Hi,
I am planning on building a table to go on our deck. Deck is covered, but still it will be outside and thus subject to some weathering. The sort of design I'm thinking is a pretty standard table shape, apron and possibly slightly tapered legs. As a bit of a greenie, I'd like to use recycled timber. What I'm thinking is to have the legs and apron done in some old pine (probably hoop pine) that I've picked up, and the top recycled hardwood. I'd paint the legs and apron, and have the top oiled (or something). I was thinking doing the top with breadboard ends to take into account movement. As an outdoor piece I'm not aiming at anything too fine, a rustic look would be good, and thus imperfections and signs of timber movement would be ok. The Americans would, I think, call this type of table a farmhouse table.

So, just wondering about opinions people might have, particularly stuff like the thickness of the table top. I don't want it to look too chunky, but I'm a bit worried by instability if it were too thin. I'm also not sure of the best way to get the timber for the top. I probably would be struggling to dress recycled hardwood, but maybe I could get it done at woodnyou or something.