Building a Live-Edge Table from Fire-Scarred Wood

Today’s project is more than woodworking; it is an exercise in preservation and storytelling. My task is to build a live-edge trestle table in the mission style, from a slab of pine that carries the scars of our community’s recent history.

The slab itself came from a client’s property right here in the Black Forest, so I built custom furniture out of it. A few years ago, a devastating forest fire swept through, destroying trees and homes. This wood is a survivor from that event, and you can still see the burn marks on its surface. A piece of bark is starting to come loose, and my first order of business is to stabilize it with some CA glue, hoping to preserve it through the milling process. If it stays, it stays. If not, I know I tried.

The Milling Process:

Before flattening the pine slab, I use my track saw to clean up a major crack and some rough edges. Setting up the router sled reveals a significant bow in the wood. To salvage as much thickness as possible, I use shims to “split the difference,” ensuring I remove the least amount of material to achieve a flat surface.

I notice a problematic branch protruding from one side—a future hazard for any nearby wall. Since that side will face the wall, I decided to carve it back decoratively with a power carving disc. The result is a clean, organic look, as if the branch were naturally trimmed, maintaining the slab’s rustic character while solving the practical issue.

With one face flat, I flip the slab and repeat the process on the other side to make both faces parallel. Now milled flat, I set the tabletop aside and turn my attention to the base, which will be built from expensive wenge wood. I carefully rough-cut the legs and components to size, being exceptionally mindful of this valuable material. I even resawed a thicker piece on the bandsaw to conserve wood for future projects, minimizing waste.

Precision and Joinery:

I mill all the spindle pieces to perfect squares, using chalk to mark my progress and avoid confusion. For the feet and cross braces, I use the pieces resawn from the wenge, milling them to the final thickness and ensuring parallel edges on the table saw.

The joinery is the heart of this build. I lay out the mortises on one board and then use it as a master template to transfer the markings to all others, guaranteeing consistency. For safety and precision, I double-stick tape the cleats to a board clamped to my bench and use a custom router jig with two runners. By making passes and then flipping the router, I ensure the mortises are perfectly centered.

The dense wenge is a challenge to work with, requiring careful chiseling to square the mortise corners. For the tenons, I use a combination of the table saw for clean, precise cheeks and a handsaw for the shoulders. This hybrid approach allows me to finesse a perfectly tight joint, something that power tools alone can sometimes struggle with.

A Hand-Chopped Angled Mortise

The most critical part of the build is the through mortise and tenon joint that will secure the trestle to the legs. I cut the long tenon on the table saw for a cleaner finish than the bandsaw could provide, leaving a pristine surface that will be visible in the final joint.

For the angled mortise that will house the wedge, I decide on a shape after cutting a few samples. I mark the layout directly onto the leg, eyeballing the angle. Then, with my mountain chisel, I work from both sides of the leg, carefully chiseling down at the angle and hoping to meet perfectly in the middle. It’s a tense process, but the result is a clean, custom-fitted mortise. I then trace this shape onto a piece of wenge scrap, cut it on the bandsaw, and hand-plane it to create the perfect wedge.

Bringing It All Together

With all parts sanded, I begin the glue-up in stages. First, the legs are assembled. Once they are dry, I move on to the most satisfying part: gluing the trestle tenon into the leg mortise. I am careful to apply glue only to the inner portion of the tenon to avoid squeezing out onto the visible, decorative through-section.

Finally, the wedge is tapped home, locking the entire joint together with incredible strength and a beautiful, hand-crafted detail.

And there it is. The completed live-edge pine table with a trestle base—a functional piece of furniture forged from a piece of our community’s history, ready for a new generation of stories.

More Project Build Videos

Building a Dr. Seuss Inspired Coat Rack

How a straight 4x4 becomes a whimsical, Dr. Seuss-inspired coat rack using a band saw inside-out cutting technique, plus a hand-cut castle joint base.

Building a Fireplace Mantel

In this episode, I designed and built a Craftsman-style fireplace mantel for a client in Colorado Springs.  The mantel was made from hickory and stained to match some of the other millwork in the house.  

Building Modern Contemporary Doors

In this episode, I build a whole house of Modern Contemporary Doors featuring a stainless steel accent for my Colorado Springs client's home.

Asymmetrical Shelf Build

I recently completed an asymmetrical shelf unit for a client, and let me tell you, it was one of those projects that looks simple on the surface but requires serious attention to detail from start to finish.

Installing a Door Lock on a Custom Door

I have installed Door locks of all varieties over the years, from different setback to full mortise locks.  In this episode, I show how to install a door lock and deadbolt set for my custom copper door project.  This was a custom door for a client in Evergreen, Colorado, just outside of Denver.

Building a Nakashima-Inspired Live-Edge Walnut Table

Crafting a live-edge walnut table inspired by the legendary woodworker George Nakashima. The build combines traditional joinery techniques with modern tools, resulting in a piece that balances elegance and functionality. Here’s how I brought this table to life for my Denver Client.

Building a Craftsman Style Bench

I built a Craftsman-style bench with storage.  The design cues for this bench came from my client's Denver home, which was built in the craftsman style.  Specific details I pulled from their home were the rope molding corresponding to the rope bolding in the wainscotting. 

Building a Platform Bed

In this episode, I build a platform bed with a sheepskin headboard for a Colorado Springs Client.  The bed is made from walnut and features four floating shelves attached to the headboard. Each side of the bed has an integrated reading light.

Building a Walnut Vanity with a Live Edge Backspalsh

In this episode, I build a Custom walnut vanity with a live-edge backsplash. This Colorado Springs client wanted a contemporary floating custom vanity with some rustic appeal. To accomplish this, we created a vanity with a beautiful contemporary look and added a live-edge backsplash to give it that Mountain Modern look.  

Custom Wood Inlay on Box Lid

This is a memorial box for a little girl who passed from epilepsy.  Her name is Clair, and the nurses who cared for her called her Clair Bear, so we decided an appropriate inlay was bear.  Each piece of wood was selected for its natural color to tell the story and was inlayed by hand.

Building an Asian Inspired Keepsake Box

In this episode, I build a custom asian inspired keepsake box. The Keepsake box sides are made from bamboo, and the top and legs are cherry. If you are into woodworking and want to make this box, I do have "How To Plans" available for this project.

Building Floating Shelves for a Client’s Master Bath

A client needed a place to display his grandfather's shaving kit and a few other collectibles. Here's how I designed and built the floating shelves to hold them.

Building a Craftsman Style Staircase and Handrail

In this episode, I help a Colorado Springs Client remodel their staircase. The existing staircase was a straight run with an outdated style. I redesigned it to have open-ended steps with a craftsman handrail.

Building a Entry Table With Walnut Cuffs

In this episode, I build a custom entry table with walnut cuffs.  The main table is made from cherry, and the feet are adorned with decorative walnut cuffs.

Learning to Patinate and Bend Metal 

Today's project is more than just building a pendant lamp. I really believe that to continue growing as an artist, you have to always be experimenting, trying new techniques, and working in new mediums.

Building a Scandinavian Round Table

I took my time building this round table. I’m thrilled with the result—a sleek, Scandinavian-inspired table with Midcentury undertones.

Building a Custom Rustic Steel Dining Table Base

Building a custom rustic steel dining table base, from welding and acid treatment to creating unique rust patinas with vinegar and finishing with weighted concrete for stability

Making a Wooden Ice Bucket

Today's project is to build a decorative wooden ice bucket for a bar cart I constructed earlier. This isn't a functional piece meant to hold water; it's a prop, designed solely to add visual interest and character to my home bar setup.

Building a Sculpture that Doubles as a Coat Rack

building a sculptural two-moon coat rack, from grain-matched bandsaw cuts and CNC joinery fixtures to hand-shaped hooks and a hidden wall-mount system.

DIY Barn Door Guide

A while ago, I built a barn door with a steel frame that encased the wood for a client in Denver, Colorado. It turned out great, but one question kept coming up: How did I keep the bottom of the door from swinging around? Most barn door hardware kits include a T-track that gets screwed into the floor, with a slot routed into the bottom of the door for guidance. But since my door had a steel base, routing a groove wasn’t an option.

Entry Hall & Side Tables

Walnut Hall Table

Cherry Entry Table

Semi Elliptical Hall Table

Trestle Table With Live Edge Pine Slab

Porthole Entry Table

Mid-Century Modern Console Table

Sekijoju Bonsai Chess Table