It's the first question most people have, and one of the last ones they feel comfortable asking. So let's answer it directly.

A custom dining table from Great Oak starts at $8,000. Most fall between $8,000 and $14,000 depending on size, species, and complexity. Some go higher.

That range probably looks different from what you'd find at a furniture retailer. It's also different from what you'd pay for a mass-produced piece with a custom veneer or a name-brand finish. What it buys you is a table made entirely by one person, with solid wood throughout, joinery that will hold for generations, and a finished surface that improves with age rather than wearing out.

Here's what actually drives the cost.

Size

Larger tables require more material and significantly more time. A table for six is a different project than one for ten. Extension leaves add another layer of complexity — the hardware, the fit, the way the leaf integrates with the top when it's in and when it's out. Every inch matters.

Wood species

White Oak, Walnut, Cherry, and reclaimed barn wood are the species I work with most. White Oak is the most practical choice for a dining table — dense, stable, and honest about daily use. Walnut runs higher in material cost and has a particular character that some clients want specifically. Reclaimed wood is priced on the specific material, since every board is different.

Species affects cost, but it's not the primary driver. The table's size and joinery complexity matter more.

Joinery and construction

A dining table has to handle decades of use — chairs pulled out and pushed in, weight shifted, seasonal movement in the wood. The way it's built determines whether it holds. Mortise-and-tenon joints, hand-fitted bases, and traditional construction methods take more time than hardware-dependent alternatives. That time is in the price.

Finish

The finish affects both the look and the long-term behavior of the table. An oil finish takes more coats and more hand-work but leaves the wood feeling like wood. A harder film finish is faster to apply and more protective in the short term. Either way, finishing is not a quick step — it's several days of work at the end of the build.

What you're not paying for

You're not paying for a showroom, a sales team, or a production facility. Great Oak is one person working in one studio. Every dollar in the price goes toward the material, the time, and the craft. That's not a selling point — it's just what the work costs when it's done right.

A note on timeline and value

A table at this price point is not an impulse purchase, and it shouldn't be. The clients who are happiest with the process are the ones who've thought carefully about what they want, are ready to wait for it to be built right, and understand that what they're getting will outlast the house it goes in.

If you're comparing this to a furniture store, the math won't work. If you're comparing it to what it would cost to replace a lesser table every ten years, it starts to make sense.

If you're thinking seriously about commissioning a table, reach out. We'll talk through what you have in mind and whether the fit is right — for both of us.