The table is the most important element in the equipment of almost any room. Be it a personal account, office, cafe, bar or children's room. Furniture production offers a huge selection, starting with the simplest models and ending with truly luxurious products. It all depends solely on the personal desire or idea of the designer.
What is the underframe?
At its core, the base for the table is the base on which the tabletop and all objects on it are held. Other names - underframe, base, base, support, frame.
Do not underestimate the role of the table, as the reliability and durability of the table depend on it. Therefore, you should choose the base for the table correctly. Because, if the load is calculated incorrectly, the table can become unstable. And as a result, from an accidental push simply rolls over.
In addition, a correctly selected table stand can be a unique highlight of the interior, which emphasizes the individuality of the room.
What are the reasons?
For the manufacture of bases for the table using many different materials. According to this, they are divided into:
- wooden;
- metal;
- plastic;
- glass;
- stone;
- combined;
- from MDF and chipboard.
In addition, the substrates are also divided in height:
- standard - their height is 72-73 cm;
- bar with a height of 1 m and above;
- coffee tables with a height of 45-50 cm.
By scope of application:
- for public places (cafes, restaurants, offices, bars);
- for houses and apartments.
Most often there are metal and wooden table supports .
Wooden table stands
Wooden bases for the table look prestigious, solid and rich. They are considered classics and fit almost any interior. Compared to other options, wooden table stands are much more elegant and look more natural.
The most affordable models are made of walnut, beech, birch, pine, ash, oak. Expensive models are made of mahogany or wenge. For manufacturing, a bar is used in a width of at least 5 cm.
The bases of carved oak and other valuable species are almost identical in strength and reliability to steel substrates. Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the high cost and lack of stability.
Wood perfectly emphasizes the sophistication of the interior. In addition, this material is environmentally friendly. A special highlight can be a table stand, decorated with painting or carving.
The main disadvantage is the high price. In addition, wooden substrates require additional processing to avoid deformation when exposed to high temperatures or moisture.
Metal table supports
Perhaps the most popular metal base for the table. Such products are strong, durable and not afraid of mechanical stress. But at the same time, they are quite heavy, which should be taken into account when choosing underframes from this material. And to protect the floor from scratches, use plugs made of silicone or plastic.
For the manufacture of metal bases for the table, cast iron, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and brass are used. As for coatings, most often it is painting. The most optimal option is a stable powder paint with its subsequent drying in an oven. Color solutions can be different: black, brown, white, gray. The latter color is quite interesting, as it creates the effect of the surface of the processed aluminum.
The surface of the metal bases may be:
- matte;
- painted enamel;
- shiny (chrome or nickel plating);
- tinted (gold, brass, bronze, copper).
Most often you can find the base for the table from a profile pipe. They are light in weight and at the same time quite stable. Tables with such a table stand are not difficult to move if necessary.
The most durable is the cast-iron underframe. Get it when using the casting method. This option is ideal for outdoor use. In addition, another advantage is a wide variety of forms. Of the minuses, perhaps the most important is the heavy weight of such a product. Such supports are usually coated with stable enamel.
Stainless steel and chrome-plated bases are preferred when tables are placed in the bar or on the terrace of an outdoor cafe. Such supports are quite stable and have an aesthetic appearance. In addition, they tolerate moisture and temperature changes well.
Polished aluminum table bases have similar qualities to stainless steel. The difference is in lighter weight and the requirement for smaller countertops.
One of the most attractive are forged table bases. With their high cost, they are still very popular. Such supports easily become the highlight of the interior.
Design Features
According to the design features of the base are divided:
- adjustable table supports;
- unregulated bases;
- folding support;
- folding structures;
- extendable models;
- support on wheels.
Adjustable underframes - great for floors with height differences. Usually produced with a height of up to 150 cm, but the best option for adjustable table supports is 100 cm. This design allows you to change the height of the table without any effort. Ideal for cafes, bars, dining rooms and private homes. Before buying, you must definitely check the operation of the mechanism, make sure its reliability and learn all the characteristics from the accompanying documents. It is always important to know the extent to which you can change the height of the table.
Unregulated table bases are made with a height of up to 1 m, but the table stands with a height of 50-60 cm are most in demand. Such models are the simplest and considered the most reliable. Most often they have four legs.
Regarding the legs on wheels, most often they are used for mobile furniture such as a coffee table, tables, armchairs.
Folding tables are very attractive in terms of practicality. If necessary, you can fold and hide. When choosing, it is worth paying attention to the reliability of the folding mechanism. Otherwise, it may turn out to be a very unpleasant situation when the system fails at the most inopportune moment.
Folding bases are the best option when you often have to change the number of available seats. They are ideal when you need:
- quickly start a meeting, conference, meeting;
- organize a large audience;
- hold large-scale meetings with a large number of people.
In addition, the folding table stands are ideal for outdoor events. And the presence of the autonomous adjustment of each leg in height will help to avoid many inconveniences when the table needs to be placed on an uneven surface.
Retractable structures - an excellent option for small spaces. If necessary, this underframe can be extended and laid out. Such a manipulation will add several seats.
A little bit about the legs
Table base manufacturers offer this number of legs:
- Four legs. This is a classic option that fits all types of countertops. In addition, this number of legs allows you to withstand heavy loads due to the distribution of weight around the perimeter.
- Three legs. It is also quite common because of its unusualness. It looks interesting when in the upper part the legs are assembled and diverge only to the bottom. In addition, if there are some bizarre deformations, then this gives even more creativity.
- Two legs. This option is not common and is considered more like a sort of sophistication. For stability, the legs are usually slightly curved in the form of semicircles or pyramids.
- One leg. Also a rare option. Usually, a small countertop is selected for such a support, most often round and made of glass or MDF. To ensure balance, the support must be massive.
In addition to standard forms, there may be various variations:
- rectangular (classic);
- square;
- U-shaped;
- X-shaped;
- W-shaped;
- V-shaped.
In fact, this list goes on and on. And of course, forged bases with their bizarre all kinds of forms. It is here that designers often show maximum creative imagination.
The color of the underframes
Usually the base is made in the same color as the countertop. But there are various combinations. Choosing a coloring is based on the same principle as the rest of the furniture.
The classic underframe has a laconic black color. It is with it that countertops of any color made of different materials are combined. In addition, simple unpainted tabletops made of wood are wonderfully combined with the black underframe.
One of the most elegant is the forged table base in black. Very often, the legs of such models are decorated with various decorative elements, which, in tandem with an unpainted wooden table top, will make the perfect pair. Looks impressive both in the house and in the yard.
White color looks attractive with glass and is most often used in the modern and high-tech style.
The classic brown color doesn’t look as catchy as black and white, but it still looks quite attractive and harmonious.
If the metal is not painted, then the most successful combinations will be with white, black and beige. But with a gray countertop it is better not to combine to avoid freshness.
Chromed base for the table blends perfectly with glass or other material coated with gloss, provided that the color is suitable for the interior.
Warm shades make the space a little wider. If the windows face the north side, then the best solution is to choose peach and beige tones.
How to choose the interior?
Before you get a table, you should take into account the overall interior design, in addition, you need to look at the purpose of the room.
When choosing a base for a bar, you should pay attention to the chrome-plated stands. The combination of a telescopic base with a round glass top or other unusual material looks good. Harmonious and interesting looks like a cafe, equipped with tables with different countertops, but the same supports.
Often, designers use cast-iron and wooden bases to decorate restaurants. This is due to the fact that such underframes look great in dim lighting.
If the tables are placed on the street, then cast-iron bases or an easier option, aluminum underframes, will look aesthetically pleasing. In addition, this solution is more practical.
Products for exhibitions are mainly made of aluminum. They are easily mounted and dismantled, which saves a lot of time and effort.
In an apartment or house, you should pay attention to the color schemes of the room where the table will stand. For example, graceful and tiny bases are perfect for a bedroom. But in the dining room a solid and massive table stand will look wonderful.
If the room is decorated in a classic style, then a wooden base will be appropriate. And for rooms in high-tech style, the chrome base or plastic is an ideal option.
For a glass table, the base is better to choose from aluminum or brass. In addition, painted cast iron will look harmonious.
For a minimalist design, you can stop the choice on the basis of glass or thin metal. At the same time, it is better to equip such a table with wheels, so that if necessary it can be easily moved to another place.
If the main idea in the interior is a rustic one, then it is better to use rough wooden elements (for example, untreated bars, logs) paired with a round or oval worktop.
For the loft style (industrial), the most optimal option is to create the appearance of a rough and rough surface. This style requires that outwardly furniture be durable, one might say, create a form of indestructibility.
In the classic interior, a luxurious retro model will look elegant and harmonious. The same option is valid for Provence. But in the hi-tech style, this will be inappropriate. For marine styling, products using ball paint are well suited .
Baroque is characterized by gilding and a certain splendor in the decorating elements. But at the same time it should be easy and elegant. Therefore, underframes with gold coating will look appropriate.
How to choose a support?
When choosing the grounds for the table, it is worth focusing on the following points:
- The general interior of the room, with which the design of the table should be combined.
- Support height: it will be an exclusive coffee table with exquisite legs, a bar counter or a table at which you sit while eating.
- The quality of the underframe. One of the important criteria when choosing. When choosing a metal base for the table, you should pay attention to the welds, the quality of painting, the level of fixation of the upper platform (the part where the tabletop is placed). When choosing a wooden underframe, it is important to pay attention to the quality of wood processing, the presence of varnish, and the way the support elements are attached to each other. The best option is bolt fastening.
- Well, and, of course, an important factor is the price of the product.
In fact, the supports should have the following characteristics:
- sustainability (this is the very first thing you need to pay attention to);
- durability;
- the ability to use both indoors and outdoors;
- withstand the weight of the countertop and the available objects on it, plus the weight of several people leaning on it;
- attractive appearance;
- simplicity in leaving;
- anticorrosion coating.
If the choice of countertops fell on heavy materials such as stone or on countertops of large sizes, then the bases also need to be selected with a large size and weight.
Tables over 1 m are less stable due to their height. And all because the center of gravity of such underframes is shifted closer to the top, and that is why the countertop should be chosen less than for standard tables.
Another nuance is the location of the supports. They can be placed both in the center and in the corners of the countertop (around the perimeter). The latter option gives greater stability. But still this is an additional obstacle for the legs, especially if the room is small.
You should think about moving the table in advance. If they will often move it, then you should pay attention to lightweight and compact products, possibly even folding ones. If on the contrary, the table will not move, it is better to give preference to wood or cast iron.
Conclusion
Modern furniture production offers a wide range of underframes that can resonate even with the most fastidious person. Given all the advice and recommendations given in the article, you can choose a quality support. If suddenly none of the existing options is suitable, it is always possible to order the manufacture of the base, and the table as a whole, on an individual order.