will it tip over?

[daigie]

Hi All,
I have been asked by a customer to build a breakfast room table. The table top dimensions are apr. 56" x 63". It will be stainless steel with a wood frame underneath. The base will be 18" back from the top edges , so the base size will be about 27" x 20". The base will be made of wood with leg levelers. My question is do you think this table will be stable? Do you think it will tip if someone leans on it or sits on the edge?
Any thoughts or input will be greatly appreciated. See attached sketchup drawing.

Thanks,
Steve

[Dutchman]

Sounds pretty wimpy as far as the base.

If you need it that small for design constraints, make the base REALLY heavy.

[daigie]

Hi Dutchman,
thanks for the input. I do not do furniture/tables very often so I am a little weary about just building what is drawn... I was thinking about adding some concrete or something like that to the bottom of the base. The architect had it attached to the floor with a 2x4 base but I would rather have it movable.
I would probably pour the concrete in a form and then put it in the bottom of the table base. What do you think?

Thanks,
Steve

[Kgphoto]

If you change the architect's design you adopt the liability.

[Slaughter Construction Co]

Put some feet on it. Like a cross that increase effective base size. You see many table with this design. You really don't want this thing falling on a child etc. Advise client of this danger. The Archy new what he was doing.

[Dutchman]

I'm not looking at the drawing, just going by the size.

A great way to prove things right or wrong is to make simple mock up, we do it all the time.

As for a few bucks to build one and then it can be improved upon.

[dgbldr]

Presumably the base is an empty wood box and the top can be detached. If so, build it and put a couple sand bags inside the base when you install it.

[daigie]

Hey Dutchman, good idea! I will do a mockup tomorrow or Tuesday to see how it works.
The base will be empty so I could just keep adding weight until I feel ok with stability. I have been given the ok by owner to change design to make the table less expensive but I will not build it if I do not think it will be stable.
Slaughterconstruction, good idea but it will not fit into the design of the kitchen area.

Steve

[okmrazor]

Couple years ago I had a client ask me to build a table base for a unit just about the size your considering - she was going to put a marble top on it.

I tried to sway her from the dimensions she wanted because with 2 kids I saw (potential) for severe liability to me.

That's the size she wanted. I passed... and sadly she gave all 4 built ins and the table base to someone else.

Sucked at the time, but even not having built it, every time I drive by that house I wonder about the table and its stability, knowing that it was built that way and some 4-6 year-olds would be hanging from it.

Don't know the physics as I never ran the numbers, but if I'm still worried about something I didn't build; well, I guess I'm glad I passed.

[daigie]

hey okmrazor, like you I worry about these things... That's why I posted here hoping for some good advice. I'm sure I can make this design work (even if I have to attach the base to the floor. I do not want to do that) It seems there is always some good advice or something I did not think about when I post here. Thanks for your view on the discussion.
oh yeah, I love the new option to get an email when someone replies to your thread(at least its new to me...)

Steve

[daigie]

Hi All,
Thanks for the replies, I changed the overhangs from 18" to about 16". There is a slight tip when leaned on so I will add some weight to the base when installed(thanks dgbldr for the sandbag trick)here is a picture of the base and top frame without the stainless steel top. I will post pictures when it is finished.

Thanks,
Steve

[daigie]

table picture.jpg

Here is the picture...