Live Edge Oak Outdoor Dining Table

Live Edge Oak Outdoor Dining Table. Natural Scottish oak, designed specifically for outdoor living.
 
Our new take on the outdoor dining table, combining the individuality of a live edge oak slab with a construction designed to work naturally outside.
 
We’ve been developing this design for some time, looking for a way to use the beautiful live edge timber we love while making something genuinely suited to outdoor dining.
 
The result is a table that retains the natural edge of the tree while using individual oak boards to create a more stable, weather-friendly top.
 
This first table is made from a particularly beautiful piece of Scottish oak from the Borders. The top has been ammonia-fumed to give it a rich, warm brown colour, while the solid oak base has been left natural.
 
It is available now as a one-off piece.
 
Live edge, designed for outdoors
The live edge is what gives this table its character.
 
Rather than cutting away the natural edge of the timber, we have retained it along both sides of the top. The shape, grain and features of the original tree remain visible, meaning that every table made from this design will be completely individual.
 
But there is a practical reason for the way the top is constructed too.
 
Instead of using the oak as one large slab, we split it into individual boards. Narrower boards can respond more naturally to changes in moisture and humidity, reducing the amount of movement that can occur across each piece.
 
The gaps between the boards also allow rainwater to drain away rather than sitting across a continuous surface.
 
The result is a live edge table with the character of a slab, but a construction that is much better suited to life outdoors.
 
Scottish oak, made in Scotland
The table is made from Scottish oak sourced from the Borders.
 
We select our timber for its structural qualities as well as the character it can bring to a finished piece. Knots, changes in grain, colour variation and the natural outline of the tree are all part of what makes this table unique.
 
The table is made by hand in our workshop in East Lothian, combining traditional woodworking techniques with modern precision.
 
No two pieces of Scottish oak are identical, so no two tables will ever be quite the same.
 
Ammonia-fumed oak
For this first table, we chose to fume the oak top.
 
The timber is placed in a sealed chamber with ammonia vapour, which reacts with the naturally occurring tannins in the oak. This produces the deep brown colour running through the timber, while allowing the natural grain, knots and character of the oak to remain visible.
 
The fumed top is paired with a natural oak base, creating a contrast between the darker timber above and the lighter legs and structure beneath.
 
The table is currently supplied without an applied oil or varnish finish.
 
Letting the oak weather
We like the way good oak changes when it is allowed to live outside.
 
Left uncoated, the timber will gradually respond to sunlight, rain and the seasons, developing a softer, more weathered appearance over time. The fumed oak will gradually mellow and the natural oak will develop its own silvering and patina.
 
There is no need for the table to remain looking exactly as it does on the day it leaves our workshop. We see the weathering process as part of the life of the furniture.
 
If you would prefer to retain more of the original colour, we can also supply the table with an appropriate exterior oil finish. This will deepen the natural oak and intensify the colour of the fumed top.
 
Made for outdoor dining
At 1780mm long, this table is comfortably sized for four people and can accommodate up to six depending on the seating arrangement.
 
The proportions make it particularly well suited to patios, terraces, outdoor kitchens and smaller garden dining spaces where a larger table would feel excessive.
 
The solid oak base uses a simple trestle construction, with angled legs and a low stretcher providing strength and stability while keeping plenty of space beneath the table.
 
The first of its kind
This is the first table we've made using this design, and the actual piece shown here is available to buy.
 
It has been made around the particular piece of Scottish oak we had available, so its live edges, grain and proportions are unique to this table.
 
If you like the design but need a different size, we can make further versions to suit your space. We can also explore different oak colours, finishes and base details.
 
Matching benches are the next part of the design we are developing and will be available as made-to-order pieces.
 
Dimensions
Length: 1780mm
Width: 700mm
Height: 750mm
 
This listing is for one dining table.
Because each table is made individually from natural solid oak, dimensions and the shape of the live edge will vary slightly from piece to piece.
 
Delivery
This table is ready to go.
 
Delivery can be arranged throughout the UK. Please contact us before ordering so that we can confirm the delivery cost and the most suitable method for your location.
 
Free delivery in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
 
Bespoke options
The table shown here is available as a one-off piece, but we can also make the design to order.
 
We can explore different:
Lengths and widths
Pieces of Scottish oak
Fumed or natural finishes
Exterior oil finishes
Base designs
Matching benches
 
If you have a particular outdoor kitchen, patio or garden space in mind, get in touch and we can discuss what would work best.
 
About Field & Thorn
Field & Thorn Woodcraft Co. is a Scottish furniture workshop based in East Lothian.
 
We make considered indoor and outdoor furniture from responsibly sourced timber and other carefully selected materials. Our approach is simple: make fewer things, make them properly, and create furniture that people will want to keep for many years.
 
Our outdoor furniture is designed not simply to fill a space, but to encourage people to spend more time outside. Eating, talking, relaxing and enjoying the changing seasons around them.