Materials for the dining table top
The dining table is the hub of the home. Hardly any other piece of furniture is used in such a variety of ways. It is used for eating, reading, celebrating or working. The tabletop has to withstand a lot! That's why it's important to find a material that fits your home and your everyday habits.
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The external values count
The table is often the first thing people look at when they enter the dining room. That is why many people are particularly concerned about its appearance. It should be a representative piece of jewellery that fits perfectly into the style of living and enriches the atmosphere. However, to ensure that the table not only looks beautiful but also suits the respective living situation, you should get an overview of the various materials and their differences in terms of resistance, durability, cleaning and care before buying. The tabletop in particular is subject to a lot of wear and tear in everyday life. It's a good thing that furniture stores offer a wide range of different surfaces.
Natural stone dining table tops
Advantages: Table tops made of natural stone such as marble, granite, slate or travertine make a high-quality and impressive impression in the dining room. Each stone is unique in its pattern and colour spectrum. Marble and granite in particular have a wide range of structures and colour nuances. The surface of the tabletop can be either matt or glossy polished. With high-gloss tables, the structure of the stone is highlighted particularly well. Natural stone is insensitive to heat, largely scratch-resistant and can last a lifetime.
Disadvantages: In order for a tabletop made of natural stone to withstand the required loads, it needs to be a certain thickness. This makes the dining table very heavy and more force is needed to move it than with other tables. Many natural stones have an open-pored, absorbent surface that must be regularly impregnated to prevent liquids from penetrating. Even spilled mineral water can leave permanent stains on untreated marble! Table surfaces made of travertine, a porous limestone, should also definitely have a protective sealant.
Cleaning and care: Natural stone tabletops are cleaned with warm water and a soft cloth. Aggressive cleaning agents and acidic household remedies such as vinegar are not recommended. To keep the stone beautiful for a long time, it should be regularly treated with special stone cleaning and stone care products and occasionally re-impregnated. This closes the pores and makes the tabletop less sensitive.
Glass table tops
Advantages: A transparent glass top has a particularly airy effect and is therefore also suitable for smaller living spaces. One advantage of the smooth surface is that there are no annoying bumps when writing, painting or drawing. Because of the closed surface, glass is particularly easy to clean. However, many people prefer to opt for a satin-finished frosted or fused glass top because of the visible finger marks on clear glass. In the case of glass plates with a marble look, the glass is coated with a special ceramic coating that creates the corresponding effect. Tinted glass (transparent or opaque) is also possible.
Disadvantages: The corners are the most sensitive parts of the glass dining table. Sharp chipping can occur here if force is applied. There is also a certain amount of noise when dishes and other objects are placed on the table. In addition, you should not place hot objects on the glass tabletop, as it can shatter at high temperatures.
Cleaning and care: A glass tabletop may look elegant, but it requires a lot of cleaning. Fingerprints, lint and dust appear immediately (especially when the sun shines on it). Nevertheless, the table quickly becomes clean again because of its smooth structure. Glass tops are best cleaned with a soft cotton or microfibre cloth moistened with water. You can add a splash of washing-up liquid or glass cleaner to the water. Then polish with a dry cotton cloth. Compared to other materials, glass tabletops do not require regular maintenance.
Ceramic dining table tops
Advantages: Ceramic has an elegant and sophisticated look. It is durable, water-resistant and insensitive to acidic liquids such as salad dressing or household cleaners. Drinks coasters and placemats are therefore superfluous. Ceramic tabletops are also resistant to cold and heat, as well as shocks and scratches.
Disadvantages: Ceramic tabletops are comparatively expensive. If you drop a very heavy object on the table, the surface can break. Similar to glass, ceramic also makes a noise when objects are placed on it.
Cleaning and care: Ceramic tables do not require extensive care. Common household stains can be removed with a sponge or cloth and some washing-up liquid or a mild cleaner.
Solid wood table tops
Advantages: Wood is a natural material that creates a great ambience in the room with its individual grain and warm appearance. Moreover, solid wood is very resilient and stable. The tabletop usually has a lacquered, waxed or oiled surface, which creates a beading effect.
Disadvantages: Dining tables made of wood do not like wetness. Certain liquids or candle wax can leave traces that are sometimes difficult to remove. Pointed or sharp objects are also dangerous. Once a scratchy metal coaster has been pushed over the wooden table, fine scratches can be left behind. Furthermore, as a natural raw material, wood is dependent on certain environmental conditions.
A humidity of between 45 and 55 % is ideal. Permanently lower values can lead to cracks or changes in the shape of the wood.
Cleaning and care: For daily cleaning of wooden tables, a damp cotton cloth is sufficient. Fresh stains from drinks, grease or cooking oil should be soaked up immediately with kitchen towels and then cleaned with water. To seal the wooden pores of the tabletop, it is necessary to re-oil or otherwise seal it every few months. If there are scratches or stains, sand them carefully with fine sandpaper.
It is also possible to completely sand oiled tables to give them a new shine. You can care for lacquered wooden tops with a special furniture care product for lacquered surfaces.
A solid wood tabletop may only be called such if it is made entirely of solid wood. However, various other wood materials are also used in table production. A veneered table top is called partly solid. In this case, a high-quality, thin sheet of wood from the tree trunk is glued to a less valuable wood, such as chipboard or medium-density fibreboard. This top sheet enhances the table's appearance, but the costs are lower than for solid wood.
Laminate (HPL) dining table tops
Advantages: HPL stands for "High Pressure Laminate". Several layers of paper or cellulose fibre are pressed under high pressure with resin-based binders. There are numerous variations in the appearance of HPL table tops. The top layer is available in many different colours and even with a stone or wood look. The material is easy to clean, hygienic, flame retardant, moisture resistant, impact resistant and durable. Many HPL panels are recyclable.
Disadvantages: If a black or dark HPL panel is exposed to direct sunlight, it can become uncomfortably hot. If there are superficial cracks, the pressed paper layers can swell.
Cleaning and care: The surface can be cleaned with water for normal soiling and with a little washing-up liquid if necessary. Cleaning agents with abrasives or scouring agents may result in scratches or changes to the decorative layer.
With a glass ceramic tabletop, the support plate is made of glass and the coating of ceramic. So you enjoy the advantages of a ceramic surface, but pay a much lower price.
A glass top is sprayed with a mixture of powdered natural stone and melamine resin. This makes the tabletop look and feel like natural stone.
Table tops made of natural stone, ceramic and HPL are the most scratch-resistant.
For surface scratches in the wooden table, a wood care product is suitable. If necessary, sand the area carefully with sandpaper in the direction of the grain. Then work the Öl well into the wood and leave it to work for a few hours. You can touch up deeper scratches with wax putty or a touch-up pencil in the same colour as your tabletop.
Melamine table tops consist of a chipboard core that is coated with a synthetic resin called melamine resin. A melamine coating is available in many different colours and decors.
Conclusion
The dining table is an indispensable piece of furniture. So that everyone can find their favourite model, there are numerous versions and designs to buy. Before you decide on a table, you should familiarise yourself with the different surface materials and their advantages and disadvantages. Because if you choose your dining table carefully, it can accompany you for many years!
