Dining Tables – Understanding Some Concepts
The dining room and in particular your dining table, is a focal point of a home. This is the one place that the family spends a great deal of time together, having their meals each day; it is also a place where you will entertain guests, and a place that will see a number of family celebrations, festive get-togethers and holiday observances. So this is one thing in your home that you want to get exactly right, seeing the number of different uses that it will be put to in the years to come. That is why it makes sense to understand some concepts such as Trestle Table, Pedestal Table, or whether you need a dining table pad.
A Trestle Table – Thought to be the oldest kind of American tables by some experts, this kind can have a simple design or be a fairly elaborate affair. The simplest kind uses two free standing horses, supports or trestles upon which is laid a flat plank or board. A larger table which is longer in length could have more than two trestles, which could be held in place by a brace that passes through each of the trestles and is set in place to offer stability.
The reason why it is a popular choice as a dining table is due to the fact that there is greater ease of seating, with there being no fixed table leg at each of the corners of the table. Since this kind of table is easy to assemble and store as well, it is a popular choice as an occasional table.
A Pedestal Dining Table – This is, as the name suggests is one that is built around a central pedestal rather than the regulation 4 table legs. A single, central column supports the table top which can be slender and delicate in the case of a small circular one and which may be heavy and substantial in the case of a large table. The major advantage of a pedestal table is that it has a small ‘footprint’ i.e. it still retains a lot of clear space beneath it, for comfortable and uncluttered seating. This can be a very stable sort and is a good idea for cramped areas where space is at a premium.
Dining Table Pad – This is an item designed to protect your table from scratches, vibration, heat, dust and general wear and tear. Regardless of the kind of table you have – wood, glass, lacquer, stone etc. – a table pad can help increase its life, saving it from sunlight, heat, spills, scratches, and other damage and can help to retain its good looks. It can be made from wood, vinyl, plastic, cloth, felt and may come in more than one piece so that it can be used in sections and not necessarily over the entire table, the portions often being hinged to one another or connected by the use of magnets.
