Barnwood Farm Tables: 5 Things to Consider Before You Buy

 

Barnwood farm tables, reclaimed wood tables… whatever you want to call them, the fact is you love them and want one (or perhaps two) in your home. But where do you start, and what should you consider when choosing a barnwood farm table? Here are a few things to ask yourself:

1. What size table will fit your home, your family and extra guests on special occasions? (We will address this point in detail later in this post.)

2. What table design (shape and height) is right for you and your space? Round, rectangle, oval, square… perhaps bar height?

3. What is your current style, and is that changing? French Country, Farmhouse, Traditional or Contemporary?

4. Color and finish are important. What wood stain or paint color is right for the room, and does the top need to be durable for heavy usage (kitchen & kids)?

5. Construction and attention to detail is the most important consideration. The other points don’t matter if this one is neglected. Barnwood is very temperamental, and your table must be built by a craftsman to avoid any cracking, warping and wobbling. When made correctly, your table will last for generations.

We know this is a lot to consider. We’ll address all of these elements in future posts, but for now let’s talk about number 1, choosing the right size table.

The classic 6’ long Farm Table with legs typically accommodates 6 people – you can squeeze 8. Generally, a 7’ table will seat 8, and an 8’ table will seat 10. Add extensions, also known as company boards (for company, hah!), and you can add 4 more place settings. All of this is also affected by chair width, which averages 24″ wide, so keep this in mind as part of your planning. There should also be at least 30″ of space around the table to enable chairs to move in and out comfortably. More space is even better.

Here’s a cool rule you can use for round tables to determine how many people can fit around it. It’s called the Rule of 8: take the diameter of the tabletop and divide by 8. So, a 42” diameter table can hold 5 people; a 60” diameter table can fit 7 to 8, etc.