What ins of wood??

[Tim Geary]

I'm building a coffe table. I plan on using 2" thick wood for most of it. The base will be painted white and the table top will be wood. What kind of wood should I use for the base? Should I be using pine or basswood to keep the weight down? Or should I use birch cause it won't dent as easily?
thanks for the advice

[Mark Kornell]

Tim,

A coffee table isn't particularly large, so the weight difference between basswood and birch is not that big. I'd use something hard and, because you are painting it, something that has a non-pored surface. Birch, maple and beech would all be good choices. Cherry, too, but that's likely expensive for something that will be painted.

[Richard Shaefer]

I'd go with poplar.
workability wise it's identical to cherry and its got a good tight grain that takes paint well.
I would not use basswood. you'll dent it by sneezing at it.

[Tim Geary]

Thanks for the advice. That's what I thought about the softer woods but when I called the lumber store in Montreal the person thought I should use those.

[Bill Adamsen]

Poplar is inexpensive and easy to work, and holds paint exceptionally well. It would work well for your painted base. According to the government, (see Yellow poplar) it is not nearly as hard as the other woods mentioned (birch, cherry, maple). I don't think of poplar as something which would receive a natural finish, though I have stained and finished poplar very successfully when it needed to match other woods. Of the other woods you mention, American cherry jumps out as the (my) favorite for a natural finish. Sometimes for projects like this I just go with what's readily available.

[Wade Lippman]

I would probably spring for maple,but poplar ought to be fine if you are cost conscious.
Consider gluing your 2" up out of thinner pieces. 9/4 poplar will be expensive, and painted it won't matter.