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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 7:53am | IP Logged
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Can we talk about this?
We need a new one. We have a great big IKEA table (105 inches with the leaf) and it worked when we had 4 kids, but now that we need places for 3 kids on each side, its problematic because the table legs are placed in such a way as to make a good section of the table useless.  I feel like a dope for not noticing this when we first bought it. Its also quite ding-ed up.
Dh thinks we need something topped with formica so that our kids won't destroy it and so that it can take playdough, paint and the rough usage ours gets. I think that is going to be ugly and am not excited about the prospect. This is our every day table. We don't have a diningroom for a fancy table, and we have extended family with 9 kids and one on the way and another with 6 kids, so it needs to seat 12 at least.
And it needs to be affordable, of course.
Do you have the perfect table...tell me about it? Do you hate your table...tell me what not to buy!? What should I be looking for and where should I be looking?
Also, I can't decide if I want to stick with benches or move to chairs. Benches are indestructible, easier to clean and I like the clean look of the table without the tops of the chairs showing. The downside is kids picking and poking each other while using them.  What are you using and do you like it?
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mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and  due 9/10
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Mary G
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 7:56am | IP Logged
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Books -- dh build-in an L-shaped bench this past summer. The really nice thing is that he made the braces underneath so that a 14x14 cloth box can fit underneath ... so I've got 8 "boxes" of storage with a bench that fits 'em all. Also, if we have a party we can pull the table away from the bench and have seating. I made cushions too so the bench is comfy -- but (thank goodness ) the kids don't like to use the cushions so they're staying really, really nice! 
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MaryG
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Mary G
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 7:59am | IP Logged
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Oh, as far as the formica topped table -- this is great -- just get a huge hollow door and cover it with a made-to-size formica top and some folding legs or other type of table legs (folding legs are inexpensive but really hold the weight and you can position them to maximize leg-room)... that's what our family used growing up and it worked great for our family of 9. When we'd have a party or just wanted to dress it up -- Mom made beautiful table cloths and you'd never know a lowly, scratched, painted-on, glued on, formica sheet was underneath! 
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Matilda
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 8:11am | IP Logged
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Mary,
I am trying to picture your table and benches and it just isn't working. Could you post a picture?
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11 , 10, 9 & 5 ) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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Martha
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 9:13am | IP Logged
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I suggest looking at an office furnitiure store for a conference table. They can really take a banging up and are very servicable and some look very nice. That's probably what we'll do at some point. For now we are using the folding 8 ft cafeteria table from Sam's Club and another 3 foot card table at the end of it. Not pretty, but very user (homescholing 8 kids) friendly and very CHEAP.
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Martha
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Matilda
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 9:17am | IP Logged
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As an FYI...we tried the conference table thing a few years ago and you should know that some tables are a lot narrower than a typical dining room table. Just double check the measurements before you buy. We barely had room for plates to sit across from each other with no extra room to spare. That one is now our craft table!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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Martha
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 9:30am | IP Logged
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yes, that's true and the case with our cafeteria table. there's no room inthe center to for serving platters and such. but it does seat us and our plate okay.
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Martha
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 10:13am | IP Logged
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We have an oval-shaped oak table, 2 leaves in all the time, total length (with the leaves) is 94 inches. It has a double pedestal in the center, so there aren't problems from table legs. The wood is stained in a very light color, so that any dinks don't really show the way they would if they made a light-colored *scar* on a darker-colored table. It is very roomy with 8 chairs around, two on each side on the straight side, then two each at the head and foot, placed along the curve. When we seat 10, we just move these 8 chairs a bit closer to each other and then put one more each, directly at the head and foot. It's still quite comfortable with 10. So, I guess I'd say that oval is my idea of the most practical shape and the pedestal rather than legs gives more flexibility in changing configuration of chairs around the table.
DH grew up with a long bench on one side of the table, and it seemed to require a bit of orchestration about who got up when, to avoid tipping over, as well as letting the people who sat in the middle of the bench in and out.
Peace,
Nancy
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 10:21am | IP Logged
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Get something functional for every day.. dress it up with a nice tablecloth for special days.. makes much more sense to have a useable table for every day and cover it for special than the spend every day being extra careful with the table so that it's nice on special days.
We have benches on the sides.. I don't think we've had much problems with pushing and poking each other.. hmmm not sure why.. maybe send them away from the table (both parties) if they can't sit nicely? i think I may have done that.
There's no way in the space we have to not have the benches though.. this way our table can be pushed up to the wall when not in use and there's nothing sticking into the pathway.. though we do have chairs on the ends and a couple extras that can be put at the ends of the shorter bench.
There's no reason that kids can't straddle a table leg.. I remember doing it at my grammy's house all the time growing up
You could probably protect a tabletop with more layers of polyeurathane or such if you really wanted to have wood. We refinished the leaves of our table (as far as I got before getting pregnant) with a polyeurathane coating.. they're beautiful and hold up better than the old coating.
Pedastal legs (for long table double pedastal) are nice for keeps leg room free.. but they're a pain in the neck to clean under and our table has a bit of a tilt since it's support is in the middle apparently the top can warp and tilt some. (it's a pretty old table though)
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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chicken lady
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We have benches,I really like them. I picked them up years ago at a garage sale for 10.00! Yard sales should start soon, keep your eyes open for a table, you can also use craigslist and freecycle. That is if economics are an issue, (I think you said they were  )
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Bridget
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 10:55am | IP Logged
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Matilda wrote:
| As an FYI...we tried the conference table thing a few years ago and you should know that some tables are a lot narrower than a typical dining room table. |
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Those narrower ones are great for entertaining. You can set them up as a temporary serving buffet.
We have an old church pew we managed to acquire from a local parish that was 'wreckovating', it still has the kneeler on the back. We have it against the wall. I can squeeze a lot of little kids on that bench, it is as sturdy as can be!
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Bridget, happily married to Kevin, mom to 8 on earth and a small army in heaven
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Kath
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 11:37am | IP Logged
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I second the polyurethane suggestion -- if you can find a table that already has several coats of it, or if you can finish the table yourself. That way you wouldn't have to worry about water marks, etc.
As far as playdough and paint, an oilcloth tablecloth is easy to pull out for messy projects and it wipes off easily.
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Bookswithtea
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 11:46am | IP Logged
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If you use tablecloths, how do you stop your toddlers and preschoolers from pulling them off? I didn't have this problem with my girls but my boys...
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~Books
mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
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Matilda
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I have been known to sew strips of fabric, bias tape or ribbon to the corners of a tablecloth and tie them around the legs of the table to prevent them from being pulled off. You can also get metal clips that clamp around the side of the table to keep the tablecloth from blowing away (they use these for picnic tables).
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 04 2008 at 12:13pm | IP Logged
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And you can just put on the cloth right before you start setting the table.. once there's plates and food on the table it's much harder to pull loose.
I was brought up with not being at the table until you're called to dinner.. so that helps protect that table too. Not quite there with my kids.. but that's partly because of where the table is.. once it's pulled out.. we lose half our living room. 
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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juststartn
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I have a link somewhere to making your own table. I think that they used something similar to saw horses for the legs. Plywood, with a mosaic tile top. You can get clearance tile, any broken china, etc. And make it a unique bit of artwork. I'll see if I can find it...
Rachel
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juststartn
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Here's the link
http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/artman/publish/Homemaki ng_and_Other_Practical_Topics_15/Homemade_Table_22961002296. shtml
Rachel
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folklaur
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I have an Ikea table - it has two leaves (we usually leave one in, so it isn't open all the way) and can open to 108 inches total, I think? We only have a "great room" so no separate eating area in the kitchen, and no dining room - this is the table we have to do everything on - eat, projects, etc. We have a bench on one side, and then chairs along the other side and each end. I love having the bench.
I use an icky plastic tablecloth. As I said, our house is teeny, and this is our only workspace for everything...so I have to have that, as it is easy to clean, and inexpensive when they mess it all up, etc. At least I am able to find seasonal ones at Target, and the kids like them.
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CrunchyMom
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JodieLyn wrote:
And you can just put on the cloth right before you start setting the table.. once there's plates and food on the table it's much harder to pull loose.
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Really? You must have weak toddlers That's part of the problem/excitement here. You have to see how fast you can run to the table and quickly decide what dishes to save
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Lindsay
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JodieLyn
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use heavy dishes 
Seriously, there's enuogh people here when we're being "fancy" that someone can keep them away from the table.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
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Topic: big kitchen tables and benches or chairs?
