That week we had to build a 12-foot walnut conference table in a damp garage

The humidity was crazy, around 80 percent, and the client in Asheville wanted it done in four days. We had to clamp everything twice as long and I spent a whole afternoon just re-planing the breadboard ends that kept cupping. Anyone else ever pull off a big solid wood piece in a space with zero climate control?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.laura13d ago

That "damp garage" detail is the real story. People talk about wood movement, but the ground itself can be a problem. A slab floor without a vapor barrier is just pumping moisture up into your work. I had a table base soak up so much water from the concrete it swelled at the bottom after assembly. You're not just fighting the air, you're fighting the whole building.

ryan_sanchez13d ago

Wait, it swelled after you put it together? That's brutal.