Glass Tabletop Base Ideas

A glass tabletop base should have a more ornate look then other table bases because it often serves as a focal point for a seating area. Functional designs can range from unusual geometric shapes to more traditional box frame construction methods. Make use of the transparency of a glass tabletop by choosing visually pleasing materials, such as quality hardwood or expertly decorated metal. Glass tabletops are inherently fragile, so designers should include shock-dampening pads to minimize the chance of damage wherever the glass meets the table base. Does this Spark an idea?

Wood Table Base Ideas

Wood is one of the better materials for building a glass table base because the tools required for basic woodworking are quite inexpensive, as is the material itself. Decent hardwood is available at virtually any building supply store, along with simple hand tools that even the novice can quickly master. Since a wooden base doesn't have to be permanently attached to the glass tabletop, there isn't much of a loss to worry about if a hobbyist's first few tries aren't a resounding success.

Steel Table Base Ideas

Stainless steel, and other metals with similar properties, make excellent glass-topped table bases and can offer some design options that aren't available when using materials such as wood or plastic. Metal lends itself well to designs which use multiple filaments to create a latticelike support structure. A base sculpted to resemble a leafless tree is an example of such a lattice filament design aesthetic. Geometric shapes welded out of steel plates offer another quick and visually pleasing option for a steel glass-topped table base.

Extending Durability With Dampening Pads

Glass-topped tables are inherently fragile due to the brittle, crystalline nature of glass. The tabletop base designer should include shock-dampening pads wherever glass meets with the base to reduce the chance of chips and cracks. Felt pads, when glued to the appropriate locations on the table base, are an inexpensive option, and synthetic materials such as soft plastics also work well. The key to selecting a good dampening pad material is that the material also needs to have a high friction quotient to prevent the tabletop from sliding around.

Incorporating Viewer Angle

When designing a glasstop table base, ask yourself from which angle the table will be most commonly viewed. Then plan a pleasing visual for the table when viewed from that angle. For example, a coffee table is most viewed from the top down, so a design made of wood panels could resemble a flower blossom when viewed from above. When viewed from another angle, the table would appear far simpler, creating a pleasant sense of surprise and a fascinating conversation piece. Tables more commonly viewed from the side, such as those used as bases for indoor plants, can benefit aesthetically from a design complementing the item the table displays. For example, a table upon which roses are frequently displayed could be enhanced with a base of sculpted metal in the shape of a rosebush or a thorny stem.