How Thick and Heavy is a Glass Dining Table? (Calculate the Weight)
If you’re in the market for glass dining tables, you know that depending on the size, they can get pretty heavy. This isn’t always due to the legs or the frame. Most of the weight is contributed to by the giant glass slab on top.
It’s safe to assume that this glass tabletop requires a lot of consideration when moving and setting it down. Glass tabletops are traditionally more expensive than your engineered wood tables so you have to make sure you are being careful with the handling.
How heavy are glass dining tables?
A glass table that will fit 4 adults can weigh between 40 to 60 pounds. A glass table for 6 can weigh anywhere between 60 to 90 pounds. And a glass table for 8 people can weigh 90 to 150 pounds or more.
The more seats that a glass dining table is built for, the heavier and sturdier materials need to be to support it.
Factors that affect the weight of glass tables
Type of glass
The type of glass used can affect the weight of a glass table. Tempered glass, which is a strengthened form of glass, is only marginally heavier than regular glass.
This difference in weight is due to the manufacturing process that tempered glass undergoes to make it stronger and more durable.
Size of the glass
The size of the glass table top will also have an impact on its weight. Larger glass tables will be heavier due to the increased amount of material needed to manufacture them to that length.
Thickness of the glass
The thickness of the glass also affects its weight. Thicker glass will weigh more than thinner glass. A glass table top that is 1/4 inch thick will weigh less than one that is 1/2 inch thick.
This is because a greater amount of material is used in the production of thicker glass.
Number of legs
The size of the legs of a glass table can also impact its weight. Larger legs will require more material and will therefore be heavier.
However, the weight difference between larger and smaller legs may not be as significant as the difference between thicker and thinner glass table tops.
What shapes are available for a glass dining table?
Round
The weight of a round glass dining table will depend on the size of the tabletop and the thickness of the glass used.
However, due to its circular shape, the weight will be evenly distributed, making it relatively easy to move.
Square
The weight of a square glass dining table will be determined by the size of the tabletop and the thickness of the glass used.
Square glass tables tend to be more stable than round ones, but can still be heavy if the tabletop is large and the glass is thick.
Rectangle
The weight of a rectangular glass dining table will depend on the size of the tabletop and the thickness of the glass used.
The elongated shape of the table may make it more challenging to move, but its size makes it ideal for accommodating larger groups of people.
Oval
The weight of an oval glass dining table will be determined by the size of the tabletop and the thickness of the glass used.
The oval shape and rounded edges provide a smooth and elegant look, but can also make the table a little more difficult to move compared to other shapes.
How much overhang should a glass tabletop have?
A glass table top should have a minimum of 12 inches of overhang on either side of a rectangular or oval table and at least 8 inches on either side of a round or square table.
However, it’s important to note that the glass table overhang should not be more than 1/3 of its width due to instability.
The weight of a glass table top also affects the overhang. A tabletop that is too heavy for its legs can cause the tabletop to sag, which can result in a wobbly or unstable table.
Therefore, it is important to consider the weight of the glass tabletop when determining the appropriate overhang. A larger overhang may increase the stability of the table, but it can also increase its weight, making it more difficult to move.
Glass tables have to strike a balance between functionality, stability, and ease of movement when determining the appropriate overhang for a glass dining table.
The thickness vs. weight of a glass dining table
It’s important to keep in mind that not all glass tables are made with the same thickness. If a glass table were thicker. The thickness of the glass slab adds quite a bit of weight to a table.
Traditionally, the thicker and heavier a glass top is, the bigger and heavier the support needs to be. The legs of these tables need to be able to hold up all that glass. And not only that, it needs to support the midsection of the glass tabletop if the glass is really long and wide.
That is why you’ll traditionally see glass tables have legs or a frame that supports the mid-section of the glass.
The thickness vs. strength of a glass dining table
When you compare the difference between a thin glass slab versus a thick glass slab, you’ll notice how much less wobbling that thick glass will portray. Thinner slabs of glass may be lighter, but the thick ones make the table very heavy.
With a heavy glass table, you get the benefit of strength. The glass would be much less resistant to breaking if it were thicker. If someone leaned on a thin glass table, you might see slight bending if you look really close. Glass doesn’t bend very well at all. The amount of tolerance to bending is so low that your thin glass table will probably shatter before you even notice it bending.
There’s another benefit to having a really thick glass table. Since really thick glass tables are heavy, this also adds to the stability of the table. If you had a heavy glass table, it would be difficult to push it over, tilt it, or even sway it.
And just like trying to push over a big and heavy person, a heavy glass table, too, will have a strong core.
What are the most common thicknesses of a glass table?
The real question here is: how thick does your glass table need to be? It depends on how you use it. Dining tables, in particular, need to hold a lot of weight. It needs to be able to support the designated number of elbows leaning on it during an evening dinner and all the food and plates for that meal.
The most popular thicknesses are 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 inches.
Keep in mind again that as the thickness increases, you’ll begin to see a substantial rise in weight. For example, a glass table with a tabletop thickness of 1/2 inch will weigh almost twice as much as one that’s 1/4 inch (excluding the legs and frame).
The thickest of these three options is the 1/2-inch one. It would be twice as heavy on any comparable-sized glass dining table as the 1/4-inch-thick table. Glass tabletops that are 3/8 inch thick are in between these two.
How to calculate the weight of a glass tabletop
If you’re interested to know how much the glass on a dining table weighs, you can simply do the calculations yourself. Whether you’re at the store trying to buy a brand new table or simply at home and curious about how much your own table weighs, you can calculate that.
Here’s the conversion.
| Glass thickness in inches | Pounds/sqft |
|---|---|
| 1/8 | 1.64 |
| 3/16 | 2.45 |
| 1/4 | 3.27 |
| 3/8 | 4.91 |
| 1/2 | 6.54 |
| 3/4 | 9.84 |
| 1 | 13.11 |
Here are some quick steps to getting an approximation of your glass top weight.
- Measure the thickness of the glass table with either a caliper or a measuring tape.
- To find the area of a square table, simply multiply the length of one of its sides by itself. For example, if the side of a square is 5 feet, you would multiply 5 by 5 to get 25 square feet, which is the area of the square.
- If the tabletop is a rectangle, simply multiply the length of the rectangle by its width. For example, if the length of a rectangle is 10 feet and its width is 5 feet, you would multiply 10 by 5 to get 50 square feet, which is the area of the rectangle.
- To find the area of a circle, use the formula: π * (radius)^2. The radius is the distance from the center of the circle to its edge. So, to find the area, first, measure the radius and then square it. Finally, multiply the squared radius by π (pi), which is approximately equal to 3.14.
- Multiply that result by the number on the right side of the table above that correlates with the thickness you found in step 1.
Below is an in-depth overview of the steps above.
You will need to see which of these thicknesses matches the glass table you are looking at.
You’re going to need a tape measure for this or something called a caliper (see below). These things have beak-like ends that close on something like a tabletop. The gap between the caliper’s mouth and the tabletop is a precise measurement of how thick that tabletop is.
If you don’t have one or don’t plan to get one, you can simply eyeball it with a tape measure. It should be close enough.
Next, you’re going to need to understand what the right column above means in the table provided. It’s talking about the number of pounds for every square foot of glass. In the case of 1/4-inch tables, if you had a square slab of glass that was 1/4 inch thick, it would weigh approximately 3.27 pounds.
Now all you need to do is find the area of your table using your measuring tape. If the table is a rectangle or a square, simply measure the length and width based on the footage. Take this number and multiply it by the number that corresponds to the glass thickness. In our case, 3.27.
If the table were a circular table, you’d have to get the radius. The formula is A = π r². In case you need extra help with a circular table. Here’s a video on YouTube that explains it really well.
How many people do I need to move a glass table?
Moving a glass table can be a challenge. More often than not, I highly recommend you find a second person to help you move a glass table if you ever need it.
Luckily for some, the glass slab on a table can be removed in some designs which will make the moving process a lot simpler. It still doesn’t avoid the fact that you may need two people though.
Moving a glass table has to be handled with absolute care. If you were to accidentally drop a wooden table, you might get away with just a scratch or dent.
If you were to happen to drop a glass table, depending on how hard it hits the floor and what the floor is made out of, you could potentially be looking at a full-on shatter. Millions of pieces would be all over the floor and you’ve just lost a really expensive table.
If you are able to remove the glass top, then do it. Move the parts of the table with patience.
When I removed the top, I found some strong, heavy, and soft bathroom towels. My friend and I covered the glass with as much of the towel as we could. With both of us on each end, we tilted and lifted the tabletop starting on one side and rotating it straight up with each person on each end of the tabletop.
We carried it over to the designated location and placed it down securely on a surface, with the towels protecting the area between the floor and the glass.
The rest of the pieces were picked up and moved before being reassembled.
Finally, we stood in our positions on both ends of the glass tabletop, lifted it, and placed it on the table’s support and legs.
This was roughly a 4- to 6-seat glass tabletop.
If you’re interested in knowing which dining table we owned, I’ve added it here below. It’s tempered glass and measures roughly between 3/8 and 1/2 inches thick. I really like the minimalistic look.
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