Selection Guide
Choosing a table base is not a styling decision — it is a load and geometry decision. An undersized base makes a table rock, and when a guest knocks over a glass the cause is almost never the top. This guide walks through the five checks that settle base selection for a café or restaurant project.
1. Start from the table top size and shape
What keeps a single-column base stable is the spread of its foot plate. A working rule: on round or square tops, the base should measure roughly 50–60% of the top width. An 80 cm round top sits well on a 40–45 cm base.
Rectangular tops call for twin columns or a sled base rather than a single centre post. Above 120 cm in length, a single central column produces noticeable flex for the guests seated at the ends.
| Top size | Shape | Recommended base layout |
|---|---|---|
| 60–70 cm | Round / square | Single column, narrow base |
| 70–80 cm | Round / square | Single column, standard base |
| 80–90 cm | Round | Single column, wide base or cross foot |
| 120–140 cm | Rectangular | Twin columns or sled base |
| 160 cm and above | Rectangular | Twin columns, built to the specified top |
Vialeg models are rated as standard for tops up to 80 cm round or square. Larger tops are produced with the base scaled to suit, so proportions differ slightly from the catalogue image.
2. Work out the weight of the top
This is the check most often skipped. A marble top weighs two to three times what a compact laminate top of the same diameter weighs, and both the foot plate and the column section have to grow with it.
| Top material | Diameter | Thickness | Approx. weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marble | 80 cm round | 30 mm | ~41 kg |
| Marble | 90 cm round | 30 mm | ~52 kg |
| Compact laminate | 80 cm round | 12 mm | ~7 kg |
| Solid wood | 80 cm round | 30 mm | ~13 kg |
Above 30 kg we recommend cast iron or a weighted steel base. With light tops the mass of the base is the only thing resisting tipping, so avoid pairing a light top with a light base.
3. Fix the height
Height follows the seating format. Vialeg produces 71.5 cm as standard; bar and custom heights are made to order.
| Use | Base height | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Standard dining | 71.5 cm | Excluding top thickness |
| Bar / poseur | 105–110 cm | Planned together with the stool |
| Lounge / coffee | 45–55 cm | Set by the seat height |
Do not forget the top: a 30 mm marble slab on a 71.5 cm base gives a finished height of 74.5 cm. A clearance of 27–30 cm between seat and table underside is the comfortable range.
4. Match the material to the space
Indoor and terrace are not the same brief. Humidity, salt air, cleaning chemicals and constant contact all shorten the life of the wrong material.
- Indoor, high traffic: powder-coated steel or cast iron — the best balance of impact and scratch resistance.
- Terrace and garden: stainless steel or aluminium. Carbon steel risks corrosion under the coating.
- Boutique interiors: solid wood. Warm and characterful, but not suited to constant wet cleaning.
- Budget-led volume projects: composite bases — light, economical and cheaper to freight.
5. Settle the finish and colour
The same base belongs to a different room depending on its finish. Every Vialeg model can be powder-coated in any RAL colour, and chrome, titanium and electroplated gold or bronze are available. Wooden models are varnished matt, satin or gloss, in a natural tone or stained to colour.
When writing a specification, always state the colour code and the sheen. "Black" on its own is not enough — RAL 9005 matt and RAL 9005 gloss read very differently in the same room.
Pre-order checklist
- Top size, shape and thickness confirmed?
- Top material and approximate weight calculated?
- Base height verified including top thickness?
- Indoor / outdoor use reflected in the material choice?
- RAL code and sheen written into the spec?
- Quantities and required lead time agreed?
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