Kneading table - what type of wood surface?

in my brain how I could attach a wood surface to granite or tile for a kneading surface.  A slip proof mat under the board is one idea or a wet towel but I don't like the board slipping around.  I was thinking more in the lines of drilling holes and setting in removable stainless steel pegs to match holes drilled in the corners of a wooden surface.  

Small flat pugs could be set into the holes when wooden board not in use.

I have never liked using granite to knead as the dough might pull up tiny bits of rock and it is indeed porous. My fear of biting into a rock outweighs my need to knead on it.  Be careful not to employ medicinal woods like birch or willow.   Short list:  http://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/lumber/medicinal-trees/

Mini

you want wood that is not too soft (more open grain traps bacteria) and not too hard (which is harder on your knives). there is a hardness scale called the "janka scale" that measures wood hardness, and for cutting boards, butcher blocks, wood counters, and other food oriented surfaces you want somewhere between 850-1600 on the Janka scale. you can look this up on the net if you like.

Short answer is Birch is fine (especially yellow birch). most common wood for this includes maple, cherry, and walnut.

@ Mini have you thought of a bench-hook like design to hold the board against the edge of your counter?

something like this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/BBTradesales-Cutting-Board-Bamboo-Counter/dp/B003CYWYP0

that looks like some sort of sheet good (like plywood) with a laminated table top, I don't think sanding it down will help you at all. do you have a picture of the edge? it's difficult to tell for sure from this picture.

beechwood is fine for food, FYI, treat with mineral oil :)

the table surface?   Use the underside?  Filling a few holes is easier than filling those grooves!

I agree those are nasty grooves. 

OK I take it back that's solid wood, not veneer, those are better shots :). stripping the top down to a flat surface would be a lot of work. it might be doable to flip it over that seems like a lot of work too given how it appears to be attached underneath. oddly enough it would likely be easiest to fill in those grooves with wood filler and sand to a smooth surface but that would still require a lot of sanding and putting a new finish on as well. if you don't have a good sander then that's a ton of work too. It really depends on how much you like the table, and the wood filler would very likely look rather strange but it's probably the easiest solution if you want to make that a flat surface. and frankly I don't know how the wood filler would hold up if you used the table as a work surface for kneading bread and so forth, it's always best to use some sort of hardwood like the beech you pictured above.

OR get a new table top and just replace it. probably not the cheapest solution but I can't think of a better one.

best ideas I have ...

so wood filler is like any woodworking product, once it cures it's safe but I completely agree, it would not hold up to the wear and tear of handling dough and besides, nobody wants little bits of anything - filler or otherwise in the bread.. you could fill with strips as you suggest but I would only do that if you plan to fix the surface and just keep it as it. Another option would be to put a laminate top on top of what you have (you can get hardwood laminate - which is just cut very thin, maybe 1/4 inch or so, which would be fine to just glue on top). or you can do as you suggest, glue the beech table top on top of what you have. If you do the last, then I would definitely recommend still using wood filler to fill in the grooves just to give a smooth glue surface. You also want to sand it down to strip off any finish that's on the table, then just glue the beech onto the top. it would be very heavy but ... also very sturdy.

good luck in any case, I love projects that intersect woodworking and baking :D

Andy,  I actually have a fair amount of experience with wood finishes.  Most of the marketing we read is really just hype, and most finishes sold as  tung oil, are not really tung oil,  just a thinned varnish.  https://www.popularwoodworking.com/techniques/finishing/oil-finishes-their-history-and-use

Your best bet is mineral oil, or mineral oil with a little bit of wax.  Easy to reapply.  

BTW, to the original poster, and to Andy,  I have a butcher block baking cabinet, but put a large piece of marble on it for use for kneading and shaping pizza -  it cleans much easier than wood, and doesn't require any maintenance.  

Tung oil is rarely actual tung oil, and I'm not sure I'd use it on a surface meant for handling dough. You could use some food safe varnish finishes like salad bowl finish, again making sure it's fully cured, but the more I have thought about it, the more I am concerned with any knife work on such surfaces and think good ole mineral oil or butcher block oil is the way to go. it does need more frequent maintenance but IMO worth it.

I too have a marble slab, by the way, and I love it for a lot of food handling including even higher hydration dough, but I just have this strong affinity for wood.  each to our own I suppose :) but for me, part of the project is, well, the project part.  

do you know anyone with a planer? Or could you rent one?  seems like the easiest solution.  Plane down the top and apply oil. It is certainly thick enough.

in the table lined up that you could use a grouter tool and widen the  groves to make a dove tail?  If so you could then place corresponding dove tail strips of wood through the ends and not need any glue to hold them tightly in place.   Stripes of wood would then be sanded with the table top to even.  Think about using lightly or dramatically contrasting coloured wood and perhaps add a few more lines to turn it into art as well.  Make yourself a surface to inspire, a  joy to work on.  

Another idea would be to fill the grooves with a two component epoxy or urethane.  Cleaning out any varnish or old dirt before applying (my electric toothbrush comes to mind.)  Sanding after the fill has set up and hardened.  This can lend itself to a natural finish nicely.

I had a wonderful table of high grade plywood (one side only) surfaced with a two component clear polyester.  I brushed on the first coat the poured on the second, spreading and allowing for a glass like surface.  It had the look of wet wood and was a lot of fun to work on.  

Since you already have a wood base, resurfacing or covering up an existing wood base with a thick sheet of wood only makes the table very heavy and hard to move around.  Think thin.  Raising the table is easier done with the height of locking wheels and makes for more leg room under the table.  

I think the planer and sanding the entire table down to flatness would be a very long and painful process to get flat, even when some kind of jig to prevent the planer from gouging too deep were used.  May still have seams (and gaps) of one kind or another. 

Mini  

suggestion.  Clever.  Sounds good except my work surface would have magnets attracting knives and tools when exposed. I can just see me trying to lift a pot off the counter and jerking food into my face.   I have magnets holding secret cupboard doors shut.  Works like a charm and a good idea.  I also have one of those ikea cutting/kitchen boards but use it for cutting paper and other dry crafts.  I don't like the way it slides around.  In Austria I insisted on my favourite counter top to be a white stone looking Formica.  Love it.  The rest is granite.  

In Laos I'm stuck with the tile.  Hubby surfaced it on my last holiday and I've been frustrated ever since.  Not only did I not want it, but it was used to instruct the work crew "how to do it right."  Well, the corner plastic trim (more reserved for bathrooms) is poorly placed around the edges.  It traps crumbs and dirt and hard to wipe.  I did manage to teach the crew how to use and lay tile more properly but still having trouble correcting their bad grouting habits.  Oh well.  

I just moved in before flying so I haven't had much time to correct my counter top problem.  There was also a basic problem with the workmanship of the grout (nobody read the directions)  and when the grout started thickening from slow work (it has a 30 min. working time)  they added water to thin it.  The result is a grout that continues to dust off and crumble.  So I also have the fun of removing a good portion of it.  More about that later.  I have to let hubby work in the kitchen by himself and with his neatness discover the problems.  Then he hopefully won't object to my corrections.  I just hope he doesn't correct and try to surprise me.  

There may be a flexible grout on the market now, worth looking into to fill your groves.  

Stir sticks eh? Are the grooves that shallow?  I sense a creative need here.  But coffee sticks are cheap wood, they are not meant to last long and deform easily.  What about rye paste?  Sticks very well and all natural!   Squish it in with the bench scraper.   Sponge the edges clean with a wrung out smooth firm sponge and let dry.  Might want to toss in some white glue for flexibility.   

My husband would simply have some clear or dark tinted glass cut and run a bead of silicone around the edge to hold it in place.  Plexiglass might also be a solution if you are into slapping the dough hard onto the work surface.  

Looks like your wood is teak. The underside is beautiful but full of holes from the edging.  Sad, no flipping.  If going with glass or wood or a stone slab,  I would make the top bigger than the table top to have a nice extended edge.  It could even be two layers of glass.  Check into the prices.  

Of what I can see of the table, it looks like it was possibly inspired from expensive teak wall panels. Could even be tongue and groove construction.  I would sand the edging material in place and not try to remove it, the table may fall apart.  

large pieces out of the rye flour.  Try to get it as fine as you can.  :)

Oh, well done. That looks quite lovely, and do let us know how it works. I suspect those ones that you see in the Youtube videos by professionals are well-seasoned with just a bit of flour always on them, kind of the same way my proofing baskets need very little flour and don't stick at all anymore just because there's flour permanently embedded in them.

I've started using a wooden cutting board for some shaping and like it. I'll be interested to hear how you get on with your wonderful new table!

Light tends to darken the surface too over time but it looks Great!

Before being completely done with sanding, give it a good wet wiping with water and let it dry well.  The water will cause a slight swelling and when dry bring out any rough edges in the grain.  The follow up is to go over with very fine sandpaper block working with the grain not across it.  Then you're set for oiling or waxing the surface to prevent stains and such and a long life.   Nice job!  

nicely done Andy!  if it were me I'd just give it a good mineral oil finish, especially if you're planning on using it as a prep-table of sorts. that wood looks much nicer than the stain it had before... 

I've only had an 18 x 18 marble slab for baking; counters in all houses have been tile/grout - not my choice.  Recently decided I need a larger work surface,  My kitchen is small so the marble is always out (heavy for me to lift with hand OA).  Figured a larger slab of something underneath would work (could slide the marble over).  I was looking for a marble or granite counter remnant, but will now switch to wood based on your comments.  The marble is great to chill, but difficult to work dough flour-free.  I already have food-grade mineral oil for my many Speculaas molds. 

You guys are psychic.  As always, TFLers had posted many answers before I asked the question.  Happy Baking.  

Xavier,  just pour some on, rub it in a little, then use a dry rag to remove any excess and you can use it right away