Canadian manufacturer Corelam teams with British designer to produce 'Ripple,' claimed to be world's lightest timber table; designer selects corrugated birch plywood to reduce weight to 9 kg, says design uses 80% less material than typical wooden tables

Wendy Lisney

DUNEDIN, New Zealand , October 18, 2013 (Friday Offcuts) – British industrial designer Benjamin Hubert has created what is claimed to be the world’s lightest timber table. Dubbed Ripple, the two and half meter (8.2 ft) long table is made from 0.8mm (0.03 inch) thick Canadian Spruce aircraft plywood and weighs in at an incredible 9 kilograms (approx. 20 pounds).

In collaboration with Canadian manufacturer Corelam, Hubert adopted a new production technique that corrugates the plywood through pressure lamination. This technique allowed Hubert to create a strong and sturdy table that uses up to 80 percent less material than most wooden tables and is light enough to be moved around by one person.

"Ripple is made entirely from 3 ply 0.8mm birch aircraft plywood, a timber sourced only in Canada, where the table is manufactured," says Hubert. "The material is the same as that used in construction of the Hughes H-4 Hercules – popularly known as the “Spruce Goose” – the world’s largest all timber airplane."

The table is available to be purchased by commissioned orders only, with prices yet to be announced.

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