RH Raimund Haag – founder, who has been working with wood for over 25 years
Epoxy resin has become a cliché on the internet, with blue tables imitating the ocean. We use it differently: as a technical solution, not as a visual effect.
A slab made from a single piece almost always has cracks, open knots or insect holes. Left untreated, they open up over time. We secure them either with butterfly keys (a butterfly-shaped insert let into the wood across the crack – the traditional method) or with clear or subtly tinted resin, when the gap is too irregular for a wooden joint.
When two planks from the same log have beautiful live edges, we place them facing each other and pour resin between them. The result is a top wider than the log itself would allow, with a continuous line running down the middle. It's a deliberate design choice, not a way of hiding flaws.
After pouring, the top is sanded and finished with the same protective system as the wood. It stands up to everyday life very well: plates, glasses, daily wiping. Like any surface, it doesn't take kindly to sharp objects being dragged across it, or to hot pans without a trivet.
High-quality resins contain a UV filter and keep their colour. What helps most is not leaving the table in direct sunlight for hours on end – good advice in any case, for the wood too.
