Live Edge Exclusives

08/27/2026

At Live Edge Exclusives, my goal is to craft pieces that outlast us and serve as true anchor points for your family’s home. Our Yakisugi dining tables are the perfect embodiment of this philosophy. Originating in 18th-century Japan, Yakisugi (often known as Shou Sugi Ban) is the ancient practice of charring wood to naturally protect it from its two greatest enemies: moisture and insects. While early carpenters relied on this intense process to protect exterior shelters from warping and decay, the chemical and physical properties of the char offer incredible applications for high-end furniture. The flames completely transform the wood, leaving an iridescent, jet-black canvas where natural features like curl and figuring still proudly show through.

Forged by Fire, Refined by DesignThe journey from raw slab to refined centerpiece is methodical, intentional, and beautifully unforgiving. The charring process produces a timeless black that reads as elegant and sophisticated, yet it magnifies every natural imperfection in the wood. Because results like these are earned, not given, the charred slab undergoes a meticulous finishing process. For indoor applications, we encase the entire table in deep-pour epoxy. This crucial step stabilizes the charred surface—ensuring soot never reaches your skin or fine white linens—while transforming the rustic, uneven char into a silky smooth, flawless surface. We can even utilize epoxy to fill natural voids or create mesmerizing rivers that flow through the dark, textured landscape.

08/23/2026

I'd like to introduce "Ruth" (Yes, there is a story, but you'll only hear about it at the shop!). Ruth is our new slab flattening machine from Jointa Wood ( ), the only one available anywhere in North Carolina. This machine has a 12 inch helical head with 81 carbide teeth AND and a 12" integrated drum sander. We can flatten slabs or tables up to 70 inches wide, 14+ feet long and 11 inches thick. Ruth takes the critical task of flattening slabs and any epoxy project from days to hours. Even better, you aren't left to sand down the machine marks from a 3" flattening bit or clean up the bags of wood shavings. We can be aggressive and take about 1/8" of material off per pass or we can be super gentle and remove less the 1/64" per pass. The best part of all, the last pass or two is with the drum sander so it's already sanded to 120 grit when you take it home; you'll be applying finish in no time! We also have a jointer bit that allows use to prep for glue-ups and a special V-bit which make the cut for that waterfall table you've been dreaming of trying.

08/11/2026

Yesterday and today were a major milestone for ! My Jointa Wood slab flattener () arrived and is installed!

This is the first machine of it's kind anywhere in North Carolina, and I couldn't be more excited about the opportunities for my clients.

I can now flatten and sand any size table from about 6 feet wide to 14 feet long. You'll be seeing a lot more this machine going forward as it is will quickly become the backbone of the entire business. I should be flattening slabs and tables by the the end of the week. I already have a project queued up for later this week and I'll be excited to share the results!

08/08/2026

Need a little light reading at the beach, by the pool or in the AC? On Thursday, I released the latest edition of the Live Edge Exclusives newsletter. If you missed it or aren't on our mailing list you can access it here. Enjoy!

2026 has already been full of uniquely epic builds! While the intense spring show season ended at the Maggie Valley Fly Fishing Festival in May, the pace of the shop has not slowed down one bit. So as we ring in the beginning of our 4th year, there is a lot to talk about and projects to highlight!

06/25/2026

This piece is was affectionately known around our house as the "unicorn table" because I knew the client existed for something this unique, but I never thought I'd find them. Two charred maple slabs, 30+ gallons of epoxy, and a custom base later, the bucket-list project has been successfully delivered in Charleston, SC. These are just my cell phone pictures all the professional photos are going to take a minute but I'll get them up soon.

06/24/2026

This table is all bundled up and ready for a DELIVERY DAY tomorrow to Charleston, SC. The tabletop alone weighs over 600 lbs...30 gallons of epoxy and two maple slabs will get that heavy, very quickly. This is an EPIC build...it includes flames, big tinted epoxy rivers, lots of clear epoxy and a fully custom base! I'll post some instant shots tomorrow but the professional shots might take a minute, check back often!

06/20/2026

I haven't been much into swag as a business owner but I fell in love with these hats and decided to make a small order with who took care of adding my logo. Awesome hats go great with anything...even fancy river tables! I'm happy to provide both.

06/03/2026

"C" is for Cookie and that's good enough for me... Sorry, I loved Cookie Monster as a kid and even more now that I'm a father, but I'm not posting about edible cookies today. This post is about cookie tables! Afterall, who doesn't want more cookies in their life?

Typically I use "slabs" or long pieces of wood cut on the horizontal axis (after it is felled) from the trunk of the tree. Cookies are from the same part of the tree, but they are full cross-sections of the trunk cut on the vertical axis. These particular pieces were from an old walnut tree which suffered from some form of heart- rot, where the standing tree is being broken down from the inside, where the heartwood would be. The wood in center of each piece was super brittle, but provides a ton of character along with all the ring and figuring action.

The client chose "Tanto Grey" for the epoxy tinting, probably the second most popular choice. I like it because it isn't just flat black. This mica powder has suble silver hightlights that provide a sense of movement in the epoxy while still providing the classic black epoxy appearance. Air bubbles coming from the decayed wood were a challenge to overcome in this piece, so was heat disspipation during the epoxy cure process. These were resolved by pouring the epoxy in several layers and sealing the cookies with penetrating epoxy before the pour. Both add time to the builds, but saves huge headaches during the finishing process. These pieces were commissioned by a law firm in Raliegh, NC, through a referal from a very happy client and all reports indicate that both clients and staff LOVE their cookie tables!

06/02/2026

Here's the story of a 10 ft x 5 1/2 ft conference table, the largest table out of the shop so far.

I started with three walnut slabs, all from the same tree, to get the oversized width. The center slab needed a little "creative license" to match the inside live edges of the other slabs, so....I'll spare you the details and let you determine if it worked out or not. Carolina Blue mica powder, the most popular color of my clients without question, was selected and I accomplished this look in three pours. First, the sealing pour to make sure the mold didn't leak, then the 1 3/4 inch main pour, and the final 1/2 inch pour to top off the river, fill in some bug holes and add a 3-dimensional element to the river. Then the sanding...and more sanding...and even more sanding. The clients required a communications box to connect computers to a wall mounted monitor through fancy floor mounted outlet; a very really good design concept! Next was the finish, a german-made, oil-based wax designed for hardwood floors, and an outstanding choice for this application. Oh, I almost forgot the custom-fabricated, powder-coated base and the c-channel to keep the table flat forever. Then, a standard feature of all of my tables, threaeded inserts with knock-down screws so the table can move wherever the business takes them.

I'll be honest. This was piece was a challenge...lots of sleepless nights, some blood, lots of sweat and a few tears. In the end, it is an awesome piece with so much character, the photos don't do it justice...figuring, knot holes, nail holes, crotch pieces, bug voids...this piece has all of it! This tree was destined for a river table and I had the privilege to build it and bring out all it has to offer.

You be the judge, let me know what you think!

05/29/2026

What happened to May? I blinked and schools are out, pools are open, and I had to turn on the AC in shop pour/finish room. Ohhhh, wait a minute. I should show you WHY I had to turn on the AC.

I've teased you all with glimpses into some of my spring projects but haven't shared the final glamour shots. I'm still not ready to share all the glamour shots, but I will share a few finished pieces from the shop as a little Friday jolt to get to the weekend! Enjoy!