Restaurant table sets

A set saves one decision and adds another, because the top and the base now have to suit the party they seat. 31 listings here sell a table with its base: solid wood, other wood, laminate and resin tops over cast iron, steel, wood or aluminum. Start with the party size and the height, then read the material.

What the listings are made of

Solid wood leads the category. Of the 31 tops, 19 are solid wood, four are other wood, four are laminate and three are resin. Underneath, cast iron carries 14 listings, steel carries nine, wood carries two and aluminum carries one. Four listings are sold as sets rather than as a single table, so read the unit on the page before you set a quantity.

Rectangular and square shapes each appear on 27 listings, round on 21 and drop leaf on four. Shape is chosen on the listing, and a line in the order is one configuration, so a 30 by 30 square and a 36-inch round count as two lines even when they come from the same listing.

Size the table to the party

Work from the guest list. For two, 24 by 24 inches is the minimum and 30 by 30 gives plates room to breathe. Four guests fit a 30 by 30 top if the party is close, and settle at 36 by 36, where a 42-inch round does the same job. Count 24 inches of edge for each diner. At 18 the table is as tight as it can go, and each chair wants another 18 to 24 inches behind it to pull out.

A dining top sits 29 to 30 inches off the floor, and a bar-height top 40 to 42. The listing states which, and the taller versions are gathered in bar-height restaurant tables. For a long shared run, look at communal tables.

Indoors unless the page says patio

Only four of the listings are listed for patio use. The rest belong in the dining room. Outside, indoor wood and steel can fade, swell or rust, and that exposure is not covered by the warranty. Even a patio-listed table needs rinsing and drainage, and it should be covered or stored when the season is over.

When the top and the base should be chosen apart, use table tops and table bases separately. The solid wood butcher block table is one listing that sells the pair together. Tables and chairs carry a minimum order of eight pieces, any mix, and the seating plans page keeps the count by section.