Best Folding Tables
Buy the best best folding tables selected and recommended by interior designers. By Eliza Bush.
Folding tables are one of the greatest furniture pieces you can add to your collection. They come in a great selection of shapes and sizes to fit your needs. Pull it out and use it to add that extra dining, craft, or work space that you need, and then fold it away for quick and easy storage. This is a great way to set up for family gatherings or family game night. Look bellow to start playing and entertaining sooner.
Best Folding Tables
Buying Guide
Eliza Bush
Interior Design Expert
Eliza is a creative interior designer who swears by the power of sleek interiors and quality furniture to transform daily personal and professional life. With a B.Sc. in interior design from Philadelphia University and a well trained eye for craftsmanship, she offers unparalleled advice on how to arrange your space to make it sophisticated, comfortable, and functional, whether it’s the office or bedroom.
Folding tables, by definition, are portable units with legs that either fold into or flat against the table top surface. They can be small, like a TV tray, or large, like those tables you might see at potluck dinners. Wondering if you need one?
Have you ever been hosting a big family dinner, and a few extra guests showed up? Your dining table sits 8 but now there are 12 hungry people, wondering where to sit. Or maybe you decided to host a card game with the fellas but the wife is using the dining table for a scrapbooking project, stuff strewn all over the entire surface? You aren't going to play poker with your buddies on the floor.
These are but two examples of why having a good, sturdy folding table is always worthwhile. Folding tables are one of those items that, even if you only use it for Thanksgiving dinner overflow or as an alternative level space for the kids science fair project, it is better to have and not need, than need and not have.
Folding tables come in a multitude of sizes and uses, shapes and heights, with corresponding weight constraints. The table can have a simple, singular application, or a broad list of possible uses. It all depends on what it will be used for. Once you know that, picking the right table is easy.
- Bed tray: These are great for eating, or any work that can be done on a lap while sitting on the couch or laying in bed. Some have a portion that pivots to an angle, for reading or laptop use.
- TV tray: A solid choice if you enjoy eating in the living room in front of the TV.
- Puzzle/Card table: This is often square, padded, and has easily collapsable legs that disappear under the table for storage. Great for those pick-up games of bridge.
- Dining table: Need we say more? These are awesome if you only have limited space in your home, but want a dining table for family meals. Set it up, eat a meal, put it away. Simple and elegant. Also useful to expand your existing dining table if hosting a large dinner party.
- Simple rectangular tables: From a buffet set-up to selling girl scout cookies. From peddling crafts at a farmers market to teaching children how to draw or how to make a birdhouse out of popsicle sticks. There is no end of options with this large portable surface.
In the realm of height, folding tables fall into two categories:
- Fixed height: The table legs cannot be moved or adjusted to increase or decrease the overall height. Most tables are fixed height with legs that raise the tabletop surface to between 28 and 36 inches. These can accommodate most chairs.
- Adjustable height: There is a button and notches on the legs that allow the table to become taller or shorter as the need requires. Adjustable folding tables can be raised and lowered within 6 to 8 inches of their maximum height. Although adjustable tables with cross-style legs (similar to the logs on ironing boards) can be much more versatile with heights, becoming very short, or very tall, depending on how close the legs are pulled together or spread apart.
The three materials most commonly used in folding tables are wood, plastic or resin, and metal. Most are a combination of two of these. For example:
Wood
- Hardwoods are acceptable for indoor and outdoor use. Common in picnic tables and outdoor furniture. Uses steel pins and hinges.
- Pressure laminate or particle board is a cheap material that is susceptible to moisture. Not recommended in the outdoors. If it gets wet, it will deteriorate. It has a laminated top, and a steel frame with steel, folding legs.
Plastic and resin
Plastic folding tables are hard, but can be damaged if cut. They are some of the lighter of the folding table options, and only require steel for reinforcement, not constructive stability. That said, they still need steel legs to support any weight put on the table.
Metal
- Another lightweight table option is aluminum. Often used in picnic tables and camping. Great for outdoors.
- Steel folding tables can have between one and four legs, and are heavy, reinforced with solid welds to support a lot of weight. Can rust and not advisable for outdoor use.