How Heavy is a Wooden Dining Table? (Statistical Data on All Wood Types)
High-end dining tables are often considered those that are made of solid wood. When you’re dining table shopping either at the store or online, you’ve probably wondered how much a solid wood dining table weigh.
How do you carry it into your house?
You can find a cheaper and lighter dining table made and engineered in a factory, but it probably won’t match the quality of solid wood.
How heavy is a solid wood dining table?
The weight of a dining table depends on the seating size, design, and the type of wood used.
A wooden table built for 4 people can range between 50 and 100 pounds; a table for 6 can weigh 100 to 150 pounds; and a table for 8 can weigh around 150 to 200 pounds. Larger tables often found in commercial settings can fit up to a dozen people and can weigh over 200 pounds.
The average weight of a wooden dining table
The most common size dining table you’ll find in any household is a 6-person table. The average weight of a 6-seat wooden dining table is about 110 pounds. Some tables may weigh as little as 50 pounds, while others may weigh as much as 200 pounds. This weight can vary depending on the size and type of wood used to construct the table.
A larger table or one made of denser wood will weigh more, while a smaller table or one made of lighter wood will weigh less. The weight also depends on the construction of the table, whether it is solid wood or veneer.
The effects of seating size on weight
Depending on the seating capacity of a table, the amount of wood needed can change drastically. Imagine a dining table built for two people that weigh 50 pounds or less.
Now, imagine how much heavier those tables would be if they were built to seat 8, 10, or even 12 people. The added weight doesn’t just multiply. However, more material has to be used in order to construct such a table.
An example of this would be the table shown below. It weighs just under 150 lbs. and fits about 6 people.
Making a table wider or longer will often require a thicker tabletop. This is because once the table becomes elongated, there’s going to be a need to reinforce the middle area to prevent it from bending under pressure. The builder needs to make sure it’s strong enough to hold at least a few hundred pounds of weight.
The bigger the table, the thicker the tabletop
This can be done in a few different ways. You can increase the thickness of the tabletop. Getting a thicker cut will oftentimes solve any bending issue and make sure the middle of the table is strong enough to hold a lot of items.
Installing table aprons can help reinforce the tabletop
Another method is to have what some people would call a table apron. It’s the bars of wood that connect the adjacent legs together and are also connected right underneath the table. These aprons can definitely help with the sturdiness of the tabletop by adding stability.
Adding extra legs underneath the table
If the table becomes too long as a result of too many seats, you can always add extra legs in the middle. Think about how long a 12-person table looks. There’s almost always a requirement for an extra pair of legs in the middle due to the fact that it’s just so long.
I don’t need to tell you that having extra legs in the middle can drastically help prevent any slouching of the table in the center. However, it does take up more space beneath the table and may restrict some movement with the seating arrangements.
How thick do tabletops need to be?
There are so many designs out there. But, if I had to categorize it, it would be either thin or thick wooden designs. I’m referring to both the legs as well as the tabletop.
The legs can have all these grooves and linings, but the thicker they are, the heavier the table will be. The thickness of the legs will proportionally follow the thickness of the tabletop.
In the tabletop realm, you should really look into the thickness of the tabletop itself. Most smaller tables that can fit around 4 people would have a thickness of about 1 inch.
However, as you move up to the required size of the tabletop, the thickness needs to increase as well. And as you’ve probably guessed by now, if the thickness of the tabletop increases, along with the general dimensions, the table will become really heavy.
Now, this isn’t something that’s set in stone because the weight of the table also depends heavily on the type of wood used. Different types of wood have different densities and thicknesses, and this is correlated with weight as well. The denser the wood, the heavier it becomes.
It’s up to the builders to decide what thickness some tables should have. If a carpenter builds a dining table for 2 with a 2-inch thick tabletop on it, they’ll have to accommodate the heftiness of the tabletop with some big thick table legs to support it.
How does the type of wood used to build a dining table determine its weight?
Different types of wood have different densities and weights. Below is a list of different types of wood and how they compare, relatively speaking, in terms of weight.
Based on its density, the chart below shows how much a solid wood table that seats six people might weigh.
Wood type vs. table top weight: Table
Here’s my methodology. I did some research and found that the average surface area of a 4 to 6-person dining table was about 5.5 feet long by 3.5 feet wide. That equals 19.25 sq ft. The thickness of most tables is approximately 1 inch so if you convert that into feet, that’s 1/12 of a food. Multiply that by 19.25 sq ft and you get a multiple of 1.6. That’s the approximate weight of each tabletop minus the legs. This isn’t perfect, but it comes close.
| Type of Wood | Density (lbs/ft3) | Approximate Tabletop Weight (lbs) |
|---|---|---|
| Alder | 26 – 42 | 41 -74 |
| Afrormosia | 44 | 70 |
| Agba | 32 | 51 |
| Apple | 41 – 52 | 66 – 83 |
| Ash, white | 40 – 53 | 64 – 85 |
| Ash, black | 33 | 53 |
| Ash, European | 44 | 40 |
| Aspen | 26 | 42 |
| Balsa | 7 – 9 | 11 – 14 |
| Bamboo | 19 – 25 | 30 – 40 |
| Basswood | 20 – 37 | 32 -60 |
| Beech | 32 – 56 | 95 – 90 |
| Birch, British | 42 | 74 |
| Birch, European | 42 | 67 |
| Box | 59 – 72 | 94 -115 |
| Butternut | 24 | 39 |
| Cedar of Lebanon | 36 | 58 |
| Cedar, western red | 23 | 37 |
| Cherry, European | 43- 56 | 69 – 90 |
| Chestnut, sweet | 30 | 48 |
| Cottonwood | 25 | 40 |
| Cypress | 32 | 51 |
| Dogwood | 47 | 95 |
| Douglas Fir | 33 | 53 |
| Ebony | 69 – 83 | 110 – 133 |
| Elm, American | 35 | 56 |
| Elm, English | 34 – 37 | 54 – 59 |
| Elm, Dutch | 35 | 56 |
| Elm, Wych | 43 | 69 |
| Elm, Rock | 50 | 80 |
| Gaboon | 27 | 43 |
| Greenheart | 65 | 104 |
| Gum, Black | 36 | 58 |
| Gum, Blue | 50 | 80 |
| Gum, Red | 35 | 56 |
| Hackberry | 38 | 61 |
| Hemlock, western | 31 | 50 |
| Hickory | 37 – 58 | 60 – 93 |
| Holly | 47 | 75 |
| Iroko | 41 | 66 |
| Juniper | 35 | 56 |
| Keruing | 46 | 74 |
| Larch | 31 – 35 | 50 – 56 |
| Lignum Vitae | 73 – 83 | 117 – 133 |
| Lime, European | 35 | 56 |
| Locust | 42 – 44 | 67 – 70 |
| Logwood | 57 | 91 |
| Madrone | 45 | 72 |
| Magnolia | 35 | 56 |
| Mahogany, African | 31 – 53 | 50 – 85 |
| Mahogany, Cuban | 40 | 64 |
| Mahogany, Honduras | 41 | 66 |
| Mahogany, Spanish | 53 | 85 |
| Maple | 39 – 47 | 62 – 75 |
| Meranti, dark red | 44 | 70 |
| Myrtle | 40 | 64 |
| Oak | 37 – 56 | 60 – 90 |
| Oak, American Red | 45 | 72 |
| Oak, American White | 47 | 75.2 |
| Oak, English Brown | 45 | 72 |
| Obeche | 24 | 38 |
| Oregon Pine | 33 | 53 |
| Parana Pine | 35 | 56 |
| Pear | 38 – 45 | 61 – 72 |
| Pecan | 47 | 75.2 |
| Persimmon | 55 | 88 |
| Philippine Red Luan | 36 | 58 |
| Pine, pitch | 52 – 53 | 83 – 85 |
| Pine, Corsican | 32 | 51 |
| Pine, radiata | 30 | 48 |
| Pine, Scots | 32 | 51 |
| Pine, white | 22 – 31 | 35 – 50 |
| Pine, yellow | 23 – 37 | 37 – 59 |
| Plane, European | 40 | 64 |
| Plum | 41 – 49 | 66 – 78 |
| Poplar | 22 – 31 | 35 – 50 |
| Ramin | 42 | 67 |
| Redwood, American | 28 | 45 |
| Redwood, European | 32 | 51 |
| Rosewood, Bolivian | 50 | 80 |
| Rosewood, East Indian | 55 | 88 |
| Sapele | 40 | 64 |
| Satinwood | 59 | 94 |
| Spruce | 25 – 44 | 40 – 70 |
| Spruce, Canadian | 28 | 45 |
| Spruce, Norway | 27 | 43 |
| Spruce, Sitka | 28 | 45 |
| Spruce, western white | 28 | 45 |
| Sycamore | 24 – 37 | 38 – 59 |
| Tanguile | 39 | 62 |
| Teak, Indian | 41 – 55 | 65 – 88 |
| Teak, African | 61 | 97.6 |
| Teak, Burma | 45 | 72 |
| Utile | 41 | 66 |
| Walnut | 40 – 43 | 64 – 69 |
| Walnut, Amer Black | 38 | 60.8 |
| Walnut, Claro | 30 | 48 |
| Walnut, European | 35 | 56 |
| Water gum | 62 | 99.2 |
| Whitewood, European | 29 | 46 |
| Willow | 24 – 37 | 38 – 59 |
Wood type vs. table top weight: Bar graph
As you can see, basswood is one of the lightest woods on the list, but when you compare that to cherry wood, the weight almost doubles!
So if you had wanted someone to build you that table out of oak instead of basswood, you’d be looking at some significant weight gain from the table.
Take a look at this beautiful 6-person dining table. But notice the weight and the size. It’s quite large and according to the listing, it weighs approximately 62 pounds (including the legs). If you look at the chart, it’s most likely either white or yellow pine wood.
Check it out on Amazon.
Just as a disclaimer, sometimes there will be some tables claiming to be built with a combination of solid, unadulterated wood and MDF or engineered wood.
Keep in mind that these heavier wood types are not only heavier but also much more difficult to cut and trim. The price of such heavy wood will go up significantly as well.
How to get a heavy dining table into your home
Before diving into buying a small or big table, it’s smart to first decide on how you’re going to move the table from the store into your car and into your room.
Even if you’re ordering it online, the people shipping the table will probably not place it inside your home. Instead, they will most likely place the table right outside your doorstep.
Here’s the thing: if you’re going to haul it yourself from the store, you’re going to need some muscle. It’s definitely not going to be easy. You’ll definitely need a large enough vehicle. If you don’t already have a really large truck, then perhaps a U-Haul or a Home Depot full-bed truck can do. Depending on the size of the table, you need to make sure you have enough people.
You might be able to get away with just two people if the table has four solid wood seats. If the table has six seats, two people will still be enough, but sometimes you may need three adults. And if it’s an 8-seat table, you’re definitely going to need at least 3 adults, or at least 2 adults, and a dolly.
If you somehow decide to have it shipped to your home, the delivery man will most likely just leave it at your front door. Oftentimes, there will be the option to “install” or bring it into the home and put it in the right place for a certain fee like $75.
The benefit of this is that if anything happens to the table while being moved, the company will be liable to fix the damages. That’s always a plus.
The most common types of wood used for dining tables
The most common types of wood used for dining tables are oak, mahogany, and pine.
Oak is a popular choice for its durability and attractive grain pattern. Mahogany is also a durable wood and has a rich, warm color. Pine is a more affordable option and can be stained or painted to match any decor.
Other common types of wood used for dining tables include maple, cherry, and walnut.
Maple is known for its light color and smooth grain. Cherry is similar to mahogany in that it has a rich, warm color, but it is slightly softer than mahogany. Walnut is a darker wood with a distinctive grain pattern and is often considered a luxury wood.
Additionally, teak and mango wood are also used for making dining tables, especially outdoor tables, as they are resistant to weather conditions. Teak wood is known for its natural oils that make it resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage. Mango wood is a hardwood that is known for its durability and strength.
These woods are common because they are readily available, easy to work with and have a good strength-to-weight ratio. They are also known to be durable and resistant to wear and tear, making them ideal for furniture like dining tables, which are used frequently.
The maximum weight a dining table can hold
In general, carpenters usually make dining tables that can hold anywhere between 300 to 500 pounds. That’s approximately about 3 grown adults standing on top of a table.
The maximum weight a dining table can hold can vary greatly depending on the materials and construction of the table.
A sturdy, well-constructed wooden table can hold several hundred pounds, while a lightweight, flimsy table may only be able to hold a few dozen pounds. It also depends on the size of the table legs and the type of wood used.
Hardwood tables like oak, maple, and walnut will have a higher weight capacity than softer woods like pine or cedar. Tables with thicker legs and a wider base will also have a higher weight capacity.
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