LIVE EDGE SLABS
Pika has been working with live edge slabs since the day the doors opened. We started out buying slabs from suppliers from around the country, but learned quickly there is a huge amount of variability in the products we received. We have acquired the proper equipment and a large inventory of our own live edge slabs that are handled here at our shop in Colorado from drying, to surfacing, to finishing.
Drying
We start our process by air drying the slabs for at least a year to stabilize them and help prevent checking. Once they are dry enough, they go into our vacuum kiln for at least a couple months. We guarantee we get our slabs down to 8% moisture or lower for the dry rocky mountain climate. If you build a table with a slab from anywhere other than the dry mountain climate we have here, you are taking a risk of the wood moving as it adjusts to the climate and ending up with a warped table top.
Planing & Sanding
Once dried, we use a CNC machine to surface the slabs to thickness and get them perfectly flat. They then go through our 52” wide sander and get orbital sanded smooth before finishing.
Finishing
For finishing the slabs, we start by filling the cracks and voids with marine grade epoxy. Once the epoxy cures we move them into our professional grade spray booth to be finished with a 2-part catalyzed finish for maximum durability. We use conversion varnish as a standard finish or a 2k poly for a higher durability finish at a higher cost.
This process has been refined over the years, and the furniture we create is guaranteed from manufacturer defects in our rocky mountain climate. We have done the research and developed a process we trust. This has built us a reputation for producing furniture that lasts so you can feel confident in adding a timeless piece to your collection.