One of the key steps to making your home look pretty is to make sure every flat surface in your house looks pretty as well. To make that happen, you certainly want to make sure your glass tables, like your dining table or simpler and smaller glass coffee tables, are cut into shape and perfectly fit.
If instead of buying a glass table you decide to go with customization options so that your table fits more snugly with the interior of your home, you might have to consider some points before ordering one.
- Measure the Table First
Before ordering from anywhere, you should first make sure that you are aware of the area your glass table top is going to cover. Grab a measurement tape and start with the width and length of the table, if it’s rectangular or square-shaped.
In case your table top is round, measure any two extreme points to get the total width. In case your table has a shape that isn’t easy to measure, say a house shape or a regular octagon, some companies are kind enough to offer home consultation.
- Glass Type
Before you proceed further, you need to make sure you know what kind of glass you want. Options like clear glass, tinted blue glass, tint mirror pane, and plenty others are available for you to choose from for your glass tables. Whatever you decide on, make sure you are using tempered glass.
What does tempered glass mean? Well, it refers to a technique where the glass is first heated at a high degree and then left to cool down. This provides the glass with extra durability and a more refined look that’s rarely seen in glasses of other types. It is also better for your own safety, especially if you have little kids at home.
In case your glass table top breaks (the chances of which are smaller with tempered glass), your glass won’t shatter into shards that are pointy and make anyone bleed with the slightest touch. Instead, the aftermath will be a more controlled accumulation of small pieces that won’t cause serious damage if stepped on.
It’s not mandatory to choose tempered glass, especially for glass tables, but it does add a layer of safety to your table in case you drop something big on it.
- Thickness of the Glass
As mentioned before, just like you’re going to need tempered glass, you must also make a decision on how thick you want the glass to be. The thickness varies depending on whether the glass table top you’re buying is for indoor or outdoor furniture.
If your glass table top is of the ordinary kind, like a kitchen or coffee table, ¼ thickness works just right. If your table top is unsupported, which means that instead of using it as a cover-over wooden table you’re only relying on a glass table top, you certainly should go for a ⅜ ratio.
If you want to make sure your table is absolutely unbreakable, on the other hand, ½ might be your best shot.
For outdoor use, like a patio table, you can go with 1/8″ or 3/32″. Your outdoor table will probably go through some abuse over the years, so you must ensure that the glass is as thick as possible.
- Hole for a Table
This is a simpler, decorative choice for you to make. If the glass table top is meant for your coffee table, one with a hold might not be a good idea since the food or coffee you’re enjoying could accidentally get stuck there. A tabletop for an outdoor patio would look lovely with an umbrella hole though.
- Glass Edge Finish
For the glass edge finish, you need to first think about exactly what your glass table top is for. This way your edge should look change depending on the shape of your table top. The same edge finish on a round table top looks way different on a rectangular one. We have some info on the most common edge finishes.
Beveled Edge is finished where the edges are thinner. You can customize the width of the bevel.
Flat Polished Edges are smoother and can be fit in any kind of environment. Especially when the glass is inset in a frame, it looks amazing.
A Pencil Polished Edge is rounded just the way a pencil is. This is for safety. If the purpose of your glass table top is cover for a wooden table, you might want to opt for this one.
Seamed Edges are done when you just need them for their own sake and the edges aren’t outwardly visible to anyone.
- Corner Finish
If your table has an unusual shape, you won’t need a corner finish. However, for square and rectangle table tops, you have this wonderful option of corner finish.
Eased corners are when the corner is polished and provides comfort. This is quite popular among buyers. You only need to polish the corners you want in this case.
A radius corner is used for tables where the wooden table also has a similar shape. You have the additional option of choosing the radius and exact corners. However, if you opt for a beveled edge, you might want to forget this.
Clip and Polished Corners are for pedestal tables. The customization options are quite flexible for this one.
Now that you know the variety of things you need to keep in mind while choosing your perfect custom glass table top, you might want to give our website, Fab Glass, a visit. We have all the options you need.
For further information, you can give us a call any time you want.
