Home » Episode » Design and Fabrication » Building A Beetle Pine Kitchen Table

Building A Beetle Pine Kitchen Table

In this episode, I build a custom kitchen table out of beetle-kill pine.  Beetle Kill Pin has beautiful gray streaks, creating unique patterns in the grain of the wood, creating a unique kitchen table.

A Denver, Colorado, custom furniture client commissioned this table.

Summary

Milling, Routing, and Glue-Up Techniques Discussed

Brian explained how he milled the material to achieve the desired thickness, used a router with a jig to cut mortises, and employed a table saw with a dado blade to cut the tenon shoulders. He also mentioned the importance of a haunch tenon for added strength and the need to round over the edges of the tenon. He further detailed his glue-up process, which involved gluing the side aprons in stages and then the long aprons once the glue was dry. He also installed corner blocks for extra stability and beveled the underside of the table to create visual interest using a sacrificial fence on his table saw.

Building a Kitchen Table from Beetle Kill Pine

There’s something incredibly satisfying about crafting furniture by hand, especially when working with unique materials like beetle-kill pine. This wood, marked by beautiful blue-gray staining from mountain pine beetles, adds character to any project. Today, I’m documenting my process of building a sturdy, rustic kitchen table from this distinctive lumber.

Milling the Material

I started by milling up the Beetle Kill Pine to the thickness I needed. Since I couldn’t find pre-milled stock in the right size, I had to glue up several pieces to achieve the proper dimensions for the legs.

After applying the glue, I let it tack up slightly before scraping off the excess. This trick helps prevent smearing and reduces the need for excessive sanding later.

Cutting Mortise and Tenon Joints

For strong, traditional joinery, I opted for mortise and tenon joints. Here’s how I approached it:

  1. Mortises: Using a router and a simple shop-made jig, I carefully cut the mortises in multiple passes to avoid overworking the tool.
  2. Tenons: I used a dado blade on the table saw to cut the tenon shoulders, flipping the workpiece to ensure both sides were even.

To add extra strength at the top of the legs (where the tabletop connects), I incorporated a haunch tenon. This small notch prevents blowout and reinforces the joint.

After rough-cutting the tenons, I hand-trimmed the shoulders for a tight fit and rounded the edges to match the mortise shape. A shoulder plane helped fine-tune the fit until everything slid together perfectly.

Gluing Up the Base

To keep the glue-up manageable, I assembled the table in stages:

  • First, I glued the side aprons.
  • Once those were dry, I attached the long aprons.

This approach minimized stress and ensured everything stayed aligned. For additional stability, I installed corner blocks inside the apron assembly.

Crafting the Tabletop

The tabletop was glued up off-camera (because, let’s be honest, watching glue dry isn’t thrilling). Once cured, I trimmed it to its final dimensions and added a subtle bevel to the underside for visual interest.

Using a sacrificial fence on the table saw, I tilted the blade and made the cut at an angle that complemented the table’s design.

The Finished Product

After final assembly and a bit of sanding, the table came together beautifully. The Beetle Kill Pine’s natural blue-gray streaks give it a unique, rustic charm that will only improve with age.

Final Thoughts

This project was a great reminder of why I love woodworking—transforming raw lumber into functional art is always rewarding. If you’re considering a similar build, I highly recommend experimenting with Beetle Kill Pine for its striking appearance.

Shopping Cart