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Things to Consider While Looking at Dining Room Tables
Archive for the 'Single Pedestal Tables' Category
Author: admin, October 5, 2008
There are several things that you should look at or at least consider when choosing a table.
- How are the legs or pedestal joined to the table?
- Is the table solid wood or particle board?
- Can you see a distinct line between the leaves or sides of the table?
- Is the table top finished underneath?
How the legs or pedestal are attached tells you alot about the table. First of all if the legs are screwed in it is inevitable that they will loosen and when you try and tighten them you run the risk of stripping the original holes. Second if you need to move the table dismantling it runs an even higher risk of stripping the holes. Now if they are held in with bolts not only can you retighen them and move the table easily but bolts can only be used in a solid mounting system.
Solid wood or particle board? This is pretty straight forward. Solid wood is alot stronger, more durable and lasts alot longer, potentially generations when taken care of, than particle board. Something else to consider is that should something happen solid wood can generally be repaired ie sanded down and refinished. Particle board is basically an all or nothing proposition, when it fails it fails completely. If price is a concern then particle board will always beat solid wood but you have to consider how soon the table will begin to fall apart because sooner or later it will.
Most table tops are made in two pieces the joint between them is a good indicator of how well it’s made. If there is a very distinct line between the two sides or the leaves the table was not completed as a unit. This is a solid indicator that the pieces where mass produced. Mass production of anything leads to a more forgiving environment for flaws and problems. If they are willing to over look something as simple as making the table top line up what else did they miss? This is a true sign that quantity is more important than quality. When good furniture is produced quality always wins over quantity.
Another way to see if they builder pays attention to the small things is to see if they have finished the underside of the table. When I say finished I dont mean stained like the top of the table I mean is it coated with the same top coat as the rest of the table. The reason this is important is because they will absorb water (humidity) at different rates. Namely the unfinished side will swell more in high humidity conditions than the finished side and possibly cause the table to warp or twist. This is magnified in the dryer climates when a big rainstorm rolls through.
If you follow these guidelines you can be sure the table you are buying is a quality piece of furniture that will give you and your family decades and potentially generations of enjoyment. Once a table meets these qualification the only thing you have to worry about is styling and whether you want to stain it or paint it.
Author: admin, October 5, 2008
The choice between a leg or pedestal table is a great place to start when making you dining room table selection. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
The major considerations are
- Usable table top space
- Leg/foot Room
Usable Table Top Space:
- Leg Table:
You loose 6 to 10 inches of space on the corners depending on the leg size. If you choose a standard size leg, like the hoosier or shaker, you’ll loose about 6 inches per corner. If you choose a huge leg like the Montego (which is 5″ thick) you’ll loose upwards of 10 inches per corner. So basically if you have a 72″ long table the actual usable space on the top is only 4 – 5 feet. Another problem is that the legs themselves will take a beating from the side of the chair. So dings and dents will occur in a spot that can be seen easily. - Pedestal Table:
There is nothing to get in the way on the corners of the table so you can use every inch of it. This makes it easier to squeeze someone in if you have a surprise guest or want to seat more people everyday with a smaller table
Leg/foot Room:
- Leg Table:
There is nothing under the table to get in the way except other peoples feet and chairs that are pushed in. If you have family members that are tall leg tables will make everyone more comfortable. - Pedestal Table:
Everything that supports the table is under it so you have the pedestal(s) and it’s feet to contend with. Some pedestals have feet which mount quite high on the pedestal while others lay flat on the floor. Obviously the higher the feet the harder it is to move around and get comfortable. One of the drawbacks to a pedestal table is that when someone is sitting there they will inevitably kick and rub the feet. This leads to quicker wear and damage to the finish. If they happen to have a small rock stuck in the sole of their shoe this can quickly lead to a bad scratch. On the other hand, everything is hidden by the chairs so wear and tear wont be noticed. Unless, of course someone is actually pulling out the chairs and getting under the table to look
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:
- The pedestals are generally small enough that they don’t get in the way. It’s the feet that cause the problem.
- Damage from moving the chairs around is going to happen at some point. So expect it. The choice there is where do you want it to be. Under the table or hanging out on the corners
These are just some basic, first step things to think about when choosing your dining room or kitchen table
Author: admin, October 5, 2008
The Round Calodonia Table is a true departure from the traditional designs of the Amish. It’s designer, Noah, is one of the few Amish builders that have an eye for the contemporary. Unlike most of the Amish craftsmen Noah actually sits down and designs his own tables. He looks for design flaws like weak joints and other potential problems and never uses particle boards or veneers in it’s construction. He tests his designs in all their configurations before offering them. All in all Noah is the best Amish table builder around.
The round Calodonia table has clean contemporary lines yet it still maintains a feeling of strength that most contemporary furniture lacks. In it’s smaller sizes, 48″ and 54″ diameters, it can only seat 4 comfortably without someone straddling the supports coming up from the base. In the 60″ model this becomes less of a problem as the table top extends out far enough from the base to allow comfortable seating all the way around. When looks are more important than seating capacity this is a great table.
It’s available in 5 different woods:
- Oak
- Quarter Sawn White Oak
- Cherry
- Hard Maple
- Brown Maple
The table pictured is brown maple with espresso finish.
As with all single pedestal tables the Calodonia has geared slides making it very easy top open and close when you need the leaves. Underneath the top is a lever locking mechanism that keeps it closed securely when there are no leaves in. The slides and locking mechanism are only included with tables that have leaves other wise it’s a solid top table that can’t be opened.
Being round it doesn’t have the room necessary to self store the leaves. The leaves are 12 inches wide by the way which is the standard for all Amish built tables. Though they can be made wider upon request. The 48″ diameter table can accept up to 3 leaves, taking it out to 72 inches long. When all 3 leaves are added it can become a bit tippy. Generally this is only a concern if someone uses the very end of the table to help themselves up. People with small children should keep this in mind. With all 3 leaves in you can seat 6 to 10 people depending on how you arrange them. The oval is best for seating up 6 people. If you get the square top you can seat 8 to 10 people. 3 on each side and 1-2 on the ends. Keep in mind that the person in the middle of each side will be straddling the support.
The 54 and 60 inch tables can only accept up to 2 leaves. The 54 inch table becomes 78 inches long and the 60 inch table becomes 84. These larger sizes do give you more flexibility and elbow room. The 60 round with 2 leaves can very comfortably seat 10 people with a square top.
In it’s smaller sizes the Calodonia table is design more for looks than functionality. Though the larger sizes give you the best of both worlds- great looks and great functionality, especially with a square top.
Overall the Calodonia table rates more on looks than functionality. If you need a table with great looks and functionality but don’t have the room for the 54 or 60 inch models of this table then I would look at some other designs that give you both.