Durable kitchen table

[havaneselover]

Looking for ideas for a durable kitchen table. Doesn't have to be specific: durable types of wood, stores to check, etc. would be appreciated. I've had a Pottery Barn table for more than a decade. This particular one didn't look great after about a year. Love the idea of hammered copper but I'm not sure how it will look with my country french (Ethan Allen) furniture. Need something to survive the next decade and still look good (children are 8 and 9). The table will be used for dinner and homework and I have a dog who I try very hard to keep off the table but for some reason she hasn't caught on. Probably looking for 48" round or maybe a small oval--not a huge space and there are only three of us. I don't like oak.

Thanks!

 

[clm10308]

I got a nice wooden table at IKea. We have had it for about 2 yrs. it is 48" round, but expands. It is black stained. It does have a couple of scratches already, but I don't mind. Every 6 mos or so I rub mineral oil (the same stuff I use for my wooden cutting board) on it to make it look whiney again.

 

[bltman]

Get a good quality wood table and then cover it with a table pad in a close color. See examples over here: http://www.tablepads.com/ You can keep it on all the time or only when used. They do a great job of protecting the wood.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

What about an Amish handmade table? I just bought one and it will last a lifetime. My SIL has had hers for 25 years and still looks like new!!

 

[jgreco]

My Pottery Barn table looked like garbage after 6 months. I wrote a review on the PB website and they responded that it wasn't meant for "everyday use"

I repainted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and it's good as new. Something to consider. The paint and wax actually made it much more durable.

 

[gjl]

Removed

 

[scrapquitler]

I suggest looking for a wood table that has a laminate top. We have one in the 'kitchen' area of our basement family/craft/playroom and it gets used every day for snacks, crafts, homework, projects of all sorts and it always cleans up nicely with a little windex and a paper towel. When I want to dress it up, I just put a tablerunner and a vase or a tablecloth on it. The legs are wooden and it has two extra leaves. It's sturdy and durable and apparently indestructible. We got it at a garage sale from a neighbor for $5

 

[pklein09]

I'm also looking for a new kitchen table, but I don't want a "dining room" table. I need something that will seat 6 comfortably. The table we currently have is a farmhouse style, which I like. The problem: the wood on the first top wasn't cured properly and warped in the first 6 months. They replaced it. Of the 6 chairs we got, only 2 have survived. They literally fell apart. The posts and cross pieces of the chairs were never assembled properly...not glued/nailed correctly and not enough of the posts were inserted into the seat. Two of the seats collapsed while my kids were sitting on them. And, no, I did not let my kids stand on the chairs and/or use it as monkey bars. I tried to replace all the chairs with Ikea chairs, but the backs split when we put them together. <sigh> I also don't want to spend an arm and a leg.

Looking forward to suggestions.

 

[nelle]

I bought a 1950's laminate table with 6 chairs and a buffet on craigslist last May and I love it. I put the chairs away since they are covered with fabric and my kids will trash them and I bought 8 Ikea chairs. I considered getting a amish table but my sister has one and she is always reminding her kids to be gentle, use placemats, and not to write on it without something under the paper to protect the table. Well I am not my sister and I do not enjoy hounding my kids so that idea was out.
We use our table everyday and with 6 kids(soon to be 7) it takes a beating but it looks great.
My DH groaned when I said it was from the 50's and said it was gonna look grandma ish but with different chairs it looks quite modern.
In my experience they don't build furniture like they used to I buy most if not all my furniture off of craigslist and most of it is mid century modern style so not frumpy 70's
Here's a pic:

please excuse the lego mess and the lunch that's needs to be cleaned up.

 

[HerRoyalHighness]

I bought an Ethan Allen set at a peddler's mall (booth rental place they put in empty old grocery or other larger retail places).

 

[dreaming4disney]

I bought a granite top table with wooden legs at a place near me called The Dump- I got it in the clearance section for about $180 and then bought chairs to go with it. I've had it for over 7 years and I really do love it.
If you don't see anything like that in places near you, maybe you could have one made. Mine seats six- I don't have granite counter tops and if I ever do then I would probably have to change the table so they didn't clash
I couldn't ask for a better table with kids and homework etc.

Good luck

 

[havaneselover]

Thanks for all of the great ideas. Still working on this. Like the idea of granite, but it's really close to quartz counters so it might be too busy. I really want wood (or possibly copper but I'm worried that won't match the style I have in the family room which is right next to the breakfast area). Bassett had some custom design tables that I liked and they were reasonable (I'm willing to spend money on something that will still look good in 10 years) but I'm not sure about the quality. I also found a cute set at Macys that was reasonable. A friend suggested mango wood, but everything I'm finding made of it is pretty contemporary.

 

[JessB320]

World market is a place to check out. We got dark wood table and 6 chairs there for a little under $500. We have had it for over 8 years and have had 5 kids abuse the heck out of it. It still looks beautiful and is very low maintenance. The chairs have all held up as well. I've honestly been amazed at how sturdy the set turned out to be.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Ours is a 1950's table we got from my husbands grandfathers house. It's got the laminate top, aluminum type legs.

Love it! It still looks great and is fabulous. I wish we had the matching chairs but his brother took those and has since thrown them out.

Have you thought about checking antique stores for something like that?

Ooops - I just saw you wanted wood. Guess my idea wouldn't work for you then.