I have bought a nice teak table - but it has several cracks now. The cracks are along a indent design and also along a few grains. It was fixed before, but several months later they have appeared again in the same place. What is the best way to fix these cracks permanently - any feedback would be greatly appriciated.

Many Thanks.

Vim Patel, February 2009

You may never be able to "fix" the cracks but you might be able to stop them widening and more cracks appearing.

Wood shrinks across the grain - if the table top is fixed too firmly to the base & legs cracks can appear (my guess is that it has been moved from a damp environment into a dryer place or that the wood is recently cut and has not dried out).

Examine the fixings underneath and try to discover the method of attachment - slightly loosen any screws in slots - they may well be done up too tightly to allow for the natural cross-grain shrinkage of the table top.

Some table tops are fixed with shrinkage plates like the picture here...

http://www.woodfit.com/images/BP310%20Right%20angle%20bracket%20C.jpg

The elongated slot allows for shrinkage.

Peccavi, February 2009