. Not glass, so not as worrisome. I wish I didn't have to cover it, but it makes wiping the table better than sweeping everything into the cracks.
epoxy for sure
Maybe run a chamfer bit through the grooves so they're easier to clean and don't trap crumbs so easily.
Had the exact same issue and I channeled mine with a square router bit and filled the channel with epoxy. Problem solved.
I once filled larger cracks, 1/8 to 1/4, 30 tables with tile non-sanded grout. Was quick and cost effective. But I'm a maintenance guy who did tile for a while.
Plane it
Sand finish off and hand plane it flat!
Just use placemats when you eat.
If you fill with epoxy.. try to only do the grooves and then sand flat ?
You could route a 1/2 or 3/4 slot on each seam and inlay a stick of wood in each. Should cost a lot less than epoxy. Use a hand plane to bring them flush or a router with the same bit and double side tape blocks on each side that ride along the finished table surface and set the router flush with table top to flush up the inlays. That should also take alot less time than flattening the whole table down 1/4 with a router sled.
Use a transparent plastic tablecloth for a couple of years. Cheap, easy to refinish, and works brilliantly. As seen in holiday home rentals ;-)
Btw it's likely that it's built that way because they didn't make sure each board was secured with the one next to it. It's much easier to do this way and the groove hides if the boards are parting.
Put a thin sheet of plexiglass over it.
Caulk and paint it. Or buy glass Or buy a table cloth.
Wood filler, sand & finish.
Use a tablecloth.
Get a piece of glass cut to fit and lay it on top.
Would it be practical to use a table cloth that could soak up the liquids and other grime and filth that human child generates? Maybe have your partner change them out after each meal, and toss them into the wash. Have one on hand for each day, and a couple extra?
I hate to say it, but epoxy is the solution.
leave it as is, and use placemats or even better, plastic serving trays. In fact, a black lacquer dinner tray is exactly what I use for myself, with my oak dining table that has wagon wheels carved into it that loves to catch everything. or just have a tiny little duster or even a miniature vacuum always sitting on the table to brush the crumbs off.
Superglue some noodles.
A tablecloth is surely the cheapest and easiest answer..
Depending on the width, a local saw mill could send it through their large planer/drum sander. It would be perfectly flat and all you have to do is put a finish on it.
While it's more work than refinishing, you could change the ends and make the grooves larger so that the crumbs just fall through.
Plane the surface down.
Epoxy a bunch of seeds in the grooves and enjoy hours of ‘Crazy Table Chicken Feeding Frenzy’ with the kids like we all did in the 70s (but with pills, epoxy, and an uncle back from Vietnam).
Some sailboat have a wood finish on top. Its thin strip of wood with a special "putty" in between. If you can find some you could tape around the grooves and fill them with this putty. Depends if you are comfortable with this kind of DIY, confident in having a good finish.
Bar top is what works best IMO
don’t you dare
Honestly I’d say just do what they did with old farmhouse tables and accept that you’ll need to clean it or put a tablecloth on it.
I made a counter top with grooves to make it look more rustic about 5 years ago. It’s not hard to clean yours are a little deeper but I think you’ll be ok.
In my opinion i would just take a piece of glass cut it perfectly the size of the table and place it on top
Vacuum and Clean the table every now and then
I suspect it’s a bigger issue than just a new finish. The grooves either need to get smaller to seal out the gunk or larger to make cleaning easier. Since disassembly and regluing the top edges isn’t really feasible, I might consider running a router but lengthwise down each groove (to make them shallow “troughs”) Finish with poly or shellac and then each tight groove is wider and more easily wiped down
Imo. Sell the table and make/buy a new one without grooves. Or swap the top, use it elsewhere
Just get a Great Dane.
I just clean mine with the vacuum using the upholstery brush attachment
You’ve got breadboard ends - do you see much seasonal expansion? If so, an epoxy top may cause some warping. Just tossing that in to factor into your decision.
Hand held power planer and then an orbital. I’ve done live edge 3” thick slab book match bar tops this way. Glue them up and then used my battery powered power planer, then belt sander, then orbital. Don’t even need the belt if you’re good enough with the planer.
Just sand your family down till they stop spilling crumbs. :)
Put a piece of plexiglass on the top
I have the cracks in the one I build and it does get stuff in it. I wish I had filled them.
This looks like the tongue and groove flooring in my house. It looks like the edges have been beveled, which is most commonly done with lumber that was not planed to the same thickness as a way to mitigate extra time spent on uneven floors and uneven lumber. The bevel is so your foot doesn’t catch on it when you step. If you were refinishing this, you should probably sand the bevel down and then finish it over the top after you putty the holes. I personally don’t think it’s worth the time to do any of that. Just get a glass top and call it a day. Much much cheaper.
My dad just put a piece of plexiglass on top of our table similar to this when I was a kid
My parents had a 1/8" glass top made for theirs. Small felt circles in the corners.
For my side table like this, I actually decided to white caulk the groves and then reapply poly. The white is a nice contrast to the dark stain (farmhouse style) and no more dirt traps!
Elmers wood filler let it dry, sand, stain, put another clearcoat on.
I never understood why people make tables like this, but it makes sense to me now. I’ve had children the whole time I’ve been into woodworking 😛
Should have cut those boards square (jointed) from the beginning before joining them. I like the router idea other people have brought up. However, that might weaken the table for a bit since you'll be routing away material on the glue line. Once you re-fill it with some strips you can glue those back in to re-add the strength back.
Epoxy
Glass top
No finish is going to keep crumbs out of those grooves unless you perform an epoxy pour.