My 6 month old dining table is cracking, need advice on what to do about it

[TapDancer88]

I saved for years to buy the Montego dining table/chairs at Pottery Barn which I purchased six months ago. I paid almost $3,000 for the set which is probably more than I spent on the rest of the furniture in my entire house.

I recently discovered there is a long, thin crack/split going from one side of the table half way to the other. I went to the store yesterday with photos (which is what I was told to do when I called them) and the manager asked me where I live and if I have a humidifier. I told him I lived 30 min. from the store and I have a humidifier in my house but only use it in my bedroom when I'm sick which has been once since I've had the table. He proceeded to tell me we live in such a dry climate (Colorado) that the table probably cracked because of our dry winter. Really? He recommend I humidify my dining room and the only option he gave me for my table was to have a "Furniture Medic" come out and glue the crack. If this state is too dry for Pottery Barn's furniture to survive in then why are they selling it here???????????? Not one other piece of furniture I have is cracking or needs to be humidified.

I guess I am a little disappointed that they're going to patch it and not replace it. I fear you'll be able to see the patch job & I'm afraid it may happen again down the road when it's not under warranty. Do you think I'm being unrealistic for wanting a new table? It's only six months old and my husband and I have literally eaten on the table (with cloth place mats) two times for no more than 15 min. each time.

I paid a lot of money for it and expect it to last until I die! I have multiple pieces of furniture from JCPenney and Target that are made with veneer and none of them are cracking/splitting. They were cheap and they're holding up better than my unused, super expensive table. It makes me sick!

The other problem I have is that this crazy cat I rescued (I found her pregnant in the street by my house late one night ready to have kittens) decided it would be fun to slide across the tablecloth I had on the table so there are a few cat scratches on the table. The table has a distressed look so they actually kind of blend in. I just worry that Pottery Barn is going to think the only reason I'm asking for a new table is because of the scratches but that's not the case at all. The cat did this a week after I got the table and at this point I think it gives the table character. I'll be reminded of her for as long as I have the table. Ha! A table is going to get scratched but the crack is on the joint which is a structural problem and could worsen over time.

Please help me figure out what the best thing to do is and tell me if I'm being unreasonable for wanting a new table as opposed to having it glued/patched. I have to call the furniture medic back tomorrow to schedule an appointment and I don't know what to do! Thanks!

[luckydog]

First of all, welcome to the boards.

Man, that's the pits about your table & situation.

I don't know anything about Colorado's climate (I have the opposite climate--humidity city). I googled: Colorado furniture dry air. I glanced the results & it seems that what the guy told you could be true. I think he should have told you all that WHEN YOU BOUGHT the table though...issued a disclaimer of sorts, for Colorado residents.

As far as the other cheaper furniture being fine & the expensive piece cracking: it's the nature of the beast. Wood is very sensitive to moisture changes...contracts with dry air & expands with humidity. It's normal for wood.

Veneer is a thin slice of wood that is glued onto a substrate of some type. It's more inexpensive to produce. The substrate & the sliced veneer don't "move" the same way that a solid wood dining table, like Montego, would.

Montego is more expensive to make. It has a large solid wood top, but that solid top consists of several solid planks of solid wood that are laminated or glued together. Each piece would move in response to dry or humid air. The problem you are having is called delamination. Delamination is when previously glued together pieces of wood separate. It's usually caused by extreme swings in temps/humidity/moisture.

I think that the placement of pieces is important, when the table is constructed. What I mean is, if they glued two pieces together with the grain running the same way on each, they might move the same way. If a table were glued together with pieces of opposing grains, they would not move the same way & you're left with a crack. I'm thinking opposing grains would mean more potential for problems, like you're having. And I think matching grain lamination is better and higher quality construction. A wood craftsman that makes custom kitchen cabinets or builds furniture (check your yellow pages) would be very knowledgeable on the subject could tell you more about this aspect. I might be have it totally backwards.

(My first job out of college was customer service for a nat'l furniture manufacturer that made outdoor furniture. We had one item in our line that consisted of laminated solid wood. It's been many years since then. It's hard for me to remember all that stuff about the grains & lamination. I either have it right, or backwards.)

In any case, I have to wonder the same thing as you: Why would PB sell their furniture in a climate where is would be normal for it to delaminate? Do y'all have central heat & air conditioning systems in your homes? Maybe the better question is: Is a humidifier part of the typical home's checklist in Colorado..the norm? If a humidifier is not the norm, it seems to me that their customer service dept would be absolutely overrun with claims from Colorado residents wouldn't it?

As for repair or replacement.... I don't blame you for being wary of the repair. How will it look? Will it happen again? If so, what happens the next time? Will the humidifier definitely solve the problem? Sounds like he's saying that if you get the humidifier then the repair or the new table would be fine & it wouldn't happen again. Wonder if he'll put that in writing!

You really need some knowledgeable help...not pitiful "can't remember" me. You need help from someone unbiased who can tell you if your table was constructed properly (grain direction/delamination thing that I might have backwards). You need to find someone unbiased who can confirm/debunk the humidifier being a necessary thing in your climate, if you have solid, laminated wood furniture. I'd pull out the yellow pages & look for a custom cabinet maker or custom furniture maker. I'd call them & tell them your situation. Tell them you are desperate & seeking advice & hopefully they will give you some. Most people in that line of work are people that really know & love their craft. They might enjoy sharing their knowledge & helping you out. Maybe you could pay them a visit & ask if they'll look at your pics, or have them come look at your table. You can always offer to pay them for their time. It might be advice well worth paying a little for.

Good luck!