A folding table is a type of folding furniture, a table with legs that fold up against the table top. This is intended to make storage more convenient and to make the table more portable. Many folding tables are made of lightweight materials to further increase portability.
Description
Folding tables are produced in many sizes, configurations, and designs. They can be made from
plastic, metal, wood, and other materials. Some manufacturers use specialist materials such as
engineered wood when producing tables.
Folding mechanism
There are two main types of folding table. Those that have leaves that fold down such as a
Pembroke table,
drop-leaf table or
gateleg table, and those that fold by having legs that bend on a
hinge located at the connection point between the table top and the leg. The leg is designed to fold and fit securely against the underside of the table top, while remaining attached. Because the hinge requires a stable material such as metal for dexterity, some producers use lightweight materials such as
aluminium for an increased degree of portability in the folding mechanism.
Uses
Folding tables are used in homes,
, churches, and other buildings that have rooms intended for various functions. Folding tables can be used for sit-down activities, and then easily removed and stored out of the way when open space is needed. Wooden folding tables are also sometimes used as weapons in professional wrestling.
History
The history of the folding table may date back as far as
ancient Egypt. By the Colonial and
Victorian era, the tables were common.
During the 20th century, folding tables became an inexpensive item manufactured and sold in large quantities.
In the 1940s, Durham Manufacturing Company was marketing a basic model.[ 'The Milwaukee Journal , 30 Nov 1949] In 1951, Boris Cohen and Joseph Pucci patented the first table that could be easily carried around.
In the 1990s and 2000s, American manufacturer Lifetime Products became the world's largest producer of folding tables.[ "Lifetime Products Files Patent Infringement Complaint Against Three Chinese Companies" Patents and Trademarks Today, 12 Feb 2010]
Styles
Card table
Phantom I Open Tourer Windovers (1926)]]A card table is a square table with legs that fold up individually, with one leg lining each edge. Card tables are traditionally used for playing
,
, and other
. Due to their low cost and small storage size, in the United States they are frequently found in college apartments, or as auxiliary seating for family meals such as Thanksgiving. Many folding card tables are used for specialist games such as
contract bridge,
Mahjong or
poker, as a result there are some folding tables with fabric surfaces such as felt. In the UK, card tables are purpose-designed for cards with a green
baize surface and foldaway leaves or legs.
General-use table
Rectangle, square, and round folding tables are designed for general home and
office uses.
Banquet table
Banquet tables are traditionally used by
and
Catering for setting up temporary
. They are also popular among retailers and vendors at
Trade fair for displaying products, and for use as temporary
.
Personal table
A personal table, also called a TV tray, is a small table designed to be used by only one person at a time. They are popular for dining while watching television, or for working on small projects. Students often use personal tables for doing
homework.
Folding picnic table
A folding
picnic table has built-in seats that fold up along with the legs. They are used commonly in school cafeterias and in the
of homes.
Ironing board
An ironing board is a small, portable, folding table with a heat-resistant top that is used for
ironing clothes.
Wallpaper table
A wallpaper table (or paste or pasting table) is a long, light folding table used by interior decorators. The decorator lays out a strip of wallpaper flat on the table to apply paste so that the wallpaper can then be fixed onto the wall. The table needs to be long to accommodate wallpaper, so other tables typically found in rooms are insufficient, and needs to be light and foldable so that they can be easily transported. Their ease of transportation and assembly means wallpaper tables are sometimes used for other informal purposes such as car boot sales and
camping.
== Gallery ==
See also
