Townsend Solid Wood Side Table in Java

A Map Chest Drawer Front on a 24 Inch Cube of Roughhewn Hardwood

Dimensions	24″w x 24″d x 24″h
Materials	Kiln dried sengon tekik hardwood, solid wood frame, front, top and sides, plywood drawer boxes, engineered wood dust cover and back panel
Finish	Java, a 9 step finish with dark glaze to accentuate the grain and a light wash to simulate the patina of age, NC lacquer
Drawer	One drawer behind a faux parting rail front, interior 5″h x 18″w x 15″d, English dovetail joinery, oil rubbed bronze knobs
Weight	56 lb
Weight capacity	300 lb
Carton	18″h x 27″w x 27″d, shipping weight 59 lb, ships via Small Parcel
Assembly	Three steps, bolting the legs to the upper drawer unit and shelf, about 15 minutes

The Townsend side table is built around a visual trick borrowed from map chests. A faux parting rail crosses the drawer front, so the face of the table reads as two stacked drawers while opening as one deep compartment. That single drawer measures 5 inches high by 18 inches wide by 15 inches deep, which is wide enough for remotes, chargers, coasters and a paperback to share one space instead of spreading across the top. The 24 inch square top then stays clear for the lamp and the drink, which is the division of labor a side table beside daily seating is supposed to provide.

Below the drawer, an open shelf runs across the lower frame. It holds the larger items that never fit a drawer of this depth: a folded throw, a short stack of books or a basket for the objects a living room accumulates. The cube stands 24 inches high, level with the arm of a typical sofa, and the floor clearance under the case is 2.5 inches. At 56 lb the table stays where it is placed, and the published capacity of 300 lb reflects the solid hardwood frame rather than a load anyone will test with a lamp and a novel.

The finish does most of the talking on this piece. The planks are naturally roughhewn, with heavy saw marks, pitting and wane left in the surface from milling, and the 9 step Java finish lays a dark glaze into the grain before a light wash softens the face to simulate the patina of age. In a room of smooth factory finishes, that worked surface is the contrast.

Kiln Dried Sengon Tekik Hardwood With Dovetail Joinery

The case is all solid wood construction from kiln dried sengon tekik hardwood, with the frame, front, top and sides in solid wood. The drawer boxes are plywood and the dust cover and back panel are engineered wood, as published, and the drawer itself is built with English dovetail joinery, the interlocking corner joint that keeps a wide drawer square under years of pulls. Oil rubbed bronze knobs finish the front. The distressing on this collection is not applied decoration: it comes from the milling process and from intrinsic features of the timber itself, so the saw marks and pitting follow the grain of each plank.

Care for a Glazed and Washed Hardwood Finish

Dust with a soft, dry or slightly damp cloth and dry the surface immediately, and use coasters under drinks so moisture never sits on the wash. Natural wood must breathe and is affected by environmental conditions, so shrinkage, expansion and plank movement over time are normal occurrences for solid hardwood and will not affect the structural integrity of the table. Those movements are part of owning a solid wood piece rather than a defect in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many drawers does the Townsend side table have?

One. The map chest front uses a faux parting rail to give the single drawer the appearance of two drawers. The real interior measures 5 inches high by 18 inches wide by 15 inches deep and is built with English dovetail joinery.

What assembly does the Townsend side table require?

Assembly takes about 15 minutes in three steps, bolting the legs to the upper drawer unit and the shelf. The table ships in one carton measuring 18 inches high by 27 inches wide by 27 inches deep, with a shipping weight of 59 lb, via Small Parcel.

How much weight can the Townsend side table hold?

The published weight capacity is 300 lb and the table weighs 56 lb. The rating follows from the solid hardwood frame, front, top and sides, and it leaves everyday loads such as lamps, books and drinks far below the limit.

Where was the Townsend side table made and what warranty covers it?

The table is made in Indonesia and is covered by a 1 year limited warranty against defects in materials and workmanship, running from the date of delivery.

The same map chest drawer language runs across the bedroom in the townsend eight drawer dresser in java with map chest fronts. In front of the sofa, the townsend hardwood coffee table with roughhewn planks repeats the glazed Java surface at coffee table scale.