Tables get a lot of use in a busy household. Family members set down drinks, food, sports equipment, and other items on any nearby surface. Your average table can take a beating. What's more, tables are often central to a room's décor. If you want a table to work hard for you and still maintain its beauty, glass is an ideal material to meet your needs.
Glass Tabletop Durability
As noted, glass offers protection. It is, in fact, an exceptionally durable material. Its surface is much harder than wood, so it's not as susceptible to scratches. If your family is especially rough with a glass tabletop, it may eventually show some scratching. However, the surface can take a lot of abuse before marks start to show.
Glass shops usually recommend that you buy tempered glass for tables. The manufacturers start with a sheet of glass that's been cooled in the standard way. They then run this brittle glass through a tempering oven which heats and cools it again. This second process changes the properties of the glass and makes it more durable. Tempered glass also safely breaks into rounded pebbles instead of shards.
Glass Tabletop Aesthetics
Designers often use glass to decorate with because it is aesthetically pleasing. Glass features natural reflective qualities. It can catch the sunlight or even artificial illumination and bounce it back into the room. Such a reflective quality can highlight whatever you place on the table, such as a vase or piece of artwork.
Glass, of course, is also transparent. So when you look around the room, the glass tabletop doesn't take a lot of visual space. Your eyes just keep on moving. This quality can work for you in two ways. First, it can draw attention to something else, such as the chair next to the table or the attractive rug under it. Second, the transparency makes your room feel larger because of the increased visual space.
Glass-Covered Wooden Tabletops
Glass tables can come in many forms, but some homeowners prefer the look of wooden tabletops. When you consider the previously mentioned idea of how much abuse the average tabletop takes, however, you understand that wood alone won't hold up as well.
The wet bottom of a glass can warp the wood's surface. The hot bottom of a mug can discolor the wood finish. Wood is also susceptible to dings and scratches from hard items being tossed on top of its surface.
You can still incorporate glass into your table design even if you want the beauty of wood. Lay a sheet of glass over the tabletop with rubber spacers in between. Before you go to your local glass shop, take exact measurements of the table. If the tabletop is anything other than square or rectangular, you may want to trace out the exact dimensions. The glass company will cut the sheet to your specifications.
This design option actually offers benefits from both materials. You get table protection from the hard, impermeable glass, and the surface will still reflect some light. However, you can also enjoy the natural warmth that wood gives a room.
Custom Glass Tables
If you want a protective glass sheet for your wooden table, you'll have to order the sheet from your glass shop. However, you can also put in a special order for a glass-alone tabletop. Typically, homeowners choose standard transparent glass for a custom table, but you could talk to the glass shop about other options. They may show you sheets of colored or frosted glass.
For a custom table, consider what size you need. Look at some standards for table sizes and work from there. You can also special order the shape, which would allow you to squeeze the table into a corner or use it to spice up your décor. For instance, you might consider a table with an unusual geometric shape to create a conversation piece.
Use glass for your tabletop so you get the beauty and durability of the material in your home. Talk to the glass specialists at
All American Glass.
