4 Critical things you must consider before deciding on a dining room table 

When it comes to investing in a brand-new dining table the saying “buy well, buy once” couldn’t ring truer. The market is flooded with dining room table offers and every sales pitch you hear will try to convince you that their table is the best table at the best limited offer sales price.

Unless you are part of Elon’s Wednesday poker night it is unlikely that you will be replacing your dining room table every 5 -10 years. Like the tables of old a good solid wood table should be something that can and should be passed down from one generation to the next. An investment piece not because of exaggerated pricing but because of timeless design, immaculate construction and careful timber selection.

Rare is the sales person who will ask you the right questions for fear of losing out on an easy sale.

We want to help you make an informed decision and we have put together this essential table guide to make sure your next table matches the requirements of your home lifestyle budget and taste.

• Consider your space:

Knowing the actual dimensions of the area where you want place the table is essential. So grab that dusty measuring tape and get to work. Our rule of thumb is that once you have determined the workable space where your table will stand you should allow for at least 90cm additional space around your table to allow for chairs and free movement around the table.

Also consider the shape of your room some spaces might be better suited to rectangular tables and other might favour a square or oval shaped design.

The rule of thumb is:

*Square and circular table tops do well in square rooms.

– But they could look and feel awkward in rectangular spaces.

* Rectangular and oval-shaped tables best suit rectangular rooms.

– But could look and feel awkward in square spaces.

• Get clarity on your seating requirements:

Make sure you have clarity about how many people you want your table to accommodate and please note that one company’s size for a 6-seater table might be another’s 8-seater.

The are no set rules when it come to table sizes but we believe the following sizes to be adequate for most medium sized people.

6-8 seater (1850 x 950 x 760mm)

8-10 seater (2500 x 110 x 760mm)

10-12 seater (3000 x 1250 x 760mm)

•  Choose your timber type and colour cautiously:

The choice of timber and colour is an important element in the orchestration of a fabulous home. But the longevity of a dining table means it must be able to work across changing themes and changing times. Wooden tables are offered in various timbers ranging from your very light to dark brown, the choice of colour is completely subjective of course. Lighter colored timber are vulnerable to crayon wielding toddlers or spirited pets as the lighter timbers will show dirt and marks much easier. Lighter timbers are generally also softer that the naturally darker timbers on the market and the harder a table is the harder it is to scratch. So if you have energetic kids who are doing homework at the table or who are still mastering the skills required to properly handle a knife and fork then a table made from a harder timber is advisable. Always refer to the Janka hardness scale which measures the resistance of a sample of wood to denting and wear. It measures the force required to embed an 11.28mm diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood. Our recommendation is to stick with timbers with strengths of +-1000 lbf. and above.

•  Spare a thought for the delivery team:

A dining table is a deceptively large piece of furniture and considering how to get the table into a particular room or through a sharp bend in a passage is often the bane of a delivery guys back. In certain cases tables are simply just too big to make it up a angled stairway or passage. Most tables are engineered with removable bases or legs but it’s the length of the table top itself that is most important to consider. So please take the time and visualize the path the table has to travel from the back of the delivery truck to its final destination.