Round table bases

A round foot has to be wide enough for the top it carries. 12 round bases sit here, six cast iron and one chrome, all listed for indoor use. Begin with the size of the top, since the spread of the base follows from it.

The two-thirds rule

Measure the top across, then take two thirds of it. The base spread should be at least that much. A 30-inch round wants 20 inches, a 36-inch round wants 24, and a 42-inch round wants 28.

Look for the spread on each product page, and ask a specialist if one leaves it out. A standard-height round metal table base is one that says its height in the name.

Sizing the round

A round top has no corners, which counts for something when a stroller has to squeeze past at 8:30 AM.

A 36-inch round seats four in close quarters, the tightest a round table gets for four. At 42 to 48 inches it seats four to six. For a corner of a small shop, that choice is the whole plan. The edge math agrees: a 36-inch top has about 113 inches of rim, which is four diners at 24 inches each. A 60-inch round for eight is a big ask in a small shop, and it needs a spread of 40 inches.

Now add the chairs. Pull-out room of 18 to 24 inches behind the chairs on both sides of a 36-inch round adds 36 to 48 inches before you count the chairs themselves. The footprint is at least 72 to 84 inches across, six to seven feet for one table, and that is before the 36-inch service aisle. Draw it before you buy. Two of them side by side need 12 to 14 feet of room.

Metal and price

Six of the 12 bases are cast iron and one is chrome. Prices range from $70 to $164. None is listed for patio use, so these are inside bases. For a sidewalk table, outdoor table bases is the page to open.

Close by

If your top is square, look at square table bases. If you want feet that reach out, X-prong table bases are the alternative. The full range is under table bases, and the matching surfaces are in table tops.

Test the pairing with the product page open: top diameter, base spread, height. Three numbers, one minute. Then test the circle in a cafe plan with chairs pulled out. The aisle tells the truth faster than a catalog.