Custom Firehouse Kitchen Table at #3…Where the Fire Critic Eats!

I have great news everyone…Roanoke Fire-EMS firehouse #3 has completed their custom kitchen table. We began dreaming up this table about a year and a half ago…and started building it about 9 months ago. (photos by Drew Abel)

Everything changed everyday we came to work…the design and materials we were going to use. Feelings were hurt, rank pulled, and egos crushed. We let it all hang out in the bay at #3 and finally got the job done. There is nothing like a little creativity to bring all the guys together!

View some other customizations we have done at our firehouse here

View some other custom kitchen tables we have had on FireCritic.com here, here,and here.

Ok, the details…

The top

• Constructed of untreated 4×4’s (pine or douglas fir)
• They are glued and have 4 threaded rods going through them from side to side
• The top was sanded by a floor refinisher (Captain Wines hooked us up)
• The apron of the top is cherry lumber that looked like hell when we got it. It was free from Lucas, but the planer it burned up was not
• The middle of the apron is purpleheart…a little bit of contrast. We also plugged the screw holes with purpleheart and it really sets it off
• We stained the entire top with “early American” stain…I think, although it might have been “special walnut”
• We applied 6 gallons of clear epoxy bartop to the tabletop. Two gallons at a time…$125 for 2 gallons…this hurt the wallet!

Lucas welded "3A 2010" in the leg bracket...we started it last year!

The legs

• Firefighter David Lucas fabricated the brackets from steel. It is one piece with 4 holes to accept the legs. There is a long stabilization rod between the two sets of leg mounts.
• The legs are also untreated 4×4’s
• The two sets of legs are connected with a 4×4 brace that is mortise and tenoned. Great craftsmanship, but you can’t see it!
• We simply polyurethaned the legs…That’s how we roll!

A #3 coin flush mounted in the side. Notice the purpleheart!

The details

• We did a cherry inlay of a 3 in the middle of the table. We decided to do this instead of any graphics. While the inlay is not perfect, the table looks great. I am happy with it.
• We flush mounted one of our station coins in the side of the table right in the purpleheart. It sets it off.
• Lucas also added “3A 2010” in the metal on the brackets. We started it last year, and 3A built it entirely.

Overall, the table is simplistic. We intended it to be that instead of being over the top or gaudy. In the end, we are happy with the finished product.

It is easily the best looking table in a Roanoke firehouse…although I might be a little biased.

Special thanks to Drew Abel’s patience, David Lucas’s metal working skills and cherry lumber from the barn, Eric Mulford’s help, Captain Craft’s green paint that we promptly painted over, the occasional presence of Jason Gardner, Captain Wines for getting the table sanded, Aaron Murray’s donation, the gift card from Scooter, and some assistance from Captain Weeks when we applied the bartop finish. In addition to all of that, since completion several other guys from #3 have helped reimburse the Bank of Fleitz for paying for this monstrosity.

• Lumber $240
• 6 gallons of epoxy bartop $390
• Planer we burned up $300
• Miscellaneous purchases $100
• The look on Captain Weeks face when we told him that ours was 100% built by firefighters in a firehouse and his wasn’t…PRICELESS