Pedestal Table Base Buyers Guide
If your business requires a pedestal table base and table top supplier, The Contract Chair Company will exceed your expectations in terms of product quality and service. On this page is pretty much all the information and advice you'll need to make an informed decision about what pedestal table base style and type to purchase. If you need any further guidance or assistance, please call us now on freephone 0800 8494 135.
Once you've settled on a budget for your project (please contact us if you need help with an estimate), table base decisions are about height, size, style and finish.
Standard Table Heights (Including Top)
Table base heights need to be lower than this to allow for the thickness of the top:
| Poser table | Dining table | Coffee table |
| 1100mm | 730-750mm | 300-500mm |
Standard Table Base Sizes
The stability of a table is determined by the overlap of the table top over the table base combined with the weight of the table base (and the weight of the top, if heavy). So before deciding on the size of your base, ensure that you know the size of the table top that it'll support. If you have a large rectangular table top, two bases can be used in conjunction with each other to support it.
Table Base Styles
When selecting an appropriate table style, it's best to aim to use table bases that are the same shape as their corresponding table tops; square bases for square or rectangular tops and round bases for round or oval tops.
If you're putting a large project together, the table bases (which are often different shapes and sizes to suit their individual purpose), should match across a scheme
If these rules are adhered to, you'll certainly end up with an array of furniture which looks fantastic, and (most important) is better balanced.
Pedestal table bases come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. Just one of the styles is this 'Ice cream cone' style shown above. With styles such as this, the base itself tends to be conical if round, or pyramidal if square.
Table Base Finishes
There are several different types of table base available, all of which are suitable for different things:
Metal Pedestal Table Base Finishes
- Stainless steel (which can be difficult to keep clean, particularly base plates).
- Cast aluminium
- Cast iron
- Metal coating. This is usually chrome, but can be matt-chrome or a matt 'metal' finish which is available by manufacturers such as Johanson.
Other Pedestal Table Base Finishes
- Powder-coating (ie sprayed-on granular paint). A powder coating is applied electrostatically as a dry powder, and then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin". The resulting finish is tougher than conventional paint Powdercoating (and chrome) but can become worn on sharp corners which are exposed to shoes.
- Wood or wood-effect. Usually, seemingly wooden bases are actually made out of laminate, although bulky solid wood bases and columns are available. Wood bases tend to stain easier than other materials.
Pedestal Table Base Storage
Pedestal table bases can 'nest' together, with bases that overlap and tilting tops as shown with this Avangard pedestal table base:
Floor-Fixed Pedestal Table Bases
Some table bases can be fixed to the floor. As a result, the bases can be smaller, with covering plates hiding the screws. This is particularly appropriate for poser-height tables:
Outdoor Table Bases
Most bases are not suitable for outdoor use, so always check carefully with your supplier before selecting one.
One of the best materials for outdoor table bases is aluminium. Cast iron is also a very suitable material, although much heavier than aluminium. Bare steel will tend to rust quickly (for example, if the table base coating is chipped), and even stainless steel will rust in time.
The Step family of table bases is a very popular option:
Table Base Fittings
'Spiders' are the top fixings, often crosses, and are usually made from cast iron. Different manufacturers (inevitably) create different shapes. On many bases, studding rods connect the base plate to the spider.
Pedestal table base columns can be tubular or square, and some bases have two columns (mainly to suit rectangular table tops tops).
Table Base Feet
In order to protect your floor, non-scratch protective glides (such as plastic caps) can be attached to the table base according to your requirements.
Adjustable feet
Adjustable feet aren't always needed. They are used to level a table on an uneven floor, not to adjust the table height. They can, therefore, prove to be an additional unneccessary cost. They can also be a maintenance issue, as they can fall out easily.
