Restaurant table tops

60 tops fill this category, in resin, laminate, wood, veneer and stone, shaped square, rectangular, round or drop leaf. A top is bought on its own line and pairs with a base from another page, so party size and base height set your short list.

Size and shape come first

Two guests fit a 24 inch square, though plates want the 30 inch. A 36 inch square or a 42 inch round takes four, and a 48 inch round takes five or six. Square tops lead here, with 47 listings, then 46 rectangular and 41 round, and 9 are drop leaf. Square tops butt together for a larger group; rounds suit a table that has to live in a tight spot.

Measure the room before you fall for a shape. Leave about 36 inches for service aisles, and a pull-out zone of 18 to 24 inches behind every chair.

Material, and where it can live

Resin shows up on 25 tops, laminate on 12, wood on 8 and solid wood on 7, and then comes the stone shelf of 2 granite and 1 sintered stone. All 60 tops list indoor use, and 26 also list the patio. Only the patio-listed tops belong outside, and they still want a rinse and a place indoors once autumn comes.

Start with the shelf that matches the room:

• Resin table tops, in square, rectangular and round
• Laminate table tops, in the same three shapes
• Wood table tops, for solid wood and veneer
• Granite table tops, a short shelf that also holds quartz and sintered stone

Solid wood moves a little as the air changes, and the warranty leaves out that natural movement. Configurable table tops come with options, so write the size, shape and material down together; a second material makes a second line.

Samples, then bases

Table top material samples are free. Request them at samples and judge the surface under your own lights, which beats a screen. Matching a room you already have? Request a new sample and confirm the color, because finish lists change over time.

Single tops start around $38 and run to $382. A top is only half a table, so open the table bases next and check that the base spread suits the top. Base and top together also set the finished height. The 2010 ADA Standards put accessible dining surfaces at a height of 28 to 34 inches, so read the current text and your local code before you settle the pair.