Table Top Proprtions

[Parm]

Ive aquired some more off cuts of timber and a few lengths of MDF laminate flooring

The boys want to make another table

The boards are 190mm wide and I want to keep them whole in the width.

My options are two boards giving 380 or three boards giving 570 mm width

Apart from keeping it square what would be a proportionate length to make it rectangular ?

Is there any formula, guide or rule of thumb I can apply?

 

[Tangledfeet]

Personally, I go for 3:2 - which also approximates to the golden ratio.

 

[Kayos]

No idea on proportions but a friend cleared his dads shed after he passed away. Showed me some U shaped hooks, the hooks had a point and tapered inwards. they were used for making tables as a way to hold the planks tight as the glue set. Being tapered the more you bashed them in the tighter they got

 

[Seadog]

Pinch dogs.

 

[Lazurus]

Thumbs up for the golden rule of thirds, I use this when wood turning and always looks proportionate and balanced.

 

[rtcosic]

As @Parm has total flexibility on length why not use the Golden Ratio directly, rather than approximate to it?
Makes for a home schooling lesson and a talking point when visitors are eventually 'allowed'.

 

[mtt.tr]

No idea on proportions but a friend cleared his dads shed after he passed away. Showed me some U shaped hooks, the hooks had a point and tapered inwards. they were used for making tables as a way to hold the planks tight as the glue set. Being tapered the more you bashed them in the tighter they got

Dogs

 

[mtt.tr]

Table top isnt so important, legs and rails are

 

[Parm]

Table top isnt so important, legs and rails are

Im staring back to front on this in my untrained way.

Set out dimensions of table top and then make frame legs etc to suit

My qualifications of wood working - zero

ability to have a go and bodge something together, well if there was an award id be world champion

 

[mtt.tr]

Im staring back to front on this in my untrained way.

Set out dimensions of table top and then make frame legs etc to suit

My qualifications of wood working - zero

ability to have a go and bodge something together, well if there was an award id be world champion

That's how i would design it as the rails and legs have to match the top.

 

[Parm]

As @Parm has total flexibility on length why not use the Golden Ratio directly, rather than approximate to it?
Makes for a home schooling lesson and a talking point when visitors are eventually 'allowed'.

So are you saying do something randomly obscure ?

Also bear in mind if it involves my two stroppy teenagers having to think we will just end up with a bonfire, even then ill have to be the fire starter.

Heavens forbid, they cant apply themselves too much or get their hands dirty

 

[Parm]

That's how i would design it as the rails and legs have to match the top.

right then, help me with maths as you know im rubbish.

If I go 380 mm wide, how log should it be ? if I stick to the suggested ratio

 

[rtcosic]

Golden Ratio

or for the arithmetically challenged:

1.61803398875

(approximately)

so roughly 615mm in nice round numbers.

Edit. I have no idea how log it should be - half a tree plus a bit of a bush?

 

[mtt.tr]

right then, help me with maths as you know im rubbish.

If I go 380 mm wide, how log should it be ? if I stick to the suggested ratio

Make the top the width and length you need then by eye or experience have a guess at what size the legs and rails would look best at, its not really measurable

Its not right unless it looks right.

 

[armalites]

I would say whilst most standard tables conform to some sort of standard/ratio I would make it to fit the area/way you'll use it. I have a friend who commissioned an oak table, it's long and thin and looks perfect where it is in their house.

 

[Parm]

Make the top the width and length you need then by eye or experience have a guess at what size the legs and rails would look best at, its not really measurable

Its not right unless it looks right.

That’s what I did last time and it came out ok.

This is another pointless table with no real purpose in mind, it’s a something to do project with materials at hand