11/05/2025
how we get the grain flow in our table and desktops.
As start this winter’s batch of desks and dining tables , I thought I’d share some of the thought process and methods we use along the way.
What makes a piece a Monkwood is getting the grain flow right from the beginning. It starts very intuitively even when sourcing the wood, finding the pieces that speak to you and we’re not afraid to dig the very bottom to find those special ones that other others neglected. Once the wood is in the shop, we begin the decision-making process which starts with what is the best side then what grade does it get? A B or C?
A’s are the star pieces with and figure as well as that special something about them. They will be used carefully on the front of the desk or center of a dining table and other feature areas of the design.
B boards are those that work well with others meaning the grain lines are more vertical and a consistent flow throughout the piece.
C’s are quirky in their own way maybe there’s one side it’s not the best but it can be trimmed. Maybe there’s a couple knots, but those also help I believe in the overall field of a project.
It’s the B’s and the C’s that helped the A’s really shine. I’ve made tops with all A’s before, they can look great. But I still prefer the ones that use all three. It’s the way they bounce off each other. you wouldn’t appreciate seeing a band where all the members are doing a solo at the same time would you?
In the end, this process along with others crates the character that we like to express. Human thought and intuition at the heart of the design process. This is what gives our pieces the soul and character that comes out in the feeling the express at the end.
Give it a try with some of your woodworking projects. This method can also be applied to sounds or Art.. give the material an intuitive grade at the beginning so as the ex*****on part continues, you could focus more on that.
This is all done with the gut without thinking of the end result yet we’re trying to box it into measurements. Then once the wood has been grading, we can start looking for pieces that can fit the cut list best.
