Port Gamble Cafe Remodel

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Wainscot wall paneling separates the bar from the restaurant.

Port Gamble is a historic mill town, so when contemplating a remodel the owners of The Port Gamble Cafe chose lumber milled from logs previously used at the Port Gamble Mill. Trinity River Marine supplied the lumber for the tongue and groove wainscot dividers, rustic floor, walls, window trim, and the bar.

The Port Gamble Cafe shares a building with the Port Gamble General Store which is stocked with delightful gifts and is definitely worth a visit. The shell museum upstairs has specimens of shells and insects from around the world; some are extraordinary. If you head straight up the stairs intent on seeing the giant clam you may be able to get yourselves and your children past the desserts and candy.

There is a view of the Port Gamble Bay out the windows and the food is worth waiting for. The cafe is popular – if you go at dinner time, consider calling ahead for reservations, especially on summer weekends.

 

Picnic Tables

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PICNIC TABLES CRAFTED FROM REPURPOSED LOGS

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Douglas Fir teredo picnic table.

Sturdy picnic tables have been handcrafted from repurposed hemlock and Douglas fir logs that were formerly used as boomsticks that surrounded and contained log rafts in the Puget Sound. Many of the picnic tables contain bores and tunnels from teredo clams giving them unique Pacific Northwest character. The picnic table legs are from ancient cedar logs that were bundled to form the floats of the University of Washington Oceanography Lab in Seattle from 1920 until 2007, when the cedar floats were replaced with steel pilings. The cedar logs were not infested with teredo clams, which only live in salt water. Because old growth cedar is highly resistant to rot when in contact with organic ground, such as soil or lawns, it is an excellent choice for picnic table legs.

Since these picnic tables are made from full dimensional lumber, they are seriously stout. Our standard models are 4’, 6’, 7’  and 8’ in length. We also build 2 different width tables; the 5 board table top is 32” wide, and the 6 board top is 38” wide. All boards are a full 2″ thick.

Each picnic table consists of 21 or 24 pieces of lumber which are  carefully selected for consistency and style. We create a balanced table top with slightly lighter teredo activity on the outside, progressing to more active teredo on the interior boards. We have also found that few or zero teredo burrows are advised on the bench seats, since rainwater or sprinklers or spills can become trapped in the little lakes, and get peoples pants or shorts wet. The boards are planed on 4 sides, then shaped and assembled. Tables are typically finished with a Sikkens brand oil, but a number of alternate finishes are also used and are available upon preference or request. Over time and exposure to the ultra-violet light from the sun, the tables transition from the natural color of the wood, then to brown and finally to gray. Belt sanding and refinishing every few years can maintain the table in its natural original color if desired.

Each table is an individual piece of art and as such is numbered, signed and dated. We are currently working on creating illustrated instructions for these tables so that customers can purchase the lumber and make their own.