In small-sized apartments, compact, folding furniture is often used to save precious space. Folding tables also belong to this category. They consist of a countertop and a lifting mechanism that secures it in a horizontal position. Such a table usually does not have legs, although there are models with another, more complete set. The piece of furniture is attached to the wall or to any vertical surface (sometimes included in the design of shelving or multifunctional cabinets). Folding tables are ergonomic, compact and easy to use. In the lowered position, the countertop does not take up much space. Let's talk about what models of folding tables manufacturers offer and how they fit into the interior design.
Compact and space saving. When folded, it is almost invisible. Free space can be used at your discretion. Of course, the place for the spread of the countertop cannot be occupied by other, massive furniture.
Ergonomics
Multifunctionality. Folding tables can be used as a workplace, dining area, ironing board.
Safety, simplicity and usability. Even a child can handle the lifting mechanism. All that is required to bring the countertop to a horizontal position is to raise it (or lower it, as in some models) and fix it.
A variety of models allows you to choose the perfect piece of furniture for a particular interior. The most popular they are in studios and small apartments. The disadvantages include only the small capacity of the folding table. Such structures, as a rule, have small countertops, which is caused by the features of the lifting mechanism, and can accommodate no more than 4-5 people. It is also worth considering that guests can be accommodated at dinner, for example, only on three sides, since the fourth adjacent to the wall will become a “dead zone”. Due to the fact that most folding tables are static, they cannot be moved or moved to another place where this furniture is currently needed.
Models
Furniture manufacturers offer a wide range of tables, which differ in the forms of countertops, types of construction, sizes, features of fastening, the presence or absence of some components (for example, legs), and materials. In addition, the models differ in design: the color and texture of the surface of the countertop.There are expensive options made of natural materials (solid wood or glass) and more budget ones that mimic natural stone or valuable wood (most often plastic or veneered surfaces). Some tables are complemented by decorative inserts from other materials, carvings, inlays, furniture fittings.
Forms
Folding tables are available with four forms of countertops:
Square. Ideal for a small family of three.
Rectangular The table top of the model is more spacious and can be used even for modest feasts with guests. Such folding tables are fixed both across the wall and along.
Semicircular. Countertops of this form have a low capacity, so they are rarely used. Although the option looks original and fits the classic interiors and art nouveau decor.
Round and oval. The rarest variations. It looks stylish and unusual, but is rarely used due to its low capacity. The option is optimal as a dressing table in the bedroom or workplace for one person.
In rooms of complex configuration, tables of non-standard shapes can be used. Usually they are made to order.
Type of construction
By design type, folding tables are classified into the following types:
Transformers They can be wall and wall. The main distinguishing feature of the design is its versatility. If desired, it can turn into a compact workplace, replacing a desk, or in a full dining area.
Folding table. A simplified version of the transformer, which lacks additional features. The tabletop in a folded form takes a vertical position, but at the same time a static “piece” remains on the wall, so the model is not completely assembled. Can be wall and wall. A striking example of the second option is a table-book.He became the first prototype of a folding table, which was familiar to every person, a native of Soviet childhood. It was a tall "coffin" with two worktops on either side of a narrow board in the middle. "Wings" in normal times are in a lowered state. When you need to set the table for the holiday, they are lifted and fixed in a horizontal position. This piece of furniture really saved big feasts, since its area in the expanded state increased several times. At a time when the model did not unfold, its narrow static tabletop was used as a shelf. In the assembled place, the "book" takes up very little space, but still loses to folding tables mounted on the wall.
Folding. The simplest and most popular model. The table is fixed on any vertical surface, whether it is a wall or a cabinet facade. In addition to countertops, such models are usually equipped with a number of shelves. If the table is located in the kitchen, then they are filled with dishes. When the model is used for work, books and stationery are stacked in shelves. The design is designed for heavy loads. Her legs, as a rule, are absent, so the fastening to the wall must be reliable so that the table does not collapse at the feet of the owners. The countertop does not rise, but leans down. This is its main difference from the folding model.
Mobile folding table. The model is much similar to the previous one, but it is characterized by mobility. The table top moves along the guide mounted in the wall. Such a folding table is convenient for small apartments with a non-standard layout.
Outboard. Tables without legs. They are compact because they are not designed for heavy loads.
Hinged bar counter. It features a narrow, elongated worktop. Ideal for small kitchens. Fastened high, like a classic bar counter. Often complemented by the same high chairs.
Although transformers, folding tables belong to the category of folding tables, in classic models, tabletops are lowered during folding and not lifted, as is the case in the two cases described above.
Material
For folding tables, various materials are used:
Particleboard or MDF. The relatively inexpensive chipboard and fiberboard are ideal as a budget option. They are easy to cut and give the tabletop various shapes. Slices are processed with special veneer tape. The surface texture can imitate wood of different breeds, including rare ones. Unfortunately, the material has a short life. This nuance has become a "compensation" for low cost. It is not recommended to install models made of MDF and particleboard in rooms with high humidity and heavily overload the countertops, as they have low resistance to mechanical damage. The best option is as a desk or computer desk in the student’s office or children's room.
Glass. It began to be used in the production of folding tables relatively recently. For countertops, they take only ultra-strong tempered glass, which negates the danger to humans, even if it does break or crack. The material is expensive, heavy and “chills” with tactile contact, which not everyone will like. Glass countertops look luxurious, so they are ideally suited to the line of modern styles. Some high-tech models are complemented by metal inserts.
Array of wood. Environmentally friendly, durable, reliable option. In the price range, models occupy a position between glass and MDF / particleboard. They are heavy, but resistant to mechanical damage. Exclusive models from the author's collections are decorated with intricate carved patterns. The option is suitable for a bedroom, kitchen, living room, study and as a changing table in the nursery.
PVC Plastic got to the countertops.The advantages of the material include its light weight and ease of care. Plastic is not afraid of moisture and pollution, but does not have high resistance to mechanical damage. The option is ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, balconies.
In rare cases, stainless steel countertops are made specifically for kitchens.
The size
The dimensions of the countertops are the main characteristic that they repel when choosing a folding table. The parameters are calculated based on the quadrature of the room and the number of people who will simultaneously use it. If the table becomes a workplace, then its length should be at least 1.2 m, and width - 0.8 m. These are the optimal parameters of the tabletop for one person. The height of the table should vary between 0.7-0.75 m from the floor. For a dining table, the rules are somewhat different:
Round tables. For ordinary models, for which 5-6 people are seated, the diameter should be 1.2-1.35 m. With folding tables, the situation is somewhat different, since one side rests against either the wall or another vertical surface and put dinner there will not work. Models with a diameter of 1.2-1.35 m are designed for 4-5 people.
Oval patterns. For these tables, you can not give exact numbers, since the useful area of the countertop directly depends on the type of fastening: along the wall or across. More spacious countertops are obtained in the second case.
Rectangular tables. The situation is the same as with the oval.
On average, a person needs a place with a width of 0.4 m and a length of 0.6 m for a dining person. Width means the distance from the edge of the countertop to its center.
How to do it yourself
A simple model of a folding table can be built by yourself. Consider a step-by-step master class in manufacturing folding furniture using the example of the most affordable material - chipboard. It is perfect for beginner carpenters, as it is easy to cut, and in case of failure there will not be any pity for the money spent.The table top of our table will rise, since such a design is more reliable than a folding (hanging). Also, the model is supplemented with legs that will provide it stability during operation. You need to start work by taking measurements and drawing up a drawing.
Necessary materials and tools
To work, you will need:
Chipboard. Can be replaced with MDF sheet or thick plywood.
Veneer tape for processing the cut edge of the countertop.
Wooden blocks for legs.
Screwdriver.
Drill.
Roulette, pencil, square, level.
Jigsaw.
Since we are considering the process of manufacturing a folding table using an example of a primitive model, this list can be expanded with materials for additional components of the original model and tools.
Accessories for tables
Folding tables are equipped with the following accessories:
Hinges. For different models they use “butterflies”, tilt-and-turn and piano options.
Stationary base strip. Provides a reliable connection of the surface with the countertop. There are elements of different forms. You can buy a finished metal strip or make it yourself out of wood.
Anchor bolts with which the countertop will be fixed on a vertical surface.
2 brackets with clamps for legs.
In the manufacture of original models, the following are additionally used: decorative accessories (hinges, levers, handles), guides for sliding table elements and mobile tabletops that move along the wall. Two other important elements of complex structures:
Brackets for countertops. The basis of the mechanism for lifting the cover structure. We are interested in sliding or folding brackets that will move the countertop.
Clamps. Necessary to fix the countertops in a horizontal position. It’s better to buy special shockproof latches. They will prevent mechanical damage to the countertop when it is inaccurately lowered down.
In our case, we will replace them with ordinary legs that will reliably hold the tabletop in a horizontal position.
How to fix a countertop
A table top of the desired shape is cut from a chipboard sheet. A sketch is created directly on the surface with a pencil using a square, tape measure. Its edges are decorated with veneer ribbon. On the reverse side of the countertop, markings are made for legs and loops, which are fixed to the surface. Next, the hinges are screwed to the base strip. Then the place on the wall for the table is marked. In order for the base plate to be located strictly horizontally, you need to use a level. Now for the fastener in the wall make holes with a drill. After that, the bar is fixed with anchor bolts or dowels.
To correctly determine the height of the countertop, it is better to take a chair, sit on it and imagine a table in front of you, “putting” your hands on it. After a pair of “fittings” of optimal height, the obtained value is noted on a vertical surface.
Interesting ideas in the interior
Folding tables can be complemented by narrow hinged shelves that are hidden by the countertop when folded. Some designers apply the painting on its reverse side, thereby masking the entire structure to the decor of the room. In order for the interior element to merge with the wall decoration, its color is selected to match the tone of the vertical surface. Some folding tables even fit into furniture. Previously, this technique was used to organize a mini-bar in the headset. The role of the countertop was performed by the door, which instead of the usual swinging open leans down. Alcohol and glasses hid in the inner niche. In very cramped apartments, designers resort to extraordinary solutions and fix not only folding tables, but also folding chairs on the wall, hanging them on hooks just above the structure. This composition looks rather bold and unusual, but when folded it does not take up space at all.
Another economical option is the use of the same folding chairs, the seats of which are located on the sides of the countertop. In some models, instead of classical legs, rectangular modules are used, hollow inside, that is, representing a support frame, which is fixed from the edge of the tabletop when it is unfolded. The option is suitable for small families of two people, since the “leg” turns another side of the table into the dead zone, preventing the third person from getting hooked. Another creative model is folded up and hung on the wall and acts as a mirror. The reflecting surface is located on the back of the countertop, and the folded legs act as a wooden frame. Before use, the table is removed from the wall, laid out and put in the right place. A nice bonus of such an element is its mobility. By the same principle, other models are made out, equipped not with a mirror, but, for example, with a picture or an author’s photo.
Conclusion
Folding tables are an excellent option for small-sized and studio apartments. Since now free space is most valued, such furniture helps to turn even the closest home into a spacious house, in which there is room for not only the owners, but also the guests. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a large apartment, so you have to "get out" using multi-functional, compact furniture, which "with a flick of the wrist turns into ..." into a full-fledged interior element that can satisfy the needs of owners in a working, dining, bar or cosmetic zone.
In small-sized apartments, compact, folding furniture is often used to save precious space. Folding tables also belong to this category. They consist of a countertop and a lifting mechanism that secures it in a horizontal position. Such a table usually does not have legs, although there are models with another, more complete set. The piece of furniture is attached to the wall or to any vertical surface (sometimes included in the design of shelving or multifunctional cabinets). Folding tables are ergonomic, compact and easy to use. In the lowered position, the countertop does not take up much space. Let's talk about what models of folding tables manufacturers offer and how they fit into the interior design.
Content
Advantages and disadvantages of folding tables
Folding tables have several advantages at once:
A variety of models allows you to choose the perfect piece of furniture for a particular interior. The most popular they are in studios and small apartments. The disadvantages include only the small capacity of the folding table. Such structures, as a rule, have small countertops, which is caused by the features of the lifting mechanism, and can accommodate no more than 4-5 people. It is also worth considering that guests can be accommodated at dinner, for example, only on three sides, since the fourth adjacent to the wall will become a “dead zone”. Due to the fact that most folding tables are static, they cannot be moved or moved to another place where this furniture is currently needed.
Models
Furniture manufacturers offer a wide range of tables, which differ in the forms of countertops, types of construction, sizes, features of fastening, the presence or absence of some components (for example, legs), and materials. In addition, the models differ in design: the color and texture of the surface of the countertop.There are expensive options made of natural materials (solid wood or glass) and more budget ones that mimic natural stone or valuable wood (most often plastic or veneered surfaces). Some tables are complemented by decorative inserts from other materials, carvings, inlays, furniture fittings.
Forms
Folding tables are available with four forms of countertops:
In rooms of complex configuration, tables of non-standard shapes can be used. Usually they are made to order.
Type of construction
By design type, folding tables are classified into the following types:
Although transformers, folding tables belong to the category of folding tables, in classic models, tabletops are lowered during folding and not lifted, as is the case in the two cases described above.
Material
For folding tables, various materials are used:
In rare cases, stainless steel countertops are made specifically for kitchens.
The size
The dimensions of the countertops are the main characteristic that they repel when choosing a folding table. The parameters are calculated based on the quadrature of the room and the number of people who will simultaneously use it. If the table becomes a workplace, then its length should be at least 1.2 m, and width - 0.8 m. These are the optimal parameters of the tabletop for one person. The height of the table should vary between 0.7-0.75 m from the floor. For a dining table, the rules are somewhat different:
On average, a person needs a place with a width of 0.4 m and a length of 0.6 m for a dining person. Width means the distance from the edge of the countertop to its center.
How to do it yourself
A simple model of a folding table can be built by yourself. Consider a step-by-step master class in manufacturing folding furniture using the example of the most affordable material - chipboard. It is perfect for beginner carpenters, as it is easy to cut, and in case of failure there will not be any pity for the money spent.The table top of our table will rise, since such a design is more reliable than a folding (hanging). Also, the model is supplemented with legs that will provide it stability during operation. You need to start work by taking measurements and drawing up a drawing.
Necessary materials and tools
To work, you will need:
Since we are considering the process of manufacturing a folding table using an example of a primitive model, this list can be expanded with materials for additional components of the original model and tools.
Accessories for tables
Folding tables are equipped with the following accessories:
In the manufacture of original models, the following are additionally used: decorative accessories (hinges, levers, handles), guides for sliding table elements and mobile tabletops that move along the wall. Two other important elements of complex structures:
In our case, we will replace them with ordinary legs that will reliably hold the tabletop in a horizontal position.
How to fix a countertop
A table top of the desired shape is cut from a chipboard sheet. A sketch is created directly on the surface with a pencil using a square, tape measure. Its edges are decorated with veneer ribbon. On the reverse side of the countertop, markings are made for legs and loops, which are fixed to the surface. Next, the hinges are screwed to the base strip. Then the place on the wall for the table is marked. In order for the base plate to be located strictly horizontally, you need to use a level. Now for the fastener in the wall make holes with a drill. After that, the bar is fixed with anchor bolts or dowels.
Interesting ideas in the interior
Folding tables can be complemented by narrow hinged shelves that are hidden by the countertop when folded. Some designers apply the painting on its reverse side, thereby masking the entire structure to the decor of the room. In order for the interior element to merge with the wall decoration, its color is selected to match the tone of the vertical surface. Some folding tables even fit into furniture. Previously, this technique was used to organize a mini-bar in the headset. The role of the countertop was performed by the door, which instead of the usual swinging open leans down. Alcohol and glasses hid in the inner niche. In very cramped apartments, designers resort to extraordinary solutions and fix not only folding tables, but also folding chairs on the wall, hanging them on hooks just above the structure. This composition looks rather bold and unusual, but when folded it does not take up space at all.
Another economical option is the use of the same folding chairs, the seats of which are located on the sides of the countertop. In some models, instead of classical legs, rectangular modules are used, hollow inside, that is, representing a support frame, which is fixed from the edge of the tabletop when it is unfolded. The option is suitable for small families of two people, since the “leg” turns another side of the table into the dead zone, preventing the third person from getting hooked. Another creative model is folded up and hung on the wall and acts as a mirror. The reflecting surface is located on the back of the countertop, and the folded legs act as a wooden frame. Before use, the table is removed from the wall, laid out and put in the right place. A nice bonus of such an element is its mobility. By the same principle, other models are made out, equipped not with a mirror, but, for example, with a picture or an author’s photo.
Conclusion
Folding tables are an excellent option for small-sized and studio apartments. Since now free space is most valued, such furniture helps to turn even the closest home into a spacious house, in which there is room for not only the owners, but also the guests. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a large apartment, so you have to "get out" using multi-functional, compact furniture, which "with a flick of the wrist turns into ..." into a full-fledged interior element that can satisfy the needs of owners in a working, dining, bar or cosmetic zone.