Farm Table Breadboard Ends

Our farm tables are made of solid wood. Not plywood or veneer, but solid cherry, solid tiger maple, solid pine, etc. Solid wood has several advantages and distinctive characteristics when compared to veneers.

With fluctuations in humidity, solid wood will expand and contract. It shrinks when the humidity decreases, and it swells when the humidity rises. Many people see this with doors and drawers in their own home.

When a dining table top expands and contracts, it may have a tendency to warp. We use various methods to keep our table tops flat. One of the ways that we keep our table tops flat, but still allow them to move with seasonal changes is with a breadboards. Breadboards are a separate piece of wood that is attached to the end of the table top. The grain orientation of the breadboard runs perpendicular to the grain of the table top.