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.
