How to Spot a Keeper: Dining Table Edition

Keeper’s Solid Wood Dining Table Buying Guide

A good solid wood dining table is more than just a surface to eat on. It hosts birthdays, homework sessions, late-night talks, and quiet breakfasts. Over time, it becomes a keeper of memories. But in an era where furniture is often designed for convenience over longevity, many tables simply aren’t built to last. They’re designed to be assembled once, used briefly, and discarded.

This guide is for anyone considering a solid wood dining table and wondering how to tell the keepers from the throwaways. Whether you’re furnishing a new home, upgrading after years of compromises, or simply tired of wobbling legs and chipped edges, here’s how to invest in a table that will truly last—and age with grace.

According to two European carpenters we interviewed—Simon Haase from Germany and Davorin Pahor from Slovenia—spotting a lasting table requires a mindset shift. “People are not used to quality anymore,” Simon says. Many of us have grown used to quick purchases and disposable furniture. Choosing a table that lasts means stepping out of that cycle—and into a mindset of asking deeper questions, embracing long-term value, and accepting that beauty grows with time, wear, and care.

Buying a Solid Wood Dining Table That Will Truly Last: 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Spend a Cent

1. Am I buying for today or for the next 20 years?

Before comparing finishes and woods, ask yourself how you’ll use your table. Daily dinners? Special occasions? A weekend house escape?

“Usually you buy a table for a certain room and it will stay there until you stop using it,” Simon says. “But things change—families grow, homes move. It’s worth buying something that can grow with you.”

Use this moment to make a long-term decision. Tables that last start with clarity about how your life may evolve. “You never know what your life will look like in 10 years,” Simon reminds us. “Think long-term: how many kids, how many friends, what kind of rituals you want around the table.”

2. What wood fits my lifestyle and how much wear I can live with?

Once you’re clear on your needs, pick a wood that fits them. And just as important: ask yourself how you’ll relate to signs of use. Will you always keep the table covered to protect it? Or do you see scratches, stains, and marks as memories worth displaying?

• Choose oak if you want strength and character, but be aware of tannins that can stain.
• Choose beech if you like tight, bendable fibers, but don’t expose it to poor drying.
• Choose maple for a water-resistant and less porous option—but expect some yellowing with age.
• Choose spruce if your table will be used seasonally or in a second home, where occasional dents and softness are acceptable. It’s more affordable, but not ideal for high-traffic daily use.

3. Can I trust the table’s joints to last a move or a decade?

IKEA tables are efficient to ship and easy to assemble, but they’re not designed with long-term durability in mind. In contrast, quality tables prioritize time-tested joinery and solid construction meant to stand up to years of daily life.

“They use screws and flat-pack joints that loosen over time,” Simon explains. “Once joints move, they never hold the same.”

In contrast, a well-built table is often delivered in one piece or professionally disassembled. Traditional joinery or even welded joints require more care, but they last. As Davorin’s work implies, many older tables still stand today not by accident, but because they were built with care, from proper materials and joinery.

So ask about the joints. You’re not just buying stability for now—you’re investing in reliability for years of family dinners, moves, and life changes to come.

4. Was the wood properly dried and treated?

Warping, cracking, and insect damage often begin long before the table enters your home.

Most mass-market wood is dried fast and cheap. Davorin uses vacuum drying under pressure to protect against pests and ensure durability. “These are details clients don’t ask about, but they matter,” he says. “It’s what separates a 500€ table from a 2500€ one.”

Kaplan 1934, family owned workshop from Czechia, lets their boards dry for three years in the open air before finishing the process in condensation dryers heated by wood waste. This slow, respectful approach avoids the shocks that can damage the wood’s internal structure.

A single question—“How was the wood dried?”—could save you hundreds later.

5. Is the glue made to last or just to stick things together?

Cheap glue is invisible at first—and becomes a problem when humidity hits.

“If it’s cheap, it will break,” Simon says. “White glue is just plastic, and it won’t hold against humidity.” The highest quality glues, he explains, are made from gelatine—animal-based and time-tested. “It’s difficult to handle. You have to cook it. But it will last.”

Ask what glue is used. If they can’t tell you, consider it a red flag—it suggests they may not know (or prioritize) the other materials and methods that truly make a table last.

6. Will the finish protect—or trap problems?

Lacquers may look sleek but trap moisture once scratched, causing internal damage.

Simon recommends natural oils instead: “The fewer ingredients in the oil, the better. If it’s good enough for children’s toys, it’s good enough for your table.”

Choose breathable, restorable finishes that support longevity—not ones that mask it.

At Norrgavel, surface treatment is a philosophy in itself. Their tables are often treated with oil, soap, or egg oil tempera to keep the wood’s pores open and alive. “Living with a dining table made of solid wood is something that must be experienced,” they write. “This tactile and expressive natural material sets the tone of the room.”

Keep also in mind: finishes are only as good as their upkeep. Both Simon and Davorin agree: proper maintenance helps a good table age with grace. In the first few years, re-oiling every 1–2 years helps build a strong surface. After that, you may only need to refresh it every 3–5 years, depending on use. “It depends how often you use it,” Simon says. “More in the beginning, less later—as the oil builds up in the wood, creating a stronger, more resilient surface.”

7. Will this design still feel right—ten, fifty, even a hundred years from now?

Timeless tables tend to follow familiar cues: balanced proportions, honest materials, visible craftsmanship, and a lack of unpractical ornament. They’re designed around the way people live—not the fashion of the moment.

There’s also something to be said for tables that reflect long-standing traditions in your local area or culture. If a shape or style has been considered beautiful for 200 years, there’s a good chance it will remain beautiful for the next 100. These inherited forms carry cultural memory—and aesthetic wisdom.

Function matters, too. Many old tables we admire today aren’t just beautiful—they’re comfortable. For example, tables with slightly inset legs allow more people to sit around them comfortably than tables with architectural, corner-set legs. Over time, comfort tends to win.

Ask yourself:

• Does it feel grounded and well-proportioned?
• Does it use materials that look better as they age?
• Are the legs placed so people can sit comfortably all around?
• Have similar styles lasted for generations in your region or culture?
• Will I still love this form when the color of my walls changes?
• Will my children or grandchildren find this table timeless and beautiful in 50 years?

These are quiet signals of a design built to endure—not just in strength, but in spirit.

Nikari, a Finnish workshop rooted in functionalism, reminds us that “truly useful things cannot be created in a hurry.” Their founder, Kari Virtanen, believes beautiful objects emerge from the act of fulfilling a purpose—through slow, thoughtful craft. Nikari doesn’t mask imperfections; they let the wood’s story show.

If you hesitate, wait. The right table will keep calling to you—even as trends change around it.

8. Can I live with a table that shows its age—just like I do?

Too often, we treat furniture like fashion—expecting it to stay pristine, or discarding it when it doesn’t. But keepers age with us. They mark time. They reflect life.

Perfection is fleeting. Character is what remains.

“The first scratch is the hardest,” Simon says. “But then you realise: this is a table for living. Not for looking.”

One of Davorin’s clients chose not to oil his oak table. “Fifteen years later, it was stained and imperfect—but it told a story. And it still looked good.”

Norrgavel sees patina not as a flaw, but as beauty. “Instead of resisting change, embrace it. Ageing gives objects and people depth and character,” says founder Nirvan Richter. Their tables are meant to be lightly sanded and retreated over time—not replaced.

That shift—from pristine object to trusted companion—can be the difference between keeping your table for five years or fifty.

Instead of asking, ‘Can I afford a high-quality table?’ ask: ‘Can I afford to keep buying cheap ones?’

Every time you invest in a well-crafted table, you’re choosing lasting value over repeated expense. A table that’s built to grow with your life saves money, preserves memories, and honors the home you’re creating.

So pause before the impulse buy. Ask questions that go beneath the surface. And choose the one that will carry your story.

That’s what makes it a keeper.

Take action:

• Walk away from the flat-pack aisle. Visit a local carpenter or independent showroom instead.
• Bring this list with you when shopping—ask these seven questions out loud.
• Touch the wood. Ask about the glue. Look underneath the table.
• And if you’re still unsure—wait. Better to buy once, well, than twice in doubt.

Your future self (and home) will thank you.

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And if you’ve recently bought a dining table that you truly love (or regret), share your story with us—we might just feature it in our next post.