Shopping for your dining table can be a daunting task and we understand why. Sometimes, you may feel inclined to get a cheaper dining table on a budget, or maybe splurge on a designer piece since surely, with the price it would be a worthy investment! Perhaps not. Often, you may realise these decisions may not be right in the long run. Which leads us to the question: What is a good choice for a dining table then?
Solid wood dining tables can be a great investment for homeowners. Yes, they might not be the most budget-friendly option but they are not exorbitant either (if you find the right retailer). Moreover, there are plus sides to getting a solid wood dining table.
Consider this:
A more cost-friendly dining table may cost you about $500. If it lasts for a couple of years, that’s great. However, that’s about $250 of investment a year. Furthermore, these tables might not have a high sell-on value if you’re looking to offload them in the future.
On the other hand, there are premium laminate or wood veneer dining tables which probably cost triple the amount. Despite being pricier, it will be quite a feat for them to last long as they may not be able to handle the daily grinds of a dining table.
With a solid wood dining table, while the upfront cost is expensive (ranging from about $2000 - $3000), you get a table that can last for decades to come, with a decent sell-on value. Solid wood dining tables can also be refurbished to look brand new again. This is unlike other materials which cannot be refurbished. Once it's damaged, such as getting a deep scratch, you will have to replace the dining table or live with the aesthetic defect.
Having a wooden table is sustainable too. You would have something that lasts you a long time and can be refurbished. This means fewer materials are being disposed on the long run as compared to buying a brand new table.
A wooden table can also be repurposed too. If you ever feel that your old wooden dining table has reached the end of its lifespan, you can always repurpose it into a small bench, a serving board, or anything else that you need. That way you are sustainably reusing a natural resource.
Contrary to popular belief, the prices of solid wood dining tables have gone down precipitously as it's becoming increasingly popular. Most solid wood dining tables are cut and pre-processed in cost-efficient manufacturing countries like China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Beyond that, it’s important to find the right retailer to get the best bang for your buck. Making solid wood furniture is not straightforward. We know it because we are furniture makers, and can appreciate the amount of effort that goes into it.
In your search for solid wood dining tables, you might meet retailers who sell them at exorbitant “designer” prices, but yet know very little of the manufacturing processes, nor the characteristics of the wood.
You may also meet retailers selling solid wood tables at a steep discount, not understanding fully the kind of materials they are selling. Such tables, albeit being solid wood, can develop many issues downstream. For example, to prevent warping, wood must be adequately dried during processing, which some furniture makers skimp on to save cost, given that it takes a lot of time and space.
So make sure you do your research and ask plenty of questions because the right furniture maker will provide you quality solid wood tables at a reasonable price.
You can save on other furniture, but not on your dining table. Think of it as an investment. Paying a little extra for a quality table will save you so much trouble and expense in the future. A solid wood dining table is worth that investment.
At Grey & Sanders, we provide top-quality solid wood dining tables for our customers. If you want to know more about them, come on down to our showroom and have a chat with us. After all, it heartens us to be part of your furnishing journey.