Ex #2 is doing an "addition" to her house down the street (take the house down to the floor joists and go from there).
This morning she asked me "How much does wood cost?" (see where this is heading?)
Rather than go into board feet, grades of wood, types of wood, surfacing, thickness, width etc. Iwent with "What do you want to make or have made?"
In her future kitchen she wants a 24-26" wide x 6 feet long x 2" thick "oak" slab serving and eating surface/shelf/counter behind the sink and stove top. And she doesn't want bread- board ends - not the look she's going for.
Explained that boards that wide and long, and for that matter, thick, in oak, if you could find it out here in Silly Cone Valley, would be in the $300 - $400+ range. AND it could "move" almost 1/2" between min and max temp & relative humidity if it's plain sawn (quarter sawn oak in that width would be almost impossible to come by out here). Given the location (the relative humidity in a kitchen can get pretty high and next to the sink and stove top...?) I'd expect it to bow and/or cup without bread board ends. Wood and water shouldn't go together when the wood is furniture.
"Oh, I'll just seal the wood with poly. Then moisture can't get to it so it won't be a problem. They do it all the time."
"Oh kee dokee." says I and went out to the shop. I know you can lead a horse to water but ... I've also learned not to spit into the wind. How custom furniture makers deal with people like this is a mystery to me but God Bless 'Em.
charlie b