About WestTable
WestTable is a reference resource covering the technical aspects of Douglas fir joinery in solid-wood dining table construction, with a focus on Canadian climate conditions.
What this site covers
The content here focuses on three practical areas that determine whether a solid Douglas fir dining table performs well over years of use in a Canadian home: moisture content management, breadboard end joinery, and tabletop panel glue-up technique.
Douglas fir is widely available from British Columbia mills and is sold by lumber suppliers across the country, but it behaves differently from the furniture hardwoods — walnut, maple, oak — that most woodworking instruction is written around. Its pronounced earlywood-latewood contrast, high resin content in some grades, and relatively high shrinkage coefficients mean that standard guidance sometimes needs adjustment for this species.
Scope and limitations
The articles here draw on publicly available data from sources including FPInnovations, Natural Resources Canada's forest products division, and established woodworking reference material. Where exact figures are uncertain or vary by region, the content uses ranges rather than precise numbers.
This site does not cover finishing, hardware selection, leg joinery, or the design of specific table styles. The focus is narrow: the behaviour of Douglas fir under Canadian indoor conditions and the joinery decisions that follow from that behaviour.
Contact and corrections
Technical corrections and notes on specific regional conditions are welcome. The contact form on the home page reaches the editorial team. Factual corrections with supporting sources are given priority.
This site does not accept sponsored content or affiliate arrangements. External links point to sources used in the research; none are commercial relationships.