Cracking pine farm table top

The problem is your source wood.

The moisture content was too wet (do you have a moisture meter?) and has dried and shrunk when exposed to dry central heating and winter conditions.

The ultimate solution is to buy wood and age it… Although, not always possible, this is the ultimate goal, especially for fine furniture pieces.

Unfortunately, the only solution is to make a new top.. Well, unless the client would be okay with you making it a ‘feature’ not a ‘problem’ by doing some inlays to keep the cracking to a minimum. But, I don’t know that that will be very elegant.

-- John F. SoCal transplant, chewer uppper of good wood

What Axis39 said. Try to avoid the box stores.

-- Clark

If you pinned the dominos how does that allow for movement? Are the cracks at the ends of main panel?

Appreciate the responses. Moisture content of the pine was between 10.1 and 10.4 when I put it together. Unlike the hardwoods that I use which I cut it on the sawmill, dry it in the kiln and then acclimate it in a climate controlled environment, I used store-bought pine for this clients 3 tables. Since the wood did come from the box store and used immediately it probably needed to be acclimated also. Sometimes when you’re in a hurry you overlook the obvious. Again thanks for the responses.

-- Steve - peachstatesawyer ( on Instagram)

Looking to the future, if you think you will build another one, I would build a kiln.

I’ve done a little research on this, as I have a lot of air dry lumber at 12-14% I need to get down.

It can be as simple as a plywood box, styrofoam panels, a small fan and a heat source some use 100 watt lights – enough to get to 140°F.

-- Everything is a prototype thats why its one of a kind!!

I use to build a lot from pine in the early 80’s. You really have to look those boards over.

Thanks for the input- appreciate all suggestions

-- Steve - peachstatesawyer ( on Instagram)

I’m a little skeptical that the table would crack like that with the wood simply drying from about 10% to about 8%, if the tabletop was free to expand and contract. Wood furniture in homes in many climates see at least that much variation seasonally, every year and survives as long as construction methods allow for movement. I might wonder if your moisture measurement was accurate, but you have a sawmill and kiln, so you have lots of experience with moisture meters.
My inclination would be to examine the breadboard ends more closely. I’m not sure I completely understand how the pinned dominos work, but is there any way the dominos got glued in place via the dowels or maybe the loose domino slots were still not quite large enough to allow the shrinkage?

-- Jeremy, in the Acadian forests

Seems the OP ignored my question about the dominos being pinned.

Absolutely not- been cutting wood on sawmill today and actually missed that question. Yes I pin my breadboard dominos but the holes in the domino itself is elongated side to side to allow movement. The cracks normally occur in tabletop well away from breadboard. I’m sure it’s both moisture and wood quality. Need to go back to using my wood vs box stores

-- Steve - peachstatesawyer ( on Instagram)

How were the boards prepared did you mill them square with a jointer, planer and tabkesaw. Or just clamp the edges closed with lots of clamps.

-- Aj

All the boards were sent through a planer (twice on each side)then they were edged with a track saw so joints matched perfectly. Used ample amounts of titebond 3 and we use frontline clamps. Im sure it’s the moisture in the boards as others have pointed out and is my fault for assuming store bought lumber could be used right away. Live and learn

-- Steve - peachstatesawyer ( on Instagram)