Pizza making table.

[mfiore]

What would members recommend for a food safe, durable (ie - weather resistant) wood that might be available in the U.S.?

[dmun]

As anyone who maintains a woodpile knows, bare wood doesn't fare well in weather. The woods that are used in decking, like cedar, ipe, and teak, usually have strong odors (that insects don't like) which I think would transfer to dough. Granite has gotten so cheap I don't see any reason not to use it. It's certainly cost competitive with expensive tropicals like ipe

[Tman1]

I made a pizza peel out of some leftover Ipe from a deck job. I also made an oak one, but i much prefer the heavier Ipe one. Just feels better.

Maybe walnut, or sometimes you can find brazilian cherry. Tigereye maple? Here's a quick list of exotic hardwoods:
Andiroba, Bayo, Bloodwood, Bocote, Bubinga, Spanish Cedar, Chaktekok, Chechen, Chicozapote, Cocobolo, Ebony, Fishtail Oak, Granadillo, Ironbark, Ipe, Jabin, Jarrah, Jatoba, Katalox, Kingwood, Koa, Lacewood, Lignum Vitae, African Mahogany, Machiche, Narra, Obeche, Pau Ferro, African Paduak, Peruvian Walnut, Purpleheart, Brazilian Rosewood, Satinwood, Snakewood, Teak, Vesi Wenge, Zebrawood

Found this link showing grain patterns:
Exotic Wood Supplier - Turning Blanks, Exotic Wood & Exotic Lumber | Bell Forest Products

Personally, I don't really think the amount of time the dough would actually spend on the table, that the wood will impart something back, but I drank out of the water hose when I was a kid too... just my opinion.

[brickie in oz]

Originally Posted by Tman1

Bloodwood, Ironbark, Jarrah

If these are the Australian species as I suspect they are make sure you have strong foundations.

Originally Posted by Tman1

Ebony, Lignum Vitae, Purpleheart,

For these species you need to sell your house plus some to secure enough for a small table.

[Tman1]

I just found the list.. copied and pasted. Expenditures are up to the owner!

[christo]

I've seen some nice outdoor tables, but to keep them nice looking they'll need care. I'd finish with a UV resistant poly and expect to redo every few years depending on the direct sun it sees.

My unfinished ipe seats around my kitchen, get washed but are not sealed, so they show some checking If they were a tabletop, flour would accumulate in those checks and not easily entirely cleaned out.

[Grunt44]

Hey Al
What is the size of your table , just been given some good sized Red Gum , would be idel to make a table similar to yours\
Regards
Grant

[brickie in oz]

Originally Posted by Grunt44

Hey Al
What is the size of your table , just been given some good sized Red Gum , would be idel to make a table similar to yours\
Regards
Grant

The table is 800 x 2050mm

[horrocks007]

Standard table height is 36inches and at least 24 inches deep, but deeper the better. Length is up to you.

[horrocks007]

Originally Posted by mfiore

What would members recommend for a food safe, durable (ie - weather resistant) wood that might be available in the U.S.?

Any type of wood you use as a food surface must be untreated.

You could have a spot built into your table for a cutting board.

This one would be a good choice.
Modular Series Puzzle Cutting Boards - Epicurean

Having crapped out many cutting boards, these seem to last forever, but are not the very best on your knives.