There are over 200 varieties of Pine, if you purchasing a furniture-grade pine such as Eastern White, you will get excellent service out of it for generations. Most the antiques that are still usable 300 years later are of Eastern White Pine. Pine is a softer wood than cherry. Cherry is a softer wood than Maple. Soft does not mean inferior, it just indicates that if you drop say a candlestick on the table, in a pine top table you might get a 1/8" deep gash whereas on the maple table it would be 1/32". I don't like pine top surfaces for writing desks, or if your kids to homework on the table top. A ballpoint pen used without a backing surface will leave an impression in pine. Hardwood tops are better for that. What's more important than the top wood, is how is the table constructed? Is the base mortise and tenon (best), or doweled (not as good) or a screw-on leg (awful)? That's the key to durability. Does the table have breadboard ends? (A cross grain end-cap)? These are needed to keep the table top from warping over time. The # 1 killer of table tops is heat. Doesn't matter what wood its made of, heat kills the finish and leaves whitish blemishes on the table. And NEVER, EVER, let the little girls get near the table surface with Acetone (Fingernail polish remover). -Duane C. www.keepingroom.com

Kinda mainstream, but we got ours at Pottery Barn. I think it's called the Shelby table, it has red painted legs and apron and a sort of distressed pine top. It was $499 on sale this summer, could not beat the price. I love the idea of a reclaimed wood table, but with little kids I was concerned about potential lead (I'm a weirdo, I know), and didn't want to spend a fortune (because of said kids), so PB was the ticket. Good luck! There are some great suggestions and pics of one of a kind tables so far - I'm drooling at Wodka's and at the one with the white base/plank top!!! Mary

I will call minwax. I heard back from the maker and he has offered to come and put poly on it in my house. This worries me. 1) I don't know if he realizes that he needs to first remove the wax prior to the poly application. 2) he doesn't realize that poly application is a multi-step process with sanding in between coats. I'm thinking of calling minwax and getting their rec, then emailing him and asking that he come get the table (he was already coming next week to address 2 other smaller issues with the table). Take it back to his shop, follow the recs, allow the table to cure (how long will this take in winter temps? He said his workshop was like 45 degrees inside!) and then I will pay him another delivery fee as a "meet you halfway" gesture for him to bring back the table. However, I'm worried that it will still end up not great because it's clear to me he doesn't really know what he is doing. I mean, from basic google searches I feel like I almost know more than he does and I don't even own a saw nor have I ever built anything other than ikea furniture.

Golly, nyboy, it's been years since I've seen (or even thought about) a VanDykes catalog... Okay, nosoccermom, there's a starting point, Van Dykes does sell 11 inch leaves in three lengths for $97.54, but only in Red Oak, which you don't want unless you choose to use the tablecloth every time, and you would prefer not to. Cherry is more expensive than Red Oak. A leaf from Van Dykes would add a shipping cost which you should add into your cost estimate. They sell only unfinished leaves, so finishing is another cost (or a project that you may or may not want to take on) to add. I didn't look to see if the price of the Van Dykes leaf includes alignment pegs or not, but that is something you do want, another cost to add. So when you do the math you'll see that it's not exactly cheap, probably close to the same amount of money that you would like to spend on that Walnut table, should it turn out to be anything you want, but there will be additional money to spend on that one too... Nobody ever said making decisions was easy. You could just flip a coin, I've done that lots of times. Sometimes I'm unhappy with the result, but that could happen no matter how I made the decision, and that is why I decline to make, or even try to influence your decision for you. I know what I'd do, but I don't know what you should do. And sometimes I'm wrong. Deciding whether or not to cross the street is beginning to look easy, isn't it? At least I haven't got that one wrong, so far.