Glossary of Dining Table Terms

You might be curious about the different types of terms when it comes to dining tables. Or, you might just want to learn more about furniture. Either way, here are some common furniture terms that everyone should know.

Apron: The rim underneath a table top that supports the weight. Aprons may have decorative carvings for aesthetic reasons.

Banding: Narrow strips of veneer used decoratively on table tops, bandings are usually made of metal or wood with stone or wood tops.

Bun Feet: Decoratively carved foot, shaped like a ball. Occasionally has a flattened side or bottom.

Chamfer: Found sometimes on the edge of a table, a chamfer consists of a beveled edge, cut at an angle to break up sharp edges.

Dining Table: A table at which meals are served. Dining tables come in many different shapes and styles, the most common shapes being round or rectangular. They are often accompanied by matching chairs and other accessories.

Drop-Leaf Table: Has hinges that extend one or more leaves, thereby lengthening the table, or fold down, for storage.

Foldable Dining Tables: Similar to wall-mounted dining tables, foldable dining tables are useful for small dining rooms, as the leaves collapse down to turn the table into a desk or console.

Gallery: A table’s top edge or border, made out of metal or wood.

Inlay: One type of wood laid into another to create a three dimensional effect in the wood, usually in table tops.

Leaf: An extension for dining tables, usually folds out from underneath the table’s underside.

Marquetry: A decorative woodworking technique involving the inlaying of veneers of ivory, metal, or wood into decorative designs on a wood surface .

Parquet Top: A table top, made by using inlay or joinery with geometric or other patterns, often made from differently colored woods.

Patina: The natural finish or sheen on a wood surface, the result of polishing and age.

Pedestal Table: A dining table supported by one central leg. Pedestal tables can often become wobbly, but offer more leg room.

Plastic Dining Table: Often cheaper than their wood or glass counterparts, plastic tables are durable and easy to maintain, but are easily damaged by intense heat and don’t age well.

Scalloped: An edge found on dining tables marked with semicircles, meant for decoration.

Side Chair: Armless dining chair often placed at the sides of a dining table.

Table Pad: Also known as a desk pad, a table pad is a removable protective cover for dining tables designed to prevent marks, dings, scratches, and damage from hot pans or other serving items.

Taper: Used to describe a table leg, namely that it tapers, or thins, as it reaches the base or foot.

Veneer: A thin layer of high quality wood that is bonded to a heavier, lower quality wood.

Wall-Mounted Dining Tables: These are tables which are, well, mounted on the wall. Great for tight places where there isn’t sufficient room for a full table.

Wood Table: One of the popular types of table, wood tables come in Ash, Beech, Birch, Cherry, Mahogany, Maple, Oak, Pine, Teak, and Walnut. Wood tables

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