Help me design a farm table!

[Clisby Clark]

I've got a bid coming up for a 30"x96" walnut farm table and would like your advice for a few items.

The top-I was thinking making the finished top about 1.25 inches thick. What do you think?

Legs-I was thinking going with 6 simple turned legs with an apron surround with M/T joints. I was planning on using 13/16 inch stock for the apron and drawboring to the legs on the inside of the table.

End grain-Is a breadboard end necessary for this type table?

Thanks for all your help!

[Lance Norris]

1.25 thick top is good. My opinion... trestle type leg system

[Frank Drew]

Clisby,

I'd probably use only four legs, and, like you, I'd use mortise and tenon for the joinery.

I don't think breadboard ends are at all essential or even necessarily the best choice aesthetically.

5/4 thick top is fine, but I think 1-1/8" would also look fine if it comes down to that; I'd probably make the aprons on a table that long a bit thicker than 13/16", though, more like 7/8" -1".

[Tom McMahon]

The two extra legs are not needed, unless they are a design feature I would only use four. Thirty inches is awfully narrow with people on both sides of the table there won't be room for dishes in the middle, 35 to 40 is standard.

[Lonnie Cook]

Hi Clisby,

The requested narrow width of 30" may be necessary because the floor space on which the table will sit is narrow. If this is so, you may want to investigate making the table taller -- 36" counter top height -- and using stools instead of chairs. Stools will take up less floor space and will reduce the amount of leg room needed under the table, so that diners on each side of the table will not kick each other.

Here is the 30" wide (actually 29") farm table that I made for our kitchen. That is the max width that allowed 36" of walking-around space on each side.


29"W x 36"H x 60"L
1-1/4" thick top
24" bar stools
4" aprons ... any taller aprons would be too close to the diners' thighs.
Top overhangs leg post by 3" on ends and by 1-1/2" on sides.

Click here for three slide shows and more photos on Photobucket.

FYI, I downloaded over 100 photos of new and antique farm tables when I designed my table. Muddled them together and came up with this as the best design for my limited space. Some of the antique tables had almost a foot overhang on the ends, which might look good on your long table.

Good luck,

- Lonnie

[Roger Bullock]

I agree on watching the size of your apron to allow leg room. The first kitchen table I completed I did not take that into consideration and ended up with a problem.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm a little confused. If you are bidding for this, haven't they indicated some of their design requirements beyond the dimensions?

[NICK BARBOZA]

I made this trestle table out of cherry. It's 34"x96". Personally I am partial to the trestle design as I like the simplicity of the style. Also with the trestle base you don't need aprons. The top finished out at about 1-1/8".
I have lots more pics if your interested.

Good luck.
NWB