Mahogany coffee table

 

 

 

This was my first all "real" wood furniture project, as by this time my dislike for using plywood in "nice" projects had developed. It's great for some things, but not on a piece of heirloom furniture. The legs are made from a darker shade of mahogany than the rest...it's not a difference in stain, but a natural difference in the wood's color. I have never liked staining wood, preferring to use woods that closely match the color I want to achieve. If any tweaking of colors is needed, I apply some tint to shellac and use that instead. This also features pegged through mortise-and-tenon construction. Finished with a number of coats of Tried & True Danish Oil, followed by a number of coats of Tried & True Varnish Oil. It took about 3 MONTHS for this finish to fully cure because I applied it too quickly and the large pores mahogany has caused bleeding. However, it did cure to a pretty hard finish, and the fact that it's all-natural is a big plus. If you haven't tried out these wonderful all-natural wood finishes, check them out at Tried & True's website.