Author: Jacob Wood
Cutting Boards








Aware Marketplace

https://www.awaremarketplace.com/
I designed and built a collection of nesting tables, shelves, and a cashier desk for a boutique called Aware Marketplace, located downtown in the Cleveland Arcade. The design is centered around maple table tops and anodized black aluminum frames for a clean modern look. The customer, Rachel Kayza, provided the creative direction for the project and I was happy to make her vision become a reality. The store is now open and filled with quality products, so check it out!
Black Walnut Coffee Table






I made this coffee table using wood from a local Cleveland sawmill and fabricated the legs at Cleveland Steel Tool, the shop where I work. It has a thick coat of polyurethane to keep the bark intact, and has rubber grippers on the legs for stability and to protect floors. The table is 46″ x 17″ on the sides, 1″ thick, and 17″ tall. The legs are 1.5″ wide and about 1/4″ thick.
Bald Cypress Coffee Table
Bald Cyprus wood – a uniquely shaped tree that is rarely cut in this way. This was a really unique piece of wood that made the journey to Ohio from somewhere down south, probably from a swampy or marshy area. This specific cut is made near the bottom of the trunk after the tree has been feld. The table top is coated with a layer of tongue oil followed by a thick coat of liquid glass epoxy. This makes sure the wood is protected and sealed, with a thick, durable, shinny coat that will last forever. Three industrial style hairpin legs that stabilize the table without wobble or fear of tipping over from putting things on the table.The underside is coated in polyurethane to completely seal the wood. This item is ok to leave outside and will not absorb moisture. The poly seal also assures there will be no particles falling from the wood on your living room floor.










Maple Dresser
















I saw this piece down the street from where I live in Lakewood, Ohio. It was put out with the trash. I recognized by the weight, that this was made of hardwood and decided to take it home. The wood was in relatively good condition, as it was coated in a waterproofer, though some time ago. There were a few pits on the top, which I was able to blend with a hand plane. I removed the blocky outdated trim and the replaced the wooden handles with brushed steel modern handles. After a few weeks of sanding, it was ready for a pre-stain conditioner (to make sure the stain applies perfectly) followed by a dark walnut oil based stain. I wanted a dark clean look that worked well with the modern hardware, but kept it light enough to keep some of the beautiful hardwood grain visible. A final coat of semigloss polyurethane to protect the wood and make for easy cleaning.
Butcher’s Block Workbench Bar
Restored Butcher’s block workbench turned into a bar. 3/4″ black plumbers pipe was used for the legs with a t-joint and a cross brace between the end legs. This table is heavy and tough as nails.











Restored Butcher’s block workbench turned into a bar. 3/4″ black plumbers pipe was used for the legs with a t-joint and a cross brace between the end legs. This table is heavy and tough as nails.
Spalted Maple Coffee Table









Here is another slab coffee table or end table. This one is made of spalted hard maple. I was surprised with just how smooth this top turned out. This was a smaller slab to a larger group of slabs from a maple tree that was likely a hundred years old or more. The live edge 2″ thickness makes this piece feel like it will last another hundred years.
