How to buy a solid oak dining table.

1. Measure the room first

Measure the space available for the table, including room for chairs and any route through the room. These measurements are a useful starting point:

• 60cm of table edge per place setting, to give each person comfortable elbow room.
• 90cm from the table edge to a wall or piece of furniture, so a chair can be pulled out.
• 120cm on any side where people walk past someone who is sitting down.

As a starting point, add 180cm to both the length and width of the table to allow 90cm clearance on every side. A 180 × 90cm table needs about 360 × 270cm of clear space. Allow more where people need to walk behind seated diners. Our size guide calculates suitable table sizes for your room.

Width matters as much as length. Our rectangular tables come in widths of 90, 100, 110 and 120cm, with an 80cm option on the 120cm length. A 90cm top has room for place settings on both sides; 100cm gives more space for serving dishes. Consider 110 or 120cm for a longer table if your room allows. On a 180cm table, the 100cm width adds £150.

If the room is closer to square than long, a square table may suit it better. We make them from 80 to 150cm. A square needs walking room on all four sides, so measure before choosing the larger sizes.

2. Solid oak, veneer or “oak effect”

Check whether the tabletop itself is solid oak. A table may have solid oak legs and a veneered top, while a deeper edge can make a thin top look thicker. Terms such as oak effect, oak finish, veneer, engineered or solid wood frame need further explanation: ask the seller what the top is made from.

Look at the end grain and underside of the top. Solid oak has grain through its full thickness. Veneered tops may have edging that hides the core, so photographs alone may not be conclusive. Ask for confirmation of the material and the thickness of the main board.

Solid oak gives you more scope to repair and refinish a worn surface than a thin veneer. Every Timber Row top is 37mm of solid French oak throughout. Our guide to solid oak vs veneer explains the differences and what to check.

3. How the top is built

Most solid oak tabletops use several boards joined together. The board widths affect the grain pattern, while the joints and fixings need to allow for natural wood movement.

• Number of boards. We make each top from two wide, matched slabs of French oak, so there are fewer joins and broader sweeps of grain than on a top glued up from narrow strips. (Our 140 and 150cm squares need a third board.)
• The joint. The joining edges are machined straight, hardwood domino tenons are set into both edges along the full length, and the joint is glued and clamped.
• Room to move. Solid wood takes in and gives off moisture as the seasons change, so it moves slightly. Slotted steel C-channel bars under the top let it move while helping to limit warping and cupping.
• Dry timber. Our oak is kiln-dried, then acclimatised in the workshop before it’s machined.

If you want a single slab across the whole width, that’s rarer timber and a different kind of job. Our sister company Sorrell & Smith makes single-slab and fully bespoke tables to commission.

4. Straight edge or live edge

A straight-edge top has parallel long sides, gently rounded for comfort. A live-edge top follows the natural outline of the oak, with the edge sanded smooth and finished. Both have square-cut ends and cost the same.

The practical difference is width. A straight-edged top is cut to the exact width you order. A live edge follows the board, so its width is nominal and varies by up to about 5cm along the length. More on choosing between them in live edge vs straight edge.

5. Choosing the legs

The base affects the appearance of your dining table, chair positions and legroom. Consider these four points:

• Knee room. Our leg frames are set 25cm in from each end, so whoever sits at the head of the table isn’t straddling a leg.
• Height. Every leg we offer stands 71cm from the floor to the underside of the top, for a finished table height of 75cm. That suits the seat height of most dining chairs.
• Benches. A single central pedestal such as our Spider base leaves the whole perimeter clear, which is why we recommend it for bench seating.
• Proportion. Slim hairpins give shorter tables a lighter appearance. On tables from 240cm, a larger frame can balance the proportions.

Our standard steel Box, X-frame and Trapezium legs are included in the price, in black, white, gold or anthracite. Metal and oak hairpins are £100 less. The eight designer steel styles are +£265 and the Spider single pedestal is +£620. Most of our solid French oak legs are included, with the Oak T-Shape at +£50 and the Oak Heavy-Duty X at +£250. Our guide to dining table leg styles compares every range.

6. Finish and colour

Lacquer and hardwax oil protect wood in different ways. Lacquer forms a surface coating; hardwax oil retains more of the oak’s natural feel and is often easier to repair locally. We apply two coats of food-safe hardwax oil by hand. Wipe up spills promptly, use mats under hot dishes and refresh the oil as needed, typically every six to twelve months depending on use. Our wood care guide explains the routine.

There are five colours: Natural (a clear oil with no pigment), Chocolate, Walnut, Black and White Oak. They all cost the same. Stained oak changes with the light, so judge it in your own room: samples on real oak are £5 each, posted free. See choosing an oak finish to compare the five colours.

7. Lead time

Our current lead time is roughly four to five weeks from order to delivery. We keep standard-size tops in stock, then apply your chosen finish and fit the base. The finish needs time to cure before dispatch. If you need the table for a particular date, contact us before ordering so we can check what is possible.

8. Delivery and assembly

Our oak tops weigh roughly 30kg at 120 × 90cm and up to about 92kg at 280 × 120cm. A two-person team delivers the top and base into your chosen room. Delivery is free to most mainland UK addresses, with charges for some areas shown at checkout. See our delivery page for details.

The top and base travel separately and are bolted together in the room. The fixing points are prepared in the workshop and the bolts and Allen key come with the table, so two adults can normally assemble it in a few minutes.

Check the full delivery route, including doorways, corners, stairs and ceiling height. The top travels separately from the base, but a long tabletop still needs space to turn. If access is tight, send us photos and measurements before ordering.

9. Guarantee and returns

Our 10-year structural guarantee covers defects in materials, construction and workmanship, including faulty joints, fixings and structural welds. It transfers with the table if you sell it or give it away. The hardwax-oil finish and steel powder coating have two years of cover for application defects. See the guarantee for the full terms.

Natural wood movement within reasonable limits, everyday wear and heat marks are outside the manufacturing guarantee. If you change your mind, our returns policy allows returns within 30 days of delivery, with collection arranged by us. Check the policy for the terms and any applicable charges.

10. Questions to ask any maker

Ask these questions before placing an order. We have included our answers for comparison.

1. Is the top solid all the way through, and how thick is it? (Yes, 37mm of solid French oak.)
2. How many boards is the top made from, and how are they joined? (Two matched slabs, glued and domino-jointed; 140 and 150cm square tops use three boards.)
3. How does the top cope with seasonal movement? (Slotted C-channel bars underneath.)
4. Where is it made, and can I visit? (Wickford, Essex. Visits by appointment, or a video tour.)
5. What is the finish, and can I repair it at home? (Hardwax oil; many surface marks can be repaired. Ask us for advice on stained finishes.)
6. Can I see the colour on real wood first? (Yes, £5 samples.)
7. How long will it really take? (Roughly 4–5 weeks.)
8. Is delivery to the room included, and who puts it together? (Free to most mainland UK addresses; two-person room delivery, with a bolt-on base for you to assemble.)
9. What does the guarantee cover, and for how long? (Ten years structural, two years on the finish.)
10. What happens if I change my mind? (30 days from delivery, and we collect.)

Common questions