Old Tables a new informitive website

We have been working on a new website http://www.oldtables.co.uk/ the aim of is to answer the questions most people have when buying a Antique French Farmhouse Kitchen Table.The site offers a brief History of the Farmhouse Table a buying guide and a link to our sales site www.alexanderpaulantiques.com. If you are considering buying a Antique Table check out the website it has some useful information for you to read.

Buying your antique farmhouse table

So the decision has been made to purchase an antique farmhouse table, where do we go from here ?. Let me try and help.
There were several types of timber that were used in the making of farmhouse tables from the 18th century to the early 20th century and the colour and patination of these vary hugely. From the warm tabacco colour of time aged Oak, Ash or Chestnut the redish orange hues of Cherry and Applewood to the often powerful almost explosive grain pattern of Elm and Walnut. The choice of all of these is down to personal preference.
To have a good strong and lasting Farmhouse table it will have needed some restoration over the years,to repair any damage, broken joints, woodworm etc all of whitch, was hopefully undertaken by a professional !

The Antique Farmhouse Table should have a minimum of 24" (610mm) underneath the side and end rails to the floor, this gives enough leg room to sit upto the table comfortably, this should give you a total height of between 29" - 30.5" (735-775mm). You should allow 22" (560mm) per place setting this gives enough shoulder room per person.So to seat 3 people down each side of the table you would need to have 66" (1680mm) between the legs, of course this will depend on the size of your chairs.

Some Antique Farmhouse Tables have stretchers (one running the length of the table in the centre and one at each end running from side to side, usually 2"-4" off the floor)these are often refured to as Refectory tables. The stretchers will often hinder chairs from tucking comfortably upto the end of the table unless there is at least 6" (150mm) of the top over hanging the base.

The width of the top is also very important, the wider the better but obviously not everyone can have a wide table because of room dimensions. Also the wider the top the higher the price of the table, this is because most Farmhouse tables made were narrower in width.
At Alexander Paul Antiques we have many French Antique Dealers scouring rural France looking for exceptional and rare Antique Farmhouse Tables. Threrfore we believe that we have the biggest and best selection of Antique Farmhouse Tables in the UK. View our full online stock catalogue at www.alexanderpaulantiques.com
http://alexanderpaulantiques.com