Nothing matches the timeless beauty of Redwood and Cedar Siding. Most modern architecture incorporates some element of wood in its design. Modern designs can wrap the entire home, letting the beauty of the wood become its own design element, while some may only use wood for the entry way or soffits as an accent. Choosing a suitable wood for the exterior of your home or commercial store front can be challenging. Some of the considerations you will want to look at are the species, thickness, length, durability, color, price and up-keep. There are several species of wood suitable for exterior building applications. The most rot resistant of the species are Redwood and Cedar. Both of these species have excellent rot resistance, are very stable, and are readily available. Secondary species that you may find on the market are Alaskan Yellow Cedar and Douglas Fir. While Douglas Fir is the most widely available wood for exterior applications, it is not a naturally rot resistant wood and will have to be sealed every two years to keep it from failing prematurely. Alaskan Yellow Cedar is a good bet but not widely available in the lower 48 states. Avoid any pine products as they are not suitable for the exterior of a building.
The thickness for exterior applications will also need to be considered. We suggest a minimum of ¾” thickness and no wider than 6” for optimal performance. We’ve found that ¾” thick is an optimal dimension when considering ease of installation, durability, cost of installation and cost of material. A 6” face width minimizes the possibility of unsightly cupping. Interior redwood siding is different. It can be as thin as 1/2″ because it is not exposed to the elements. Length is also an important factor. When you are installing wood as siding, you want medium lengths, not long or short. Lengths in the middle range are easier to handle, will create less waste, and will create an aesthetically pleasing pattern on the side of your house. Lengths from 6’-10’ are optimal. All woods were not created equal in terms of durability! Redwood and Cedar are the most durable species of them all because of naturally occurring pest repellents the wood. Redwood also has very good rot resistance because of high levels of tannic acids that keep decay and bugs away. Up-keep for Redwood or Cedar siding is minimal because of these properties. Many people that install this type of siding do not preserve the wood at all, allowing it to naturally fade to a grey color after a few years. That weathered silver driftwood look is very desirable. Both Cedar and Redwood are stunning to look at when freshly installed. They have very rich colors, ranging from deep reds in Redwood to subtle browns in the case of Cedar. If you want to preserve those colors, you will need to apply a wood preservative that has UV blocking properties. Cabot’s Timber oil is a good option and can be found in most big box home stores. Typical 1×6 Redwood that has been graded, dried properly and milled for siding will cost around $15.49 per Square Foot. Cedar is a more affordable choice at $11.95 per Square Foot. The post Redwood and Cedar Siding appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood.
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Modern architecture loves to incorporate the aesthetics of reclaimed wood stair treads. Sometimes the stair treads are just flooring over a plywood base, but for the most dramatic effect, a thick wood floating stair tread steals the show! Wood stair treads can come in a variety of species. The most common ones are douglas fir, walnut and white oak. Each have their own specific attributes that you should know about before you choose a species for your application. For instance, the look of douglas fir is perfect in the modern home, but the softness of that species would not be suitable for a high-traffic commercial application. When specifying floating treads for your staircase, you will have to consider how you will finish them. One challenge with ordering stair treads for a floating tread is that the supports that hold up the wood stair treads are seldom perfectly parallel, which means that one side of the tread will have to be cut for the tread to fit properly. We rarely sell fully finished treads and recommend ordering them unfinished because they will need to be cut-to-size. You will need to plan on having your contractor cut the tread to fit each space, dry fit them in place, remove them, and finish on site and reinstall. For more information on finishing wood, read our blog. The thickness and width of your solid wood stair treads will depend on a calculation your contractor will provide. It is a bit complicated but local codes want to ensure that each stair is at a specific height so you won’t have a misstep when going up the stairs. The treads need to be consistent in height. Most people who get thick wood treads specify at least 2.5” thick. This thickness will support a heavy weight load and can also span a large width without support in the middle of the run. Typical widths for grand stair treads are almost always over 12” wide. This gives your foot a good place to land. Some people specify a narrow hardwood with a contrasting color be glued to the front of each tread to help your eye see the steps and prevent tripping. This high visibility strip of hardwood also helps with wear and tear since your foot hits the nose of the tread more than anywhere else. As I mentioned earlier, there is another option for having a good reclaimed wood look for your stair treads. Most of us don’t have modern stair cases with open tread construction. Instead, we have a typical enclosed stair case. In this instance, it is possible to give your stairs a new life by removing the carpet or old treads and install tongue and groove flooring over the plywood substrate. This is a perfectly acceptable way to achieve the look of a new wood stair case at a fraction of the cost. Pricing for solid wood stair treads can vary depending on species, width, thickness and finish. Costs range from $50-$100 per square foot. To put this into a real number, on a typical floating stair case made from 2” thick doug fir that is 12” wide and 36” long each tread would be approximately $300 per piece. A typical stair case has 12-18 stairs in it so the total cost for a new floating stair case would be in the range of $3600 to $5400.
The post Floating Wood Stair Treads appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/floating-wood-stair-treads/ Buying Reclaimed Wood BeamsEverybody loves the look of the rustic cabin with its rustic hewn beams and rustic wood paneling. Buying reclaimed wood beams for this type of building can be challenging. You will need to know a few things before you start picking through a pile of beams for your next grand project. Hopefully this article will give you a good overview of what to look for when specifying solid reclaimed wood beams for your application. The most common species available for large beams are Douglas Fir, Heart Pine, Redwood and Oak. There are a few other types of wood that can make a good sized beams but these are the most common varieties. The reason you see these varieties most commonly is that the species of these trees are able to grow to tremendous sizes. The tallest and widest tree in the world is the California Redwood but unfortunately it was over harvested one hundred years ago and much of the big beams are rare these days. The Heart Pine suffered the same fate as the Redwood and is not grown to a large size anymore. The most common species to see large format beams in is Douglas Fir. This woos has been commercially harvested, replanted and has a wider range than the Redwood, so there is more opportunity to harvest large trees that will yield a beam of substantial size. There are several textures and looks you can specify for your next beam project. The most common texture and look for structural applications is Fresh Sawn. This is the easiest to achieve and will allow for the greatest flexibility. In this process, a larger beam is sawn down into a common size that will be uniform in size and texture. One of the problems with old reclaimed beams is that the mills that originally cut the beams were inaccurate with their cutting and the width and thickness could vary by half an inch in either direction. You also have shrinkage and warping to contend with if the beam was sawn and installed while it was green. By cutting an old beam down to size, you can even out the imperfections in size and end up with a consistent, uniform, straight beam. The reclaimed “as-is” look of the old rustic face is a popular look. It has its challenges though because of the reasons I outlined above. The sizes can vary along with several other factors. The beams could have been painted at one time, hiding that gorgeous old rough cut patina. That paint could also be lead based which will require special handling by an expert. We won’t even accept beams with paint on them. As-is patina on beams can have several types of blade marks on them. The most common type of blade mark was from a band mill. It will leave straight marks across the face of the beam. The most desired look on the face of an old beam comes from a circular saw blade. Early mills used this circular blade technology because it was the easiest way to mill. Some of the circular saw blades stood over 8 feet tall. Now that is a big blade! Man made surface treatments can be added to the surface to your beam to give it a certain look. Some of these treatments include brushing, sand blasting and various staining treatments. Brushing the face of the beam with a wire or nylon brush is down with a hand held machine. This is labor intensive but will eliminate most of the splinters and catches on the woods surface. It creates a silky smooth surface to the wood. Sand blasting is usually done when a building is undergoing a renovation and is vacant. High pressure air us used to propel grains of sand through a hose pointed at the beams. This is typically done to strip old paint very quickly and restore the beam to its old look. Remember to always have the paint tested for lead before having this treatment done as it requires an expert to do this. There are also various types of staining that can be done to achieve the desired look you want. Various stain colors and make a fresh sawn beam look old instead of waiting for years while Mother Nature does her work to create that type of patina naturally. We have the ability to do that process overnight. Beams that need to have a structural rating on them for load bearing must be certified by a third party vendor. Most reclaimed wood companies do not offer this service as it is highly specialized. All of the beams that we sell are not certified for any specific fitness of use. There are several grades to beams that are used for different tasks. Depending on where the beam was cut from the tree, it can have heart wood in it, or not. The best grade of beam does not contain heart wood and is called Free of Heart Center or FOHC for short. Most beams are cut the traditional way and carry the designation of being called Box Heart. This is because the beams center is the middle of the tree and contains the entire heart of the tree. This is the easiest and cheapest way of making beams. The cost of FOHC is much more than a typical Box Heart grade. We use FOHC for our commercial wood table tops for restaurants. FOHC wood is less prone to cracking or warping because it has no heart wood in it Depending on the length of the beam and if it will fit into our kiln, we recommend to our customers that the beam be heat treated before milling. By putting the beam through the kiln, we can remove some of the moisture content so it is less prone to movement once installed and most importantly the kiln cycle will kill any bugs living within the wood. Power post beetles are tiny creatures that like to live in old beams that need to be eliminated. Another thing the kiln will do is solidify any old sap pockets that might be present within the old beam. We have access to over 2 million board feet of Douglas fir beams is a variety of sizes, patina, lengths and grades. Typical lead times for as-is beams is 4 weeks. If you need the beams to be kiln dried and milled, the time line can extend from there. Costs on reclaimed wood beams can always be shocking at first. The main reason the costs are so high on a beam is the amount of wood contained within the beam. A typical 12” x 12” beam that is 16 feet long has over 192 board feet of lumber in it. Since we charge by the board foot for our beams, this can add up quickly. A typical price for a board foot of 12×12 can range from $5.00/ bf to $10.00/ bf for FOHC grade depending on the dimensions you need. The post Buying Reclaimed Wood Beams appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/buying-reclaimed-wood-beams/ Why acclimate wood before installation? Wood acclimation is a very important step in preparing for many years of beautify wood installations. Most people think of wood paneling and flooring as static, never moving or changing shape. The truth is that wood is hygroscopic, meaning that it is always either taking in moisture from the air or giving it back. This exchange mainly happens with seasonal changes. When wood gives up moisture, it shrinks and when it takes on moisture in a humid environment, it expands. Even though these contractions are very small, they must be taken into account when installing wood flooring or paneling into your home. If you fail to acclimate your wood properly, you can end up with unsightly gaps at the edges of your boards, or the wood can expand so much that it can create warping and wood failure. The Process of Acclimation First, ensure that the building is enclosed and maintained at normal living conditions for temperature and humidity. It does no good to acclimate flooring to interior conditions that are too moist or too dry, or in any way significantly outside the range of conditions likely to be found in the building after the flooring or paneling is installed. Where building codes allow, permanent heating and/or air-conditioning systems should be operating at least five days preceding installation to promote proper acclimation. Where building codes do not allow for operation of the permanent system, acclimation of the flooring must be completed with the temperature and humidity maintained at or near normal living conditions, which generally fall between 60° to 80° Fahrenheit and at the average yearly relative humidity for the area. If it is not possible for the permanent heating and/or air-conditioning system to be operating before, during and after installation, a temporary heating and dehumidification system using electric heating units, dehumidifiers and industrial fans can enable the installation to proceed until the permanent heating and/or air-conditioning system is operating. Upon delivery, check the moisture content with a moisture meter to establish a baseline for required acclimation. If you don’t have a moisture meter, acclimate your wood flooring or paneling at least 5 days. Acclimation can be facilitated by breaking the floor units into small lots and/or opening the packaging. A common practice is to stack the flooring or paneling with ¾-inch to 1-inch sticks between each layer of flooring to allow air circulation on all sides of all boards like the picture. Wood flooring is a hygroscopic material subject to dimensional change as a result of variations in moisture, temperature and humidity in the surrounding environment. That has led to increasing awareness of the need to properly acclimate wood flooring before installation. Wood flooring and paneling need to reach a moisture content level in equilibrium with the surrounding environment in which it will be installed, at or near normal living conditions. Always account for time of year and geographic location. Not properly acclimating wood flooring may cause excessive expansion, shrinkage, dimensional distortion or structural damage. Most wood flooring and paneling failures can be traced back to improper acclimation. The point of acclimating wood flooring before installation is to allow the moisture content of the wood to adjust to the installation site’s normal living conditions; that is, the temperature, humidity conditions and moisture content that will typically be experienced once the structure is occupied. For site-finished wood flooring, after installation and before sanding and finishing, allow the flooring to acclimate to the controlled environment, and to stabilize for a period of time. The worst-case scenario is one in which wood flooring is stored at the jobsite in an uncontrolled environment — especially one that is subject to excessive moisture and humidity conditions. Garages, basements and exterior patios, for example, are not acceptable areas to store wood flooring. As a general rule, with geographic exceptions, wood flooring will perform best when the interior environment is controlled to stay within a relative humidity range of 30 to 50 percent and a temperature range of 60° to 80° Fahrenheit.. For a more lengthy and technical guide to installing and acclimation of wood flooring and paneling, click on this link to the NWFA-Installation-Guidelines.
The post Acclimation of wood paneling and flooring | How & Why appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/acclimation-of-wood-paneling-and-flooring/ A stable table top starts with the right knowledge.The construction of a wood restaurant table is harder that it looks. While it is simply a glued up block of wood, it must be manufactured in a very specific way to create a durable surface. The hospitality industry is notorious for being hard on wood tables, so extra effort must be considered in all aspects of construction, from milling and board selection to the finish. Here are some of the aspects that go into the construction of a wood restaurant table. Kiln DryingIn order to make wood stable enough for furniture, it must first be kiln dried. The main purpose of kiln drying lumber is to remove excess moisture so the wood stops shrinking when it is dry. Other advantages of drying your lumber in a kiln is to eliminate any bugs that may be living in the wood and to solidify any pitch that may be present. Once the lumber is kiln dried to 8% moisture content, it is considered to be furniture grade for a tabletop. Grading the woodChoosing the right grade of wood for a restaurant table is also a very important aspect of the construction. Different species of wood have different grades and you need to know the difference in order to select the boards that will perform best for your application. Flat grain and vertical grain perform differently. There is much more expansion and contraction in flat cut lumber while vertical grain tends to be more stable, but much a less interesting looking grain pattern. Selecting boards that are free of center strikes is another consideration to think about when choosing wood for a restaurant table top. The grade we use is called FOHC, or Free Of Heart Center. The heart of the tree is usually prone to cracking and is not suitable. Straightening edges- SawingOnce the wood has been kiln dried to a furniture grade, the individual boards need to be straightened in preparation for molding. This edge work is done with two machines; a gang rip saw and a molder. The Gang rip saw is like a very heavy duty table saw, but has multiple blades. These blades can be set a specific distance from each other. When a crooked board is put through this machine, the parallel blades straighten out the board. This process makes it easier for the second machine to process. Straightening edges- Molding A molder is a high-tech version of a planer, but it has multiple heads on all sides. The purpose of putting the wood through this machine is to create four edges that are perfectly square and parallel with a very fine cut to them. The wood that goes through the molder is slightly rough as it goes in and perfect when it comes out. We use very precise machines to mill the lumber because it makes for a an easier glue up and a more stable table. Rotating the grain directionIt is said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. Only after that amount of time will you have seen all of the issues that can occur and know how to handle them. Some of the things we learned very early on the way to becoming expert table makers is that you must alternate the grain direction of each plank in a table. This is especially critical when using flat grain lumber. The alternating grain pattern counteracts any seasonal movement from becoming pronounced and helps with the dimensional stability of the table. Dry assemblyDry-assembling the planks allows our craftsman to make sure the grain orientation is correct, and that the table looks good before it is assembled. Think of dry assembly like a preview. You can correct aesthetic elements that we might find distracting, which creates a more balanced look. The loose boards are easily transferred to the clamps for gluing in the exact same order. This helps with eliminating mistakes and costly rework. GlueThe most widely acceptable glue used in the construction of wood tables is Polyvinyl Acetate, or PVA for short. PVA glue is a food contact friendly adhesive that forms a tight bond between two pieces of wood. This type of glue has no added formaldehyde so it complies with CARB2 standards. PVA comes in a variety of types, from fast setting glue that you can handle 30 minutes after application, to types that have long open times for elaborate construction projects. These long open time glues are typically used when the weather is hot and you don’t want the glue to setup before you bond the two pieces of wood together. Professional ClampingSuccessful glue-up starts with a good clamping system. You want even pressure across the entire length of the boards. You also want the right amount of pressure to make sure the glue is perfectly in contact with both sides of the wood you are gluing. Too much pressure and you will squeeze all the glue out, too little and your table will fall apart. There are many ways to apply pressure to wood during the gluing phase. We use a machine called a Taylor Carrier Clamp. This machine was made for edge-gluing parts together. Pipe ClampsThere are other ways to achieve the same goal; pipe clamps and bar clamps are the most common. All clamping systems do the same thing; put pressure on the edges of wood to bring them close enough so the wood glue has time to set up. The most high tech version of a gluing machine uses hydraulic pressure to clamp the wood, and microwaves to cure the glue in seconds. This machine is called an RF (Radio Frequency) press. It is used in high volume shops for repeated parts that are the exactly the same size. Planing/SandingA large sanding machine is typically used to clean up the tabletops once the glue is cured. We use a combination planer-sander that takes off more material so that we have fewer passes through the machine. If you only have a small sander, it will take more labor to flatten a tabletop and get rid of all the glue squeeze-out left over from the clamping process. To flatten a tabletop, feed one side of the table through your sander multiple times until you see no more glue squeeze out. Once you have a perfectly flat back, you flip the table over and start sanding the face of the table. You are trying to eliminate glue squeeze-out and make all of the tables a uniform thickness. This ensures that all of the tables from a batch are the same height. The final sanding of the table uses a fine grit so the true depth of the grain is revealed. Edge workCutting the table to final dimension is done with a large sliding table saw or a panel saw. Both of these types of machines excel at this type of cutting and are very accurate. Once the tables are cut to the customer’s dimensions, our craftsman adds the final edge work detail to the tables. This process includes using a hand operated sander to smooth out the edge grain and a hand-held router to ease all of the sharp edges. FinishingAfter all of the hand work is done, the table is ready to go to the spray booth for multiple layers of conversion varnish. Our conversion varnish has been tested to withstand Ecolab cleaners along with a host of other corrosive things like bleach rags, alcohol, citrus, mustard and wine. For a detailed explanation of why conversion varnish is the best finish for restaurant grade table tops, read our article on Finishing Wood Restaurant Tables. One critical aspect of finishing any tabletop is making sure the underside of the table is finished with the same number of coats as the top. If one side has more finish than the other, then the ambient moisture will seep into one side of the table more than the other and cause the table to slightly warp. Watch the Video!If you are still curious about how we make our tabletops and want to see our shop, check out this video we made especially for you! The post Wood Table Top Construction appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/wood-table-top-construction/ Restaurant Table Base Installation GuidelinesInstalling table bases is easier than you might think. If you have the right equipment, installation can take only a few minutes per table. First, you will need to have the right equipment:
Having the right equipment makes this task easy. Refreshing your table tops can be done in only a couple of hours. Depending on the size of your restaurant, it can be done after your doors close for the night and you will have a totally new look for the next shift. Selecting your screws before the tables arrive is a good idea and will make your installation easier. Your screws should be the same length as the thickness of the table, minus ¼”inch. We recommend that you get a wood screw with coarse threads and a pan head. We also recommend that you get a drive bit with a Phillips drive; avoid flat head. Another thing to consider when selecting your screws is the size of the drill bit you will be using to pre-drill. You will want a drill bit narrower than your screw threads. If in doubt, have a local hardware store help you out with your selection. To make your installation go quickly and easily, our preferred drill driver is also an impact driver. It allows for easy drilling and screw driving, especially in hardwoods. As you unpack your carefully crated tables, place each one on its edge in the area of the restaurant where it will eventually reside. Once your wood tabletops are dispersed around your restaurant, it will be easier to move around and install the bases without the clutter of tables around you. Go ahead, you got this!The first step is making sure you protect your wood tabletop during the installation process. Moving blankets are ideal for this because they are inexpensive, thick and you won’t worry about laying them on the floor. Cardboard is an option as well; anything that is soft and thick enough to protect your tables from scratches or dents. Make sure the blanket or cardboard is spread wide enough to accommodate the entire length and width of the you are about to install. Place the wood table face down on the blanket, with the underside exposed for the installation of the base. The next step is to take your pencil and a straight edge and lightly draw a line from corner-to-corner, creating an “X”. These lines will mark the exact center of the table and will allow you to perfectly center the base onto the tabletop. Communal base installation is discussed later on in this article. *the two dark lines in this table are actually channels cut to receive angle iron. We install it on some of our tables to keep them perfectly flat. Not all of our tables need angle iron. To determine the depth to pre-drill the table, measure the thickness of the wood table and subtract ¼” inch. Place a piece of blue tape around the shaft of the drill bit at that point. The purpose of the blue tape is to act as a depth indicator so when you are drilling, you stop at a depth that will accommodate the screw, but not go through the top of your table.
Using your pencil, mark the locations of the holes and remove the base to the side. Drill the marks you just made. Make sure not to go past the blue tape on your drill bit! Sweep away any saw dust and place the base back onto the underside of the table. Align the holes with the base and insert screws. Tighten them up making sure not to over torque them. (Pro Tip: The screws only need to be in there firmly, not too tight. You want the table to be able to move with the seasons as it expands and contracts with the humidity). Communal tables with multiple bases are easily adapted to the method above. Using a tape measure, a pencil and your straight edge, create two boxes at each end of the wood tabletop. Treat each of these boxes just like an individual table and install per the instructions above. One thing to consider when you are laying out your communal table bases is whether you want seating on the ends of the table. You may want to also consider the locations of the bases depending on where the seats are located. You don’t want to have the base right in the center of someone’s seat. All communal tables are unique, so use the above guidelines to determine where it makes sense to locate the bases. If you purchase a high top communal table from Viridian, the custom made bases will have been pre drilled to the top, so the only thing you will need to do is install the provided hardware. If you choose to provide convenience features such as purse hooks under the table tops, this is the time to install them. Keep in mind that you may need shorter screws or alternative hardware when installing them.
The post Restaurant Table Base Installation appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/restaurant-table-base-installation/ Finishing for wood restaurant tablesA restaurant is one of the most punishing environments a tabletop can be put into. A wood table in this setting is subjected to frequent wipe downs, various chemical cleaners and constant abrasion from plates and silverware. Some of the finishes we will be discussing in this article may be just fine for a small café, but not a high volume restaurant that sees constant table turns. Below we’ve listed the best, most durable finishes first, working down the list to the least durable. Conversion Varnish: In the restaurant world, conversion varnish is the gold standard for durable table finishes. There are many manufacturers of this type of finish, each claiming to be the most durable; most of them are indecipherable from each other once cured and there are many good choices. Conversion varnish is chemically cured, meaning that a second chemical called a catalyzer or hardener is added to the mixture to help cure the finish. The catalyzer sets off a slow chemical reaction that starts to cross-link or cure the solid materials in the finish to make it more durable. Conversion Varnish is typically 60% solids, while the remaining 40% is a solvent that is used to thin the solution enough for spraying. There are several ways to apply this type of finish, but it is typically applied with a spray gun in a spray booth. Spraying the finish gives a very even appearance and lets you control the build levels of the finish, allowing you to apply just the right amount. It is possible to use a brush to apply this type of finish, but it is not recommended because it can leave brush marks. There is no doubt that Conversion Varnish is the most durable finish for restaurant tables. The type of conversion varnish that Viridian Reclaimed Wood uses has been tested for compatibility with Ecolab’s most common cleaning agents that are used in restaurants. We’ve tested this finish against common bleach rags, alcohol, citrus, wine, vinegar, ammonia, mustard, and ketchup. We have also submitted samples of our tabletops for abrasion testing, all of which easily passed.
UV Finish: Ultra Violet (UV) finish is a relatively new finish to the market in the last 50 years. The technology behind UV finishes is fascinating, it is cured instantly with light! The finish is rolled or sprayed onto the surface of the wood tabletop and is passed under a series of very bright lights that produce various wavelengths of UV light. When the finish is exposed to these intense lights, it immediately transforms from a liquid into a hard solid. You may have seen this technology before in nail salons, some types of Gel nail polishes are cured with UV lights. UV finish is a special solution containing proprietary ingredients, but here are the basics. Instead of having solvents in a mixture like in a conversion varnish, UV contains 100% solids. This means that there is nothing to evaporate. This mixture of solid materials is combined with a photo initiator that reacts with the lights to cure the finish. One of the advantages to this type of finish is that it has no VOC’s, so it is very environmentally friendly. It is also a very hard finish that is resistant to many chemicals and abrasion. The down-side to a UV finish is that it requires expensive specialized machinery to apply.
Epoxy finishes: We have all sat at a restaurant table that has a thick epoxy coat with coins or other fun items buried under the finish. An epoxy is similar to a Conversion Varnish, except it’s less resistant to the cleaning agents commonly used in restaurants. Epoxy is a two-part mixture that when mixed, sets off a chemical reaction that starts to cure the two parts together. The benefit of an epoxy finish is that it can seep into the smallest of cracks and voids, filling them up with the finish. When finishing reclaimed wood tables for restaurants, it is typical to make up a thin batch of epoxy and brush it on a rustic table top to help seal the small cracks commonly found in materials like barn wood. The last thing a restaurateur wants is a table that has not been sealed that can collect food and debris, creating an unsanitary condition. Once this thin epoxy layer is cured, a traditional conversion varnish can be sprayed on top to help create a chemical resistant finish that will be more durable. Epoxy creates a thick, durable top coat for tables with a rustic surface. The down-sides of such a thick finish are that it is costly, increases lead times for production and it can’t be repaired easily on-site. Another drawback to epoxy is that it can yellow over time.
Polyurethane: Have you ever sat at a restaurant table that was sticky even though it was dry? That is what happens when you put a polyurethane finish on a high-traffic restaurant tabletop. The reason the polyurethane finish fails so quickly is that the cleaning agents typically used are very harsh and break down this type of finish. Polyurethane was developed for flooring, not tabletops. Bleach and common Ecolab sanitizers will eat through this type of finish in a relatively short time, leaving your tabletops tacky to the touch; not a good first impression to your customers. Unfortunately, there is little to be done once the finish gets tacky. The best option is sand off the old finish and try to recoat the tops with something more durable.
Wax finishes: Back in the old days before we had a grasp of modern chemistry, wax was the preferred finish for wood. It was readily available across the world and did a good job at keeping moisture away from the surface of the wood. Obviously, since this finish is so low on the list, we would never recommend it for a high volume commercial table top coat. Wax finishes need to be reapplied frequently to keep their luster and the level of protection. One benefit of a wax finish is that it can easily be repaired, just by buffing in more wax onto the surface. One of the biggest drawbacks, other than the durability, is that once you use a wax finish, you can never use another type of finish on top. Wax is a release agent, so no other finishes will stick.
Oil finishes: The main finishes we consider when talking about oil are Tung oil, Linseed Oil, Teak Oil and Danish Oil. All of these oils are rubbed into the wood’s surface and allowed to dry for a day or so before re-coating. Oils are very easy to apply. They really bring out the grain of the wood and look beautiful. The downside is that they offer little to no protection from moisture or chemicals for the wood. We wouldn’t recommend an oil finish for an indoor restaurant application unless you are committed to re-oiling the tops regularly (possibly as frequently as weekly). We do, however recommend high quality oil finishes for outdoor restaurant tables. Hard film finishes like Conversion Varnish are not suitable for exterior tables that are exposed to the elements. They must be coated with a “repairable” finish like oil so that every year the tables can be refreshed with a new coat. Our favorite exterior oil finish for wood tables is Cabots brand. It is easily refreshed annually and offers excellent protection from the elements. It is also widely available across the US.
Nitrocellulose lacquer: Not recommended as a restaurant table finish because of its lack of durability; something as basic as water glasses will leave rings on the table easily. This type of finish is also easily harmed by ordinary cleaners. Shellac: Most people don’t know that shellac is a resin secreted by the Lac bug found in Thailand and India. The resin is refined into different grades and mixed with alcohol to dissolve the resin, which is then applied to wood as a finish. Shellac is a great sealer for several other types of top coats but is not a good option for a restaurant table. The main reason for this is that alcohol dissolves the shellac very easily. The other reason is that shellac is a brittle finish and not suitable for the heavy abrasion found in restaurants. It can be sprayed or brushed on easily and is a great finish option for low-traffic applications such as a dining room table at home. Information on some of the finishes called out in this article can also be found on this Wikipedia page in a nice graph format that compares each of the properties of the different finishes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_finishing
The post Finish For Wood Restaurant Tables appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/finish-for-wood-restaurant-tables/
Finishing for wood restaurant tables A restaurant is one of the most punishing environments a tabletop can be put into. A wood table in this setting is subjected to frequent wipe downs, various chemical cleaners and constant abrasion from plates and silverware. Some of the finishes we will be discussing in this article may be just fine for a small café, but not a high volume restaurant that sees constant table turns. Below we’ve listed the best, most durable finishes first, working down the list to the least durable. Conversion Varnish: In the restaurant world, conversion varnish is the gold standard for durable table finishes. There are many manufacturers of this type of finish, each claiming to be the most durable; most of them are indecipherable from each other once cured and there are many good choices. Conversion varnish is chemically cured, meaning that a second chemical called a catalyzer or hardener is added to the mixture to help cure the finish.The catalyzer sets off a slow chemical reaction that starts to cross-link or cure the solid materials in the finish to make it more durable. Conversion Varnish is typically 60% solids, while the remaining 40% is a solvent that is used to thin the solution enough for spraying. There are several ways to apply this type of finish, but it is typically spray applied with a spray gun in a spray booth. Spraying the finish gives a very even appearance and lets you control the build levels of the finish, allowing you to apply just the right amount. It is possible to use a brush to apply this type of finish, but it is not recommended because it can leave brush marks. There is no doubt that Conversion Varnish is the most durable finish for restaurant tables. The type of conversion varnish that Viridian Reclaimed Wood uses has been tested for compatibility with Ecolab’s most common cleaning agents that are used in restaurants. We’ve tested this finish against common bleach rags, alcohol, citrus, wine, vinegar, ammonia, mustard, and ketchup. We have also submitted samples of our tabletops for abrasion testing, all of which easily passed.
UV Finish: Ultra Violet (UV) finish is a relatively new finish to the market in the last 50 years. The technology behind UV finishes is fascinating, it is cured instantly with light! The finish is rolled or sprayed onto the surface of the wood tabletop and is passed under a series of very bright lights that produce various wavelengths of UV light. When the finish is exposed to these intense lights, it immediately transforms from a liquid into a hard solid. You may have seen this technology before in nail salons, some types of Gel nail polishes are cured with UV lights. UV finish is a very special solution containing proprietary ingredients, but here are the basics. Instead of having solvents in a mixture like in a conversion varnish, UV contains 100% solids. This means that there is nothing to evaporate. This mixture of solid materials is combined with a photo initiator that reacts with the lights to cure the finish. Several advantages to this type of finish is that it has no VOC’s, so it is very environmentally friendly. It is also a very hard finish that is resistant to many chemicals and abrasion. The down-side to this finish is that it requires expensive specialized machinery to apply.
Epoxy finishes: We have all sat at a restaurant table that has a thick epoxy coat with coins or other fun items buried under the finish. An epoxy is similar to a conversion varnish, except it’s less resistant to the cleaning agents commonly used in restaurants. Epoxy is a two-part mixture that when mixed, sets off a chemical reaction that starts to cure the two parts together. The benefit of an epoxy finish is that it can seep into the smallest of cracks and voids, filling them up with the finish. When finishing reclaimed wood tables for restaurants, it is typical to make up a thin batch of epoxy and brush it on a rustic table top to help seal the small cracks commonly found in materials like barn wood. The last thing a restaurateur wants is a table that has not been sealed that can collect food and debris, creating an unsanitary condition. Once this thin epoxy layer is cured, a traditional conversion varnish can be sprayed on top to help create a chemical resistant finish that will be more durable.The advantage of an epoxy finish is that it can really create a thick, durable top coat for more rustic types of tables. The down-side of such a thick finish is that it is costly and can add to lead times for production and can’t be repaired easily on-site. Another drawback to epoxy is that it can yellow over time.
Polyurethane: Have you ever sat at a restaurant table that was sticky even though it was dry? That is what happens when you put a polyurethane finish on a high-traffic restaurant tabletop. The reason the polyurethane finish fails so quickly is that the cleaning agents typically used are very harsh and break down this type of finish. Polyurethane was developed for flooring, not tabletops. Bleach and common Ecolab sanitizers will eat through this type of finish over time, leaving your tabletops tacky to the touch; not a good first impression to your customers. Unfortunately, there is little to be done once the finish gets tacky. The best option is sand off the old finish and try to recoat the tops with something more durable.
Shellac: Most people don’t know that shellac is a resin secreted by the Lac bug found in Thailand and India. The resin is refined into different grades and mixed with alcohol to dissolve the resin, which is then applied to wood as a finish. Shellac is a great sealer for several other types of top coats but is not a good option for a restaurant table. The main reason for this is that alcohol dissolves the shellac very easily. The other reason is that shellac is a brittle finish and not suitable for the heavy abrasion found in restaurants. It can be sprayed and brushed on easily and is a great finish option for low-traffic applications such as a dining room table at home. Wax finishes: Back in the old days before we had a grasp of modern chemistry, wax was the preferred finish for wood. It was readily available across the world and did a good job at keeping moisture away from the surface of the wood. Obviously, since this finish is so low on the list, we would never recommend it for a high volume commercial table top coat. Wax finishes need to be reapplied frequently to keep their luster and the level of protection. One benefit of a wax finish is that it can easily be repaired, just by buffing in more wax onto the surface. One of the biggest drawbacks, other than the durability, is that once you use a wax finish, you can never use another type of finish on top. Wax is a release agent, so no other finishes will stick.
Oil finishes: The main finishes we consider when talking about oil are Tung oil, Linseed Oil, Teak Oil and Danish Oil. All of these oils are rubbed into the wood’s surface and allowed to dry for a day or so before re-coating. Oils have are very easy to apply. They really bring out the grain of the wood and look great. The downside is that they offer little to no protection from moisture or chemicals for the wood. We wouldn’t recommend an oil finish for an indoor restaurant application unless you are committed to re-oiling the tops regularly (possibly as frequently as weekly). We do, however recommend high quality oil finishes for outdoor restaurant tables. Hard film finishes like Conversion Varnish are not suitable for exterior tables that are exposed to the elements. They must use a “repairable” finish like oil so that every year the tables can be refreshed with a new coat. Our favorite exterior oil finish for wood tables is Cabots brand. It is easily refreshed annually and offers excellent protection from the elements. It is also widely available across the US.
Nitrocellulose lacquer: Not recommended as a restaurant table finish because of its lack of durability; something as basic as water glasses will leave rings on the table easily. This type of finish is also easily harmed by ordinary cleaners. Information on some of the finishes called out in this article can also be found on this Wikipedia page in a nice graph format that compares each of the finishes properties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_finishing
The post Finishes For Wood Restaurant Tables appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/finishes-for-wood-restaurant-tables/ Restaurant Chains Love ViridianWe design our reclaimed wood tables around the needs of heavy-use environments, and we finish them to withstand constant spills and wipe downs. Our skilled craftsmen get just the right combination of reclaimed style and functional performance. They are perfect for restaurant, office and home.
More Affordable Than You ThinkYou don’t need to pay top dollar to get quality reclaimed wood restaurant tables. Our competitive pricing often surprises our customers, and we offer quantity discounts starting at 10 tables. Viridian’s promise is hand-crafted, affordable goodness from Portland. A Unique LookReclaimed wood tables make a strong statement in your dining room. Some restaurants hide their tables under linens, which is an expensive and long-term cost. Inspired restaurateurs make reclaimed wood tables a conversation piece! Our repeat customers often tell us their design concept focuses on the tops we carefully craft for them. Many people think of rustic options like our popular antique barnwood when picturing reclaimed wood restaurant tables, but we also have sophisticated smooth top options that suit every taste. Quick Lead Times for Last Minute OrdersWe understand that sometimes the tables are the last thing to get ordered in a restaurant. We strive to get every order out in 2 to 4 weeks. We stock large slabs of our most popular reclaimed wood materials that we cut individual tables from. These slabs allow us to shorten our lead times significantly for quick-turn projects. Built to LastWe select only the highest quality kiln dried reclaimed wood for our table tops, and our industry-leading prefinish wins the heart’s of our restaurant clients. First, we fill all major knots, nail holes and openings in the wood with epoxy to keep your tables looking amazing despite constant spills and wipe downs. Next, we finish with a multi-layer conversion varnish that exceeds all KCMA performance tests for stain and scuff-resistance. These tests are brutal and involve placing common detergents, vinegar, lemon and even 100-proof alcohol on the finish for 24 hours to make sure the it holds up on your tables. Finally, we recess metal angle iron into the underside of our solid reclaimed wood tables to ensure they will never warp. The White Terrycloth TestWe are passionate (and OCD!) about the quality and performance of Viridian’s rustic reclaimed wood tables. Our craftsmen have perfected making the “just right” amount of rustic on our tables. We make sure the best aspects of the reclaimed wood shines through, without food getting stuck in nooks and crannies. Also, every restaurant on Earth uses inexpensive white terrycloth towels to wipe down, but they snag and shed on tables that are too rustic. We use this benchmark test and work hard to avoid catches on our tables. Ready-to-InstallViridian’s goal is on-time, on-budget and no surprises! We design our tables to fit on all common restaurant bases, and we also offer turnkey community table bases. You will receive your tables securely packaged and ready for fast on site installation.
We reclaim wood from a variety of sources, and it all passes through our 40,000 SF processing facility. Here we remove all the metal, defect and high grade the wood needed for tabletop material. Pulling all those nails is tough work, but it’s worth it! We recycle 99% of all inbound material, but only the best of the best is made into tables. Every board that is made into a table must first go through our kiln. This process sanitizes the wood and ensures that each piece is dry and stable enough to be glued into a table top.
After proper drying, the wood goes through a variety of milling operations to prepare it to be glued up. Bent boards are given straight edges, and lumber is further graded to make sure it is the highest quality.
These rough sawn boards then go through a high-tech molder, and its many precision cutting heads shape and surface the wood so it can be glued up. The tolerances for this machine are within thousandths of an inch! The molder cleans up the edges of the lumber to get it ready for glue.
Each table is dry-fitted to ensure a good look and proper fit. One often overlooked aspect of gluing up tables is the orientation of the grain. Our craftsmen know how to orient each board for maximum stability. At this point planks are edge glued and placed in a large clamp to become a glued slab.
Once out of the clamp, epoxy is added to open knots and cracks/holes larger than 1/8”. This creates a great surface for finishing, and it helps keep food, liquid and other debris out of nooks and crannies so your tables look amazing for many years.
When the epoxy has dried, the rough table top slabs go to a large overhead sander to remove excess glue and excess epoxy. We start with a rough grit to get all of the tables to the same thickness, and then move to finer grits to create a smooth wood surface ready to receive our durable finish
Each table order is accompanied by a detailed work order that sets out the specifications for each restaurant table. Over-sized slabs are trimmed to exact size, and edges are slightly rounded.
Everyone has experienced a wooden restaurant table that was either warped or had a hideous stress crack in the middle. This is because solid wood expands and contracts with changes in temperature and humidity. We are perfectionists and hate seeing this, so our construction method includes recessed angle iron and several other steps to account for wood movement. Other manufacturers skip this step or build in unsightly under supports that affect where you can place a standard table base. Our process takes extra care, time and cost, but makes our tables outshine and outlast the rest.
The most important component of a wood table is the finish. Our conversion varnish is the best finish you can apply to a table top. It exceeds the KCMA test for bleach water, wine, citrus, and other punishing substances. Our finish is also top rated for abrasion resistance and will last for many years in the harsh environment of a restaurant. We apply several coats to both the top and back to ensure that our tables meet your expectations.
After your beautiful tables are finished, we take great care to make sure they are packaged to get to you in one piece. Shippers are hard on tables, so we protect your tables in our custom built crates. You will receive turnkey reclaimed wood tables, ready for any base you either already have or buy at your local restaurant supply store. The post Reclaimed Wood Restaurant Tables appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/reclaimed-wood-restaurant-tables/ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer tempus malesuada ipsum, vel feugiat nibh suscipit vitae. Vestibulum vehicula, nibh id accumsan fermentum, lacus nulla fermentum mauris, ac accumsan lacus libero sed mauris. Nulla facilisi. Fusce vehicula condimentum metus vel euismod. Donec tincidunt lacinia tellus, quis luctus nibh aliquet non. Vivamus venenatis mauris tellus, nec condimentum nulla tincidunt id. Ut interdum eros dui, nec sodales nisl ornare ullamcorper. Morbi justo neque, mollis id leo vel, tempor ullamcorper nunc. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Curabitur ut orci sed nibh placerat imperdiet a vitae mi. Phasellus dapibus, enim a mattis ultrices, metus est laoreet odio, vitae aliquam quam ligula ut dolor. Cras posuere massa risus, sit amet consectetur lorem blandit eu. Pellentesque imperdiet pharetra justo, non mattis libero condimentum ut. Sed id semper eros. Pellentesque vitae dignissim lacus. Cras imperdiet sapien et sollicitudin dignissim. Donec dapibus aliquam mi nec consectetur. Aliquam eu finibus diam. Mauris fringilla ipsum vitae ligula blandit, id volutpat nibh molestie. Nunc eleifend urna id augue congue placerat. Nulla sollicitudin sapien turpis, sed pretium purus mollis nec. Donec ut ante vestibulum, feugiat tellus id, malesuada risus. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer tempus malesuada ipsum, vel feugiat nibh suscipit vitae. Vestibulum vehicula, nibh id accumsan fermentum, lacus nulla fermentum mauris, ac accumsan lacus libero sed mauris. Nulla facilisi. Fusce vehicula condimentum metus vel euismod. Donec tincidunt lacinia tellus, quis luctus nibh aliquet non. Vivamus venenatis mauris tellus, nec condimentum nulla tincidunt id. Ut interdum eros dui, nec sodales nisl ornare ullamcorper. Morbi justo neque, mollis id leo vel, tempor ullamcorper nunc. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Curabitur ut orci sed nibh placerat imperdiet a vitae mi. Phasellus dapibus, enim a mattis ultrices, metus est laoreet odio, vitae aliquam quam ligula ut dolor. Cras posuere massa risus, sit amet consectetur lorem blandit eu. Pellentesque imperdiet pharetra justo, non mattis libero condimentum ut. Sed id semper eros. Pellentesque vitae dignissim lacus. Cras imperdiet sapien et sollicitudin dignissim. Donec dapibus aliquam mi nec consectetur. Aliquam eu finibus diam. Mauris fringilla ipsum vitae ligula blandit, id volutpat nibh molestie. Nunc eleifend urna id augue congue placerat. Nulla sollicitudin sapien turpis, sed pretium purus mollis nec. Donec ut ante vestibulum, feugiat tellus id, malesuada risus. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Integer tempus malesuada ipsum, vel feugiat nibh suscipit vitae. Vestibulum vehicula, nibh id accumsan fermentum, lacus nulla fermentum mauris, ac accumsan lacus libero sed mauris. Nulla facilisi. Fusce vehicula condimentum metus vel euismod. Donec tincidunt lacinia tellus, quis luctus nibh aliquet non. Vivamus venenatis mauris tellus, nec condimentum nulla tincidunt id. Ut interdum eros dui, nec sodales nisl ornare ullamcorper. Morbi justo neque, mollis id leo vel, tempor ullamcorper nunc. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Curabitur ut orci sed nibh placerat imperdiet a vitae mi. Phasellus dapibus, enim a mattis ultrices, metus est laoreet odio, vitae aliquam quam ligula ut dolor. Cras posuere massa risus, sit amet consectetur lorem blandit eu. Pellentesque imperdiet pharetra justo, non mattis libero condimentum ut. Sed id semper eros. Pellentesque vitae dignissim lacus. Cras imperdiet sapien et sollicitudin dignissim. Donec dapibus aliquam mi nec consectetur. Aliquam eu finibus diam. Mauris fringilla ipsum vitae ligula blandit, id volutpat nibh molestie. Nunc eleifend urna id augue congue placerat. Nulla sollicitudin sapien turpis, sed pretium purus mollis nec. Donec ut ante vestibulum, feugiat tellus id, malesuada risus. Orci varius natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. The post test post with multiple images appeared first on Viridian Reclaimed Wood. Source: https://viridianwood.com/test-post-with-multiple-images/ |