top of the working table

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Jeanette

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
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Jul 20, 2009
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I am making a table where I will receive orders, 48" x 70" (40" height).

- What is the best to put on the top. Home-Depot carpet is way to expensive and not necessary I think, but not so if a must?
- What to put at the front of the table
 
You can get remnant carpet piece pretty cheaply but then all your corner samples will stick to it.
My table is wrapped in fabric with acrylic over it and a bull nose cherry frame sealing it off.

I will say my table is 34" high and some customers think its too high to view the work on. It's also on wheels so I can move it around.
 
That's a similar size to the one I use. We have an itty bitty shop,
so it's right out in the middle of the room. Our 40x60 Fletcher matcutter
is embedded into it, and the table is about 48x64. They made it so
that there's matboard storage underneath, with slots on one side and the
boards sliding in horizontally. Those parts are all wood, and the top
is covered with some kind of formica like surface.

I'm curious as to whether this is just the place work will be
placed, or whether it's also your design table. I design on
a stand-up board that's metal covered with linen. The artwork
is held on with magnets. The whole thing takes up about
two feet as it sticks out from the wall.
 
I always build my tables with the leg height of 32" because you get 3 legs per 2x4. Been doing it that way for 30 years. The height allows you to reach to the opposite side of frames without spinning them around. Spinning frames causes scuffs on the corners. Home Depot indoor/outdoor carpet is very cheap and that's what I have always covered tables with in the past and now.
 
Jeanette, will this one be your design table? I only have (cheap) carpet on one of my fitting tables, not where I take in my orders.

As for height; that is too high for any kind of table (in my opinion).
 
It does seem high. I'm almost six feet tall, and it would
even be too high for me. Seems like 36" might work better,
or depending on your height, even less.
 
I'm pretty tall (5'10") and my 36" tables are just right. Especially if you're shorter, go lower.

Wal-mart has carpet that's 5' x 10' for a song.
 
I got a feeling it is for a work table, and that she wants to store glass or mats under it. Or maybe as a top to some flat files.

So I think she wants to know what the best work top is.

If I am wrong and she wants to use it as a design table then the design easel of Bainbridge would fit on it and make looking at the design in progress no problem.

But from a human's point of view the table is too high, from a matboard point of view it works :) IMO cater to the human aspect, the matboard won't get carpal tunnel or fatigued, the human working at that height will :):)
 
Some kind of laminate tabletop is good, or if budget is no problem, maybe granite or corian. What about glass brick for the face of it?
 
You can get 5x8 or 6x9 low nap business carpets for under $20 bucks at Home Depot/Lowes/Ollies or other bargin outlets. Make sure it is supple so you can bend it around the edges and staple it.
 
Are you talking about a design table in the front of the store?

My design table is a drafting table that is angled and covered with Velcro. The customer gets a better perspective because the frame corner will stick on the Velcro, and the table is angled. I use foamcore strips with Velcro backing to hold mat corners steady during the layout process.
 
janetj1968 said:
I'm pretty tall (5'10") and my 36" tables are just right. Especially if you're shorter, go lower.
Click to expand...

It's important that your table are height sized properly for the main user. I'm 6'3" and my 2 4x8 work tables are 41" high. Just right for me.
Your back will thank you if you make them the right height.
 
40" seems awful high to me too. Your standard kitchen counter is 36" high. My shop assistant is "vertically challenged" so I built the main work counter 32" high.

One thing you have to consider with a tall design counter is the angle at which the customer will be viewing the work. I'd say you want a shorter counter so the customer can look "down" on it at a similar angle to viewing it on the wall...
 
On our design tables we want a color that does not distract customers comparing colors of framing components. We use a visualization system, so we want a good photographic background surface. We also want a solid surface to support artworks, and one that we can clean by washing with glass cleaner and a towel.

Our design tables are covered with medium-gray, matte-finish Sintra, aka PVC sheeting, 1/8" thick. It scratches over time, but it may be replaced for cheap. Now, after 7 years, it's about time to change the cover sheets. A Nielsen aluminum matte-black moulding neatly surrounds the edges.
 
We use leather/vinyl for our countertops and working table. Wood top. Foam or cardboard on top of the wood. Leather/Vinyl stretched and stapled on the bottom.

We buy our leather/vinyl from a discount fabric store. We like it because it's soft, durable, wipeable, and brushable.
 
Framehouse Boutique said:
We use leather/vinyl for our countertops and working table. Wood top. Foam or cardboard on top of the wood. Leather/Vinyl stretched and stapled on the bottom.

We buy our leather/vinyl from a discount fabric store. We like it because it's soft, durable, wipeable, and brushable.
Click to expand...

Great idea! I wonder why I never thought of that....
 
Our work tables are covered with white Coroplast, which is durable, easy to clean, and makes a dandy cutting surface. When a cover gets too cut up, wejust replace it with a new sheet.
 
Work tables and design table are 36". Most countertops at home are at 36". There must be a good reason to have them at that height. I'm 5'3" and it works for me.

Last time I went to M's (couple years ago), their counter was so high, I could barely lean over and touch my chin on the counter. Way to high!!
 
my table is covered with carpet from a local carpet dealer, most places you can get scraps that are large or custom ordered carpet that wasn't picked up real cheap. I just bought a 9' x 15' peice for 12 bucks plus taxe.
 
Our main work table is 4 x 11 and covered with high density particle board. We abuse the top terribly and replace periodically. We use matboard, cardboard, blankets, craft paper and what not for a clean and padded top... as needed.

This Wednesday we plan to replace the top.

Our table is 36" high and I had a 5ft tall framer.

CT developed a technique of levering her foot against the wall to reach across the table.

I offered to build a wide step aid but she was so good at "climbing the wall" she declined the assistance.

The wall is covered with footprints. :)

Doug
 
ours is 42 in x 16 ft x 36 tall and covered with self healing one inch printed grid vinyl ( old habit from sign shop days ) ..easy to clean, minor cuts heal themselves and the grid makes for quick estimating on sizes etc.
 
If you're talking design counters, ours is 36" high, 36" wide and 30ft long. The surface is grey laminant. We have two computers stations and can help up to 4 customers at a time... or one customer with lots of projects!

Vueing the artwork horizontally has never been an issue for most customers, but if, and when it is, we utiilize our IF visualization program. We just move the work over to the end of the counter and the cusomer can view it (nearly life size) on our 42" flat screen.
 

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My production is away from the store. The table is for the store to place the order on it, so customer can chooze molding and mat.
 
I'd use tempered 1/4 inch thick glass with rounded edges. Won't scratch, comes in any color you put under it, won't scratch the art, velcro hook won't stick to it, cleans easily.

Makes an ideal surface to show how buckled their artwork is - just lay a piece of glass over their art to show all the buckling and ripples that won't come out even if matted or directly under glass.

I also used glass as a work surface in front of the drymount press. Cut right through the dm tissue onto the glass.
 
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