Dining Tables
While our website displays a large range of dining
tables that we've made previously, you're certainly not limited to
these designs. If you have a certain design in mind don't hesitate to
contact us and we'll be happy to discuss your
requirements. Following are a few points you might like to consider when
thinking about an Eclipse dining table.
However, before that if you would like confirmation that being on this
website is being on the right track, please read -
"Why buy a dining table from us"
Size
The first major consideration: how many people would you like to seat, and what space limitations do you have ?
Below is a general guide on how many people you can seat at various size tables. The particular style of table can have a slight bearing on this for example a pedestal style table generally does not have any legs around the perimeter of the table to obstruct people sitting around it.
The smaller sizes in the guide generally represent the minimum size we'd
recommend, not allowing for children, while the larger sizes will
comfortably seat the specified number of adults. As a general rule, we like
to allow about 600mm per person. These sizes are based on having one person
seated at each end of a standard four leg table. If the number of people to
be seated around a table includes children then this will obviously allow
for a greater seating capacity.
However, Please Note: There is always a difference between
how many people can sit at a dining table and how many chairs can be tucked
in when not in use. For example a small six seater will quite comfortably
sit six people but when not in use two chairs may have to be put else
where. The same applies with each size when referring to how many it will
sit. We sell many tables considered eight seaters but it's very often far
more preferable to just have three chairs along each side, or four if it's
a ten seater and leave the ends open by putting two chairs else where when
not in use.
And inline with this theory, the larger size tables, in other words a
large six seater or a large eight seater etc will be able to accommodate
that many chairs when not in use.
Although it isimportant to note that this
theory does not apply to square tables. An eight seater square table such
as a 1500mm square table will not sit any more than eight people at it.
- 4 people: 900mm - 1400mm square
- 8 people: 1400mm - 1600mm square
- 4 people: 1200mm - 1500mm long
- 6 people: 1500mm - 2100mm long
- 8 people: 2100mm - 2600mm long
- 10 people: 2600mm - 3200mm long
- 12 people: 3200mm - 3800mm long
- 14 people: 3800mm - 4300mm long
Please contact us to discuss style and seating arrangements if you're after a table to seat more than 16 people.
Also, accessibility into where the table is going is an important part of the preliminary stage of working out a dining table size and design, certainly for larger tables. Stairs? Narrow hallways or doors? Corners to navigate? An elevator? All these things need to be taken into consideration so we can ensure that your table can be delivered without any problems. Table tops can be removed with the use of a cordless drill if need be.
If you're not sure what would be the ideal size for a table in your dining room, it can be beneficial to mark it out on your floor with masking tape, allowing at least 900mm space for chairs and room to move around.
Shape
While the guide above is good to help ascertain the number of people you can seat, the shape can also have a great bearing on seating capacity. The shape of your table should also be related to the shape of your dining room - a square or round table will look best in a room with equal dimensions, while longer tables work best in rectangular rooms.
Round
A round table is by far the most practical for maximising seating capacity within a limited space. Everyone seated at it can easily converse with anyone else at the table, and you'll be surprised at how many people you can squeeze in when a couple of extras arrive for dinner.
Square
Square tables can also be great to allow guests to easily converse with each other, however, they will only seat a maximum of 8 people. In the extreme we could create a 2m square table to seat 12 people, but it would be very impractical, socially and logistically.
Rectangular
A rectangular dining table generally works best in a rectangular, or large, open-plan dining room. Various frame and leg styles can provide greater flexibility with regard to seating capacity, however, particularly long tables can make conversation a little difficult between those seated at the ends and those seated halfway along the edges of the table.
Curved Sides
Adding a slight curve to the sides of (what was) a rectangular dining table can be an excellent way to solve those conversation issues mentioned above.
Oil and wax vs. a coated finish
Oiled Finish
The practical aspect of our dining tables stems largely from the combination our oil and wax finish and the tough, dense and robust timbers that we use. We understand that you and your family will want to use your table on a day-to-day basis, and that's exactly what we make, we pride ourselves on making tables that can be used and enjoyed without being paronoid about getting little marks and scratches on it. Plates, cutlery or toys being dragged across the table top? No problem. Someone dragged a card board box across the table that had a big staple sticking out underneath ? yeah well I'm sure you know the rest of that story. Not a problem, you can fix it yourself, in fact there's barely anything you can't fix on our oiled and waxed tables with some fine abrasive, steel wool and possibly another coat of wax.
Whereas a lacquered finish is more susceptible to scratches and may look "tired" after a decade of everyday use, the oil and wax finish will look nicer in 10 or 15 years than it did when you bought it.
Put simply, everyday wear and tear will not detract from the appearance of a table finished in oil and wax, and the table is likely to last more than 100 years.
Also, for your peace of mind, the oil and wax we use are 100% natural and non-toxic. We supply all our customers with an after-care kit with their dining table, including a nourishment product, steel wool for polishing and detailed instructions on what to do in the event of scratches and spills.
The oil and wax finish on our dining tables is designed to be "family friendly."
Lacquered Finish
Although the oil and wax is our preferred finish for a table that will be subjected to everyday use, we understand that it might not suit everyone. If you'd like a beautiful table for a more formal setting that will require no maintenance, then by all means, we can provide a high quality, durable lacquered finish.
There are a number of different lacquers being used in the market, but simply, they fall into two categories; single pack lacquers and two pack lacquers. To the untrained eye, they look incredibly similar when the product is new, but they will wear much differently over time, especially with everyday use.
We use the higher quality two pack lacquers, which have a hardener added to them before they're applied. Our low sheen lacquered finish is hard-wearing, scratch resistant and will last for many years depending on the type of use. While it requires less maintenance in earlier life than oil and wax, any lacquered surface is likely to need refinishing at some point, again, depending on use.
Proportions and Style
Depending on your preference for the size of table you'd like, we can usually change the proportions of various elements to suit the style. For example, if you're after a particularly large platform table, we would recommend using thicker boards of timber to provide a nice substantial top thickness.
On the flipside, if you're after a smaller bakers table, we can scale down the legs and top thickness to suit your overall dimensions.