Repurposing Wood from large antique Dining Table (veneered)

HoosierBuddy · Apr 23, 2026

Guys,

I'm stuck in the middle of a family situation and looking for ideas.

I'll shorten up the post by omitting the drama....but bottom line I have been tasked with doing something with my Mother-in-Laws heirloom antique dining table (walnut veneer over mahogany) now that she has moved to an apartment and has no room for it. No one in the family has use for this massive table that (if it was structurally sound....which it isn't) would seat 12 or 14.

My inspection shows that it's been used/abused/and badly repaired over the last 100 years or so. It's totally missing the hardware that held the drop leaves open on either end. The central leg structure (it sits on 3 pedestals rather than legs) is essentially non-repairable and would require reconstruction rather than repair because of severe cracking and poor repair work done in the past. The veneered table surface (including 2 removable leaves) is in poor condition with many scratches, dents and imperfections.

I have been told that putting it in a dumpster is a non-starter due to the generations of my wife's family that gathered for family dinners around this table for the last 100 years.

So, I asked and even if I repair this table (and man...that would be an undertaking in both time and money) NO ONE in the family has room for it in their homes.

But I can't put it in a dumpster.

Only thing I can think of is use the wood to build something(s) else.

That's as far as I've gotten with this. Current plan is to pick up, bring it home and take it apart into managable pieces and move those to my barn attic....but I really don't want my kids to be dealing with the same table in 30 years. Wish I had a plan.

Any ideas?

Oregon rock crusher · Apr 23, 2026

If you have at least one "pedestal" for a base or can join two together I would probably just make a smaller table out of it. Stash a picture of the original table under the new top and the heirloom remains largely intact. Just one solution....there are many. Ed.

MovingAlong · Apr 23, 2026

If a smaller table still isn't needed, I'd be looking at a bookcase. Maybe even using the edge skirting (if there is some) as decorative trim around the top/bottom of the case.

Every family is different. My mom saw something I'd held onto for a few decades, said "If I'd known you were going to keep it this long I'd have never bought it for you!"

My motto now - I'm part of the story too. A bookcase (or whatever) will always start with "You should have seen this table! Then @HoosierBuddy got a hold of it and made this _____." Embrace your role, for better or worse you're about to become part of the story.

The Cobbler · Apr 23, 2026

that's a tough one.
I am in the make a small table camp/ small trestle table ... without trying to make it look brand new... keep the patina look

y'sguy · Apr 23, 2026

Yeah, I've been here before.
If you're up to storing it in those pieces you speak of? Some day you may come up with a project or need for something to use them for. The hardwood does have a certain value, be it also sentimental. I will also mention that, if you did not already know, Mahogany isn't as easy to get these days.

RTM · Apr 23, 2026

I would give serious thought to a small apartment sized table, and a bigger one for someone who wants it.

Take one pedestal sized thing, maybe using the leaves, make an apartment sized table for MIL, then two pedestals for the main table. Keeping the theme while replacing the **** pieces might appease the masses. Never tried rebuilding a pedestal, but looked into one for a friend, they decided it wasn’t THAT MUCH of an heirloom.

Redoing the veneer isn’t simple, but not awful, steam off the old, add new ones of sorta matching walnut material.

(All of this assumes it’s not really ugly, besides the wear and tear of a century.)

fozzy · Apr 25, 2026

Can you post a picture of the table? My biggest concern is the veneer and how thick it is, and how deep the damage is. In some cases, a refinish might look absolutely great even with defects, but you only get one or maybe two shots at refinishing veneer depending on how careful you are.

When I was really young and had zero furniture for my first house (like a bean bag and a TV only) my mom went to a few estate sales and bought me some really nice pieces, all that needed refinishing. One was a solid oak sideboard that refinished beautifully and is still in my dining room 25 years later. The other was a mahogany veneered dresser that did great on the first refinish. I attempted to refinish a second time to change the color and I burned right through the veneer on the top.

If we can get an idea about the size of the table, and what might be a good repurpose that would continue to serve your family instead of getting banished to the barn attic, we can get a better idea of options.

rsanter · Apr 25, 2026

I hate to say but I think anything that you do with this short of a complete restoration will get harsh criticism
if you do anything to cut or modify it, I would get the buy in of the family first.

if it was me I think I would take it apart and stash it as a “future project “. Then one day you may be able to find a use for it, someone will want it and take it off your hands or everyone will forget about it

The Cobbler · Apr 25, 2026

rsanter said:
if it was me I think I would take it apart and stash it as a “future project “. Then one day you may be able to find a use for it, someone will want it and take it off your hands or everyone will forget about it until 2 weeks after you do something with it that is irreversible

fixed the quote

rsanter · Apr 26, 2026

The Cobbler said:
fixed the quote

That’s covered in the first part of my comment.

i had a friend that was cleaning out his sisters place. They donated most of the misc stuff and were only taking what could fit in the bed of the pickup for one trip (they moved out of town).
they called family to come help and take anything they wanted, nobody wanted to come do anything to help but they all had a list of the things they wanted “saved” for them and they will come get it later/when they can.
i volunteered to store the stuff for a few weeks to let them come get it from me as at the time I had the space and was really trying to help my friends out.
so about a year forward, I was visiting them and mentioned if they wanted to call and remind their family that I have the stuff still and did they want to come get it.
they were both shocked and pissed that nobody had contacted me to set a time to get any off the stuff, and they had heard nothing of it. In fact they assumed that everyone had come and gotten the stuff ans they were so adamant about what should be theirs.
my friends told me to do with the stuff as I please. Sell it, donates it, whatever.

i ended up giving a couple pieces of furniture to a friends daughter that was moving out on her own, and she liked the mid century modern stuff. I sold a couple pieces for $200, and then donated the rest.

The Cobbler · Apr 26, 2026

rsanter said:
That’s covered in the first part of my comment.

I know.
I was being tongue & cheek

mbatarga · Apr 26, 2026

How about discarding the pedestals and using only the table top. Seems it is large enough that you could cut it down to make coffee tables/matching end tables using the top veneered sections by adding new edging around the periphery.

Damon L. · Apr 27, 2026

Nobody wants anything, yet you can't throw it away?

I would be leaving it where it sits instead of inheriting material I can't use.

Then again, I inherited three generations of things I am not using, and I am 3 years deep on slowly getting rid of it all.

slow84lx · Apr 28, 2026

Doing anything at all with this table, even if it is nothing at all, is a no-win situation. Everyone will share their opinion on how what you've done has ruined it. You will probably get no help at all from any of those sharing criticism.

Coffee tables, a smaller table or 2 with or without the pedestals are good ideas and keep the spirit of the table while taking up less space.

gahrajmahal · Apr 28, 2026

We had a similar experience with my mother-in-laws baby grand piano. The case was excellent but the soundboard was cracked and to repair would cost more than it was worth. We did find someone who would re-make it into something else. My brother-in-law took the legs and the foot pedal assembly and made a super cute end table with a marble top. I was gifted (cursed) with a friend’s Duncan Phyfe table with broken legs. I refinished the veneer top and glued and filled the missing and broken leg areas with epoxy. I then brush painted the base with white chalk paint, distressingly the edges. I then sold it on “Chairish” for $450. They took six months to pay me after keeping 20% for themselves.

I enjoy looking on Pinterest and get ideas for repurposing and have a board called “Furniture” . Maybe there is an idea there where you could cut down the old dining table into something useful. Maybe a behind-the-couch table or one that attaches to the wall and has a single leg in the front.

https://pin.it/6UBfgqOS6

JohnX14 · Apr 28, 2026

Do you have any pics you can upload?

CoogarXR · Apr 28, 2026

Make something small and easy out of a small portion of it. Like picture frames.

Take a "glamour shot" picture of the table, then make picture frames out of one of the table leaves, and put a picture of the table in the frame and give it to family members. That way they can look at the picture of the table in a frame made of the table.

HoosierBuddy · May 5, 2026

Thanks all.

I do like the idea of making it into a smaller table.

I hauled it home and it's currently in the attic of my barn. It's going to have to be an "after I retire" project at this point. Just too busy.

gahrajmahal · May 5, 2026

Many photos in my Pinterest link of repurposed stuff. See above

four.cycle · May 5, 2026

HoosierBuddy said:
I hauled it home and it's currently in the attic of my barn. It's going to have to be an "after I retire" project at this point. Just too busy.

In time, there is the possibility that other family members might just forget all about it.

I kind of like @RTM's suggestion of making one small table out of usable pieces, but .....

My kitchen table is one of those old oak numbers - most likely from the late 1880s - that has been compromised to the point where none of the leaves (of which there were no fewer than six) line up properly any more, so the table top is an uneven surface if it's completely assembled, resulting in food getting spilled on Mom's nice Irish tatted lace. That's why it's in my kitchen and not Mom's.
You can have the leaves if you like... they'd make nice book shelves.

CADjockey · May 5, 2026

I have been watching this thread with keen interest. I have an old (1908 from the serial number) upright piano that I need to do something with. We have not found anyone interested in buying it and no one in the family wants it. At this point, I am planning on repurposing several parts of it. The easiest and most obvious, is the main panel above the keys. I plan on turning that into a coffee table type of thing.

I hate to dismantle it, as it is intact, plays, and the make and serial number are traceable. But since we would have to basically pay someone to take it away, I will repurpose as much of it as I can.

RoninB4 · May 6, 2026

CADjockey said:
I have an old (1908 from the serial number) upright piano that I need to do something with. We have not found anyone interested in buying it and no one in the family wants it.

-Just as a suggestion. My GF had a good upright that was in her home since she was a young girl. No buyers for it either. There may be a few churches in your area that would gladly take it for use during services.

-As for repurposing it, lot of work but likely good quality wood. The soundboard in pianos is often a specially selected piece from what I've read.

four.cycle · May 6, 2026

26 free pianos on local craigslist this morning! big demand for free pianos! :lol:

RTM · May 6, 2026

RoninB4 said:
. The soundboard in pianos is often a specially selected piece from what I've read.

My sources concur. Several reports of that being the whole best part of the salvage job.

BMW Rider · May 7, 2026

Years ago we were given my wife's grandmothers old upright piano. It was solid, but had several issues with the workings. I was ready to dismantle it and salvage what I could but my wife decided to invest in having it repaired instead. A piano shop did all the working stuff and I did the refinishing and repairs to the case work. It now sits in our living room and is a great photo and trinket stand having hardly been played since the work was done. Probably will be hard to give away too whenever my wife is done with it. Modern life seems to not fit with playing a piano at home anymore.

HoosierBuddy · May 13, 2026

Piano's are tough. Uprights especially.

I travel some and end up attending church services with various denominations with different settings (rural, suburban, and urban) at different socio-economic levels even.

Upright pianos don't get much use in churches anymore. Younger/newer churches use keyboards. Churches that even use pianos tend to baby grands, because even a decent baby grand can be had for not-a-lot-of-money these days. More traditional churches still lean on their organs...but those are typically legacy instruments that are literally built into the sanctuary. My home church has a couple of upright pianos donated to the church stuck in classrooms but they only get played for fun by the kids. They don't get used for services ever and are likely well out of tune all the time.

And that's half the issue with "real" pianos. They take a lot of maintenance to keep them in tune and working properly if you can even find a good piano tuner that is willing to come do it.

As an aside, I was talking to my sister-in-law a couple of days ago (she has her degree in organ music and works full time in the field) about this very issue and how pipe organs are becoming an endangered species, at least to the extent that there aren't a lot of them being made and installed anymore. Digital instruments allow for a lot of flexibility (like you can flip a switch and make it sound like a totally different organ), require a fraction of the maintenance, are always ready to play regardless of the heat/cold/humidity level in the space (all of which affect a real pipe organ A LOT), and cost a fraction of what a traditional instrument would.

rust in the eye · May 14, 2026

Why are you the designated arbiter here?
Seems you recognize the table is a wreck and don't much care about its disposition.
I say give it to those concerned to decide, restore, whatever.
Faced with more effort the nostalgic ones may change their view.
Maybe a last meal around the old table then a family bonfire

RTM · May 14, 2026

rust in the eye said:
Maybe a last meal around the old table then a family bonfire

Ohhhhh, there is an idea, lots of ceremony can be invoked.

Repurposing Wood from large antique Dining Table (veneered)

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