Hardwood tree slices are no longer considered mere "offcuts" in Europe, but rather a high-quality raw material. Large, cleanly dried slices of walnut, elm, or acacia fetch prices on the market that are sometimes significantly higher than many finished pieces of furniture. At the same time, DIY projects are on the rise: customers are buying a raw tree slice and want to build their own coffee table from it.
This article shows how the market for hardwood tree slices is structured in Europe, which technical points are crucial for self-assembly – and why a pre-assembled tree trunk or tree slice coffee table is often the more realistic solution.
1. Market prices: Why hardwood tree slices are so expensive
If you look at offers from specialized timber merchants in Europe (e.g. suppliers of "European walnut tree slice" or "natural elm tree slice"), you quickly recognize some patterns:
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Wood types: European walnut, elm, oak, and more exotic woods
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Dimensions: Diameter approx. 80–180 cm, thicknesses usually 80–100 mm
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Condition: rough sawn , i.e., roughly cut, not yet milled flat, not sanded, not oiled
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Price range: from around CHF 700–800 for smaller pieces to over CHF 2,000 for very large, thick and rare tree slices
It should be noted that this is not yet a finished table, but "only" a dried, roughly prepared blank. The high price has understandable reasons:
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Large dimensions are rare – trees from which slices with a diameter of over 1 m and a thickness of 8–10 cm can be cut are rare.
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Drying risk – during the multi-year drying phase, many pieces crack, warp, or buckle and are no longer saleable. The remaining pieces have to absorb the losses.
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Storage and handling costs – large, heavy tree slices require space, pallets, stacking devices and regular inspection.
Even from this perspective, it becomes clear: Anyone buying a hardwood tree slice in furniture dimensions is already in the price range of high-quality finished coffee tables.
2. What really matters when building your own table
Theoretically, it's possible to buy a tree slice and turn it into a table yourself. In practice, it often fails due to a few technical details.
a) Drying and wood moisture
For a stable indoor table, the wood moisture content should be around 8–12% . Often, tree slices appear dry on the outside but are significantly moister in the core. Consequences:
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The wood continues to move after being cut and sanded.
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New cracks may appear or existing ones may widen considerably.
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The disc can warp or twist and no longer lies flat.
Professional companies combine several years of air drying with kiln drying, conduct measurements with wood moisture meters, and consistently sort out unsuitable pieces. As a private individual, this is hardly possible to reliably monitor.
b) Thickness and size
Not every impressively large tree slice is automatically suitable as a living room table:
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Thicknesses of 60–80 mm are ideal for coffee tables: sufficiently solid, but still manageable.
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For thicknesses exceeding 100 mm, weight, costs, and the risk of warping increase significantly.
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For typical Swiss living rooms, diameters or lengths of approximately 80–110 cm have proven effective. Larger pieces quickly appear oversized.
Without experience, it is difficult to assess whether a particular disc will later look harmonious in the room or is simply too large/too heavy.
c) Face milling and grinding
A raw tree slice is rarely flat. To make a tabletop from it, you need:
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Surface milling / dressing – using a large milling slide or wide belt sander to ensure the plate has the same height everywhere.
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Multi-stage sanding – from coarse grit (60/80) to fine (180/240 or more), evenly over the entire surface.
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Crack treatment – large cracks must be stabilized, e.g. with dovetail clamps, wooden fillers or casting resin.
These steps are possible with hand-held machines, but are very time-consuming and require experience to ensure the board does not end up wavy or stained.
d) Surface treatment
The choice of surface finish influences appearance, feel, and everyday usability:
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Oil – accentuates the grain, feels pleasantly warm, can be touched up locally.
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Oil/wax – very natural feel, but more sensitive to water stains.
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Lacquer – easy to care for, but less "wood-like" in feel and harder to repair invisibly.
If sealing is done too early (when the wood moisture content is too high) or too "tightly", tensions in the wood can lead to later problems.
3. Hidden costs and risks of DIY projects
When all factors are added together, it becomes clear: A self-built solution is by no means automatically cheaper.
Typical costs for a self-assembled tree slice tabletop:
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Blank: CHF 700–1,500 , depending on the type of wood/size
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Surface milling/grinding by a carpenter: often several hundred francs
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Oils, sandpaper, tool wear: another three-figure sum
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Table frame (metal or wood): quickly CHF 200–400
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Transport, storage, potential failed attempts: difficult to measure, but real.
In total, you end up spending CHF 1,200–1,800 or more – without any guarantee that the board and surface will actually turn out as desired. If the wood warps unexpectedly after a year, you have to start all over again.
4. Ready-made tree trunk and tree slice coffee tables as an alternative
Against this backdrop, pre-assembled solid wood coffee tables made from tree slices often seem surprisingly sensible. For customers who want a table with character without becoming woodworkers themselves, ready-made tables offer several clear advantages.
a) Drying and stability already tested in advance
The Suar tree slices (acacia) used in Buddha decorations are:
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air-dried over several years
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tested in real living situations,
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They are only included in the product range as tables if they have proven themselves in terms of shape and stability.
This means that the most critical phase – drying – has already been completed. Customers are not buying an "experiment," but a tested and verified product.
b) Sensible dimensions for Swiss living spaces
Most coffee tables fall into size ranges such as:
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Diameters or lengths of 80–120 cm ,
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Panel thicknesses of approximately 6–9 cm .
These dimensions have proven successful in countless homes, lounges, and offices. The table makes a statement without overwhelming the room and remains manageable in everyday use.
c) Fully processed: ready for use
The tables will be:
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Planed milled and cleanly ground,
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provided with a suitable surface (oiled or natural),
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Assembled with stable frames and tested for stability.
In principle, anyone who receives the table can use it directly after unpacking – without additional workshop visits, sanding work or experiments with oils and varnishes.
d) Price-performance ratio compared to the raw material
A fully assembled tree trunk coffee table from Buddha Deko often costs about the same as a high-quality blank, but includes:
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the entire drying process,
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all work steps up to the finished tabletop,
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the table frame,
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Consultation, on-site selection and delivery in Switzerland.
Especially when you honestly factor in your own time, tools and the risk of errors, the difference between a blank and a finished table is often smaller than you initially think.
e) Warranty, service and predictability
There is also one point that raw material cannot offer:
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Warranty and service – e.g. 2-year warranty and lifetime in-store maintenance.
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Consultation and comparison – customers can see several unique pieces side by side and choose the one that best suits the room.
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Delivery options – the table will be securely packaged for transport and delivered within Switzerland in a few days.
This turns the "wood idea" into a calculable furniture project.
👉 Discover our fully assembled solid wood tree trunk and tree slice coffee tables – available immediately from our Schaffhausen warehouse.
Conclusion
The European market for hardwood tree slices clearly demonstrates that large, cleanly dried slices are a scarce and expensive commodity. Between the raw material and the finished coffee table lie numerous work steps, specialized knowledge, and often several years of drying time. Those who enjoy working with their hands and have access to machinery can consciously embark on this adventure.
For everyone else, a ready-made tree trunk or tree slice coffee table is usually the more direct way to a durable, characterful piece of furniture: in sensible sizes, with tested drying, finished surface and a clearly calculable total price.
This leaves more energy for what a coffee table is actually meant for: conversations, everyday life, time spent together – instead of for dust, sanding work and humidity measurements.
FAQ about tree slices, DIY tables and ready-made tree trunk coffee tables
Why are hardwood tree slices so expensive in Europe?
Large hardwood tree slices are rare, require years of drying, and have a high failure rate due to cracking and warping. Storage and handling costs are also added to the mix. Therefore, even the raw piece often costs between approximately CHF 700 and CHF 2,000 – before a table is even made from it.
What wood moisture content is ideal for a tree slice coffee table?
For a stable indoor coffee table, the wood moisture content should be around 8–12%. If the core is significantly more moist, the wood will continue to expand and contract: new cracks can appear, the tabletop may cup, or it may warp so much that it no longer sits flat.
What size and thickness are recommended for a coffee table made from a tree slice?
For typical Swiss living rooms, diameters or lengths of approximately 80–110 cm have proven effective. Slab thicknesses of around 6–8 cm appear solid but remain manageable. Very large slabs over 100 mm thick are significantly heavier, more expensive, and more difficult to dry.
Is it worth making a table from a tree slice yourself?
Those with extensive experience, time, and access to machinery can undertake such a project. Realistically, however, the cost of the raw material must be supplemented by expenses such as milling, sanding, surface treatment, a frame, and transportation. Often, the total cost is comparable to that of a high-quality, finished coffee table – but without any guarantee of stability or a perfect finish.
What are the advantages of ready-made tree trunk or tree slice coffee tables from Buddha Deko?
The Suar wood slices used by Buddha Deko have been dried for years and are tried and tested in practice. The tables are already milled flat, sanded, surface-treated, and fitted with sturdy frames. Customers receive a unique, ready-to-use piece in practical living room dimensions – including consultation, delivery within Switzerland, a warranty, and lifetime maintenance at the store.