Conference Tables in History

Man walks on the moon and conference tables are there! Well, not really. But conference tables were still involved. Here is a photo of the Apollo 10 crew briefing the Apollo 11 crew before the first moon landing. Left to right around the table: Michael Collins,* Buzz Aldrin, Gene Cernan, Tom Stafford, Neil Armstrong, John Young.

*Remember the name Michael Collins, the only member of Apollo 11 who did not walk on the moon. He stayed in orbit in the space ship, alone, while Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the lunar surface. Poor guy!

Case Study: Glass Conference Table with Built-in Wiring

Stoneline Designs completed this glass conference table for a professional workplace environment firm in Raleigh, North Carolina. The table, from our Crescent line, seats 14 and includes a wiring trough running down the center of the table to provide power and net access for laptops. A sliding cover conceals the wiring when not in use. Our "Patterned Scratched" Glass finish complements the open, spacious feel of the conference room.

Conference Tables in (tomorrow's) History

The Group of Eight (G8) Nations gather around the conference table: Stephen Harper of Canada, Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Angela Merkel of Germany, Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, Taro Aso of Japan, Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, Gordon Brown of the UK and Barack Obama of the USA. 35th annual G8 conference, July 2009, Italy.

Protect Your Glass Conference Table from Chips and Scratches

We hope you have never had the sinking feeling of looking at your glass conference table or glass dining table and discovering a chip in the edge or scratch in the surface. Unfortunately, once a chip or scratch has occurred, there's usually no way to repair it. In most cases your options are to conceal the scratch or replace the glass.

That's why it's important to protect your glass table and avoid chips or scratches in the first place. For the most part, this is simply common sense. Avoid roughhousing near the table, or dropping heavy or sharp objects on the glass top. If you have small children in your home, consider padding the edges of the table with foam. This will protect both the table and your children! You can always remove the padding when you have guests.

If you have to move a large object on the glass top, for instance a laser printer or desktop computer sitting on a glass desk, lift and carry it rather than dragging or pushing it across the surface. If this is impossible -- for example it is a home office, you live alone and it's just too darn heavy -- place the heavy object on a sturdy cloth and pull the cloth. Never allow a heavy or sharp object to scrape across the surface of the glass.

If you have objects with sharp edges which you need to place on your glass table, place them on a cloth rather than directly on the glass. If this happens often, for instance a family dining table where you do kitchen prep work or set kitchen tools, make sure there is always a cloth or pad on the table. You can use a table runner or placemats to incorporate the protective cloth into your room decor.

Your chair selection matters as well. Metal backed chairs can easily chip the edge of a glass table top if they are not properly padded. Before you buy those sophisticated metal chairs to go with your glass table, imagine a rushed conference where people jump up from the table and push their chairs out of the way in a hurry. Or imagine tripping in your dining room and shoving a chair back against the edge of the table. Make sure all parts of the chair which come in contact with the table top are padded. (Any other metal furniture that moves -- a wheeled coffee stand or file cart, etc -- should also be padded or kept well away from the edge of a glass table.)

The steps above will go a long way towards protecting your glass table. If you do end up with a minor chip or scratch in your table, you can sometimes turn or move the table so the light does not catch the scratch and it isn't as noticeable. If the damage is too severe for that, well, there's always strategically placed coasters and potted plants.

Conference Tables in History

On July 4, 1776, at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, the Founding Fathers gathered around the table to sign the Declaration of Independence, marking the official start of the Revolutionary War. The most important event of our nation's history and a conference table was there!

Case Study: Glass Conference Table

Stoneline Designs recently completed this glass conference table for a high-tech professional services firm in the Washington DC area. The client required a table large enough to seat 12, with a sophisticated look. They chose our Crescent line of conference tables with a "scratched" glass top.

Conference Tables in History

The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, officially ended the Revolutionary War. This painting by Benjamin West depicts American delegates John Jay, John Adams, Ben Franklin, Henry Laurens and William Temple Franklin. The painting is unfinished because the British delegation refused to pose.

Case Study: Conference Table Assembly

Before shipping a custom designed table, our artisans assemble the table and make any adjustments necessary to make sure all the parts fit together perfectly.

For this oval conference table with brushed steel base and granite top, the process took almost three hours. Now watch it happen in thirty seconds! Press "play" to begin the slide show:

Before shipping a custom designed table, our artisans assemble the table and make any adjustments necessary to make sure all the parts fit together perfectly.

For this oval conference table with brushed steel base and granite top, the process took almost three hours. Now watch it happen in thirty seconds! Press "play" to begin the slide show:

 

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Conference Tables in History

Today we rarely have food at the conference table, much less hold an important conference at the dining table.

In the Middle Ages, the meeting room and the banquet hall were often one and the same

Elbows Off the Conference Table!

Your Auntie Mabel probably told you to keep your elbows off the dining table, eat with your mouth closed and ask to be excused from the table. There's no proper aunt advising us on etiquette when we're sitting around a conference table. But good manners are just as important in the workplace.

Most conference table etiquette boils down to one simple principle: be considerate.

If you are attending a meeting or presentation:

• Be on time. (enough said!)
  
• Remain attentive: no checking email on your Blackberry, fidgeting or daydreaming. Turn off your cell phone before the meeting or leave it behind. If there's no clock in the room, set your watch in your lap under the conference table so you can check the time without the presenter noticing.
  
• Don't leave the conference room during the meeting. Take a bathroom break just before if that is likely to be an issue. If leaving early is absoutely necessary and you have prior permission of the presenter, sit by the door to cause as little disruption as possible.
  
• If the topic is of vital interest to you and you have many questions to ask, try not to dominate the conversation; keep your questions brief, and be sure to let others have their say too. If the opposite is true, still come prepared with a question or two in case the discussion lags. And never interrupt.
  

If you are hosting a meeting or presentation:

• Only invite people who need to be there. Don't waste people's time by calling them into the conference room when their presence isn't necessary.
  
• If you need extra time to set up or break down, reserve the conference room for the extra time. Don't assume the space will be available early.
  
• If your presentation includes discussion time, give everyone the opportunity to ask questions. Treat everyone sitting around the conference table as equally important, regardless of the corporate hierarchy. Try not to let any one participant dominate, or derail the discussion with off-topic issues.
  
• The secret to successful meetings: however long your presentation is, always schedule it for ten minutes longer and finish "early." Attendees will walk away from the conference table thinking you are the best presenter ever. 
  

(And if you must rest your elbows on the conference table, at least your Auntie Mabel isn't there to see it.)

When Moving Conference Tables, Protect Your Investment

Once a new conference table is installed, the last thing anyone wants to think about is moving it again. And most conference tables are very rarely moved. But eventually circumstances may require it: a few years down the line you may remodel your office, or relocate to a new office. Follow these steps to protect your conference table when you move it.

Many Hands Make Light Work. Make sure to have adequate staff on hand to move your table. A large glass table top is surprisingly heavy, and a granite table top is even heavier. One slip by a mover straining under too heavy a load, and your table top might end up with a chip or crack and need to be replaced.

This is especially important if your table top has a finish like frosted glass or our "Scratched" glass, as the movers should take care not to leave smudges on the textured surface of the glass. This is hard for them to do if they are carrying too much weight and are using all their energy not to drop the table.

Padded Blankets Are Your Friend. If the conference table will be moved more than a few feet, or will be turned on its side (to go through a doorway or around a corner), use padded blankets to protect the edges. If the top separates from the base and you need to lean the top against a wall while moving the base, lay padded blankets on the floor before setting the top down.

To Disassemble or Not to Disassemble. Did the table require assembly when it was originally installed? If the table is moving just a few feet within the same room, and you have enough people to lift all the pedestals in unison, you can probably get away with moving it in one piece. If the top is separate you should remove it, move the pedestals, and then replace the top. Do not pull or drag a heavy conference table across the floor.

If the table is moving to another room, or is so large you do not have enough people to move all the pedestals at once, you'll have to disassemble the table and reassemble it in its new location. Be sure to save all hardware in plastic bags, and clearly label all parts as you disassemble the table.

Read the Functional Manual. Use the assembly instructions that came with the table (you did save them, didn't you?) to ensure correct disassembly and re-assembly. If you no longer have the assembly instructions, contact the manufacturer for a new set of instructions. Provide them with a copy of your original invoice or packing list so they know exactly what table you need instructions for.

Caveat Emptor. If you are hiring movers/installers to move your conference table, make sure their rates and policies are clearly explained. Will they crate the table, or move it as is? What is their responsibility if the table is damaged while in their hands?

Cold Storage. Due to scheduling conflicts you may need to remove your table from its old location before the new location is ready. If you do not have space where the table can be stored, ask your moving company how much they would charge to store it for you. For long-term storage you may wish to rent a storage unit. Or you might even contact the original manufacturer and ask if they can store it, although this will probably require freight to and from their location.

Conference Tables in History

The Yalta Conference, Feb 4-11, 1945.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met in Yalta to plan the defeat of the Axis, and agree to terms of the eventual occupation of Germany.

(Remember the troops this Memorial Day weekend.)

Conference Tables: Choosing the Right Shape

When purchasing a conference table there are many options to consider and choose from. One of the most basic and important decisions is what shape your conference table will be.


Our most popular shaped top is a Boat with all four sides arced. The curve on the long sides helps improve sight lines so that it is easier for conference participants seated at the far ends of the same side of the table to see each other. The graceful curve on all four sides gives the table a sophisticated modern appearance.

A Racetrack Oval is a circle divided in half and stretched out with straight lines connecting the two halves. This shape is particularly effective with a wiring trough running down the center of the table, or an open space down the center for wiring access (as shown).

Rectangular shapes require simpler machining techniques and are competitively priced, making the rectangle a good choice when budget is an issue. A rectangular table is a clean, basic shape which looks good in almost any conference room.


Round shape tops are an excellent choice for smaller conference rooms. Round conference tables can be built to seat anywhere from 6-24, however this shape is usually chosen when smaller meetings are anticipated.

A Wedge shape top is a trapezoid, narrower at one end. This allows a speaker at the wide end to see down the table, or for participants to view a monitor for video conferencing.


Oval shapes can make the most of a smaller space. Due to the curved sides, less clearance is required in the room than with a Rectangular or Racetrack shaped table.

We also design conference tables in a variety of custom shapes, such as Square, Octagon, or U shape, which allows a speaker access to all participants from the center of the table.

Plan ahead for how your table will be used and what shape top will best suit your needs. This planning will help ensure that you purchase the right conference table for you.

Design Your Conference Table: Multiple Piece Tops

Your conference table top can be built in a single piece, or in multiple sections. The decision is based on several factors:

Table size: Stoneline Designs builds conference tables up to 30 feet long. However, 10' is the maximum size top (116" for shaped glass) that we can fabricate and ship in one piece. A conference table top larger than 10' must be in multiple pieces.

Access: If a 10' table top will be made in one piece, all access points must be carefully measured: doorways, elevator, stairwell, tight corners, etc. Remember that the top will be a few inches longer when crated. If any access point is not large enough, the top should be made in multiple pieces.

Design: A single piece top has a smooth, professional appearance. On the other hand, we incorporate the breaks in a multiple piece top into the design for a sophisticated look. Some tables even have different finishes or materials for different sections of the top. Either approach makes an attractive table, depending on the look you are going for in your conference room.

Power/Wiring: A round wiring grommet can be installed in any conference table top, whether single or multiple pieces. A wiring trough runs along the center of the table, and requires the top to be built in multiple sections.

Seating: We plan the break between top sections to fall between chairs, for more comfortable seating. For example, a 10' table will typically seat 10: 4 along each side and 1 on each end. We would divide a 10' top into 2- 5' sections so that the break occurs between the 2 center chairs. A 12.5' table could be made in 2 or 3 sections, depending on whether the table would seat 4 or 5 on each side. We use this same principle for dividing larger tops as well. With careful planning a conference table can be designed so that no chair is placed in front of a pedestal or break in the top, even up to 30' long.

Five Conference Room Mistakes

Make the most of your conference table investment, and avoid these five common mistakes:

The table is the wrong size for the conference room.
A table which is too large for a small conference room will feel cramped. If the overcrowding is extreme, it may even cause the room to be too warm during full meetings due to lack of airflow. On the other hand, a small conference table in a very large room will appear lost. Either way, a conference table which is the wrong size for the room may make meeting attendees feel uncomfortable. We recommend a minimum of 42" around the conference table on all sides. This leaves room for chairs and to move around the room. 48" of space is preferred for a spacious feel.

The conference room serves too many functions.
A formal conference room is often the least frequently used room in the office, and the temptation to use it for other purposes can be irrestistable. Your conference room can multi-task as long as you don't go overboard. For instance, storage in the conference room is fine, if it means tidy bookshelves full of reference volumes. But cardboard boxes stacked to the ceiling or the pile of "old computer parts to be recycled" should stay out of the conference room.
We once saw a conference room which also served as the connecting passage between two halves of an office suite! When the conference room was in use, employees were forced to exit the suite and walk all the way around to the back door to access the kitchen or bathroom. That was an attempt to economize which resulted in continual inefficiency and inconvenience to employees.

Not enough space per person at the conference table.
Do you know the maximum number of people who will use your table at one time? We like to allow at least 30" per chair (28" minimum), and for an executive conference table, 36" per person spacing allows larger chairs and a more spacious feel. You don't want to buy a conference table designed for 10, and then find that you have 14 people shoulder-to-shoulder at your monthly meeting.
     On the other hand, you may be a small organization with only a few attendees at typical meetings, and only need to completely fill the table once a year or so. In that case we often recommend storing most of the chairs, only leaving enough chairs out for everyday meetings. Sitting at one end of the table, surrounded by empty chairs, may make your regular staff feel uncomfortable. Removing the extra chairs except when needed will help make your table feel like the right size even at smaller meetings.
     See our Conference Table Seating page for more information.

The room is not set up for power and wiring in the conference table.
Before ordering a conference table, think about how the table will be used and whether power/data will be necessary. Ideally this decision will be made while the conference room is still in the planning stages, as floor outlets are often placed under the pedestals. If this is overlooked, or is impossible due to structural issues, cables can be run from the base of the pedestal to a wall outlet. But this is both unsightly and a potential safety hazard.
     See our posts on Conference Table Power for more information.

The conference room is poorly lit.
Proper lighting is essential for a productive conference room. The harsh lighting often found in commercial office spaces may make attendees feel uncomfortable, while lighting that is too dim can leave attendees unable to focus during long meetings. Windows which bring in natural light can brighten a room, but they can also ruin meetings if the sun shines directly into the eyes of half the people at the conference table. If your conference room has windows, check the room at various times of the day to see if direct sunlight will be a problem. And if you have any concerns about the lighting in your conference room, consider hiring an interior designer or space planner.

Conference Table Power: Wiring Trough

Option: Wiring Trough with Sliding Covers. Our wiring trough option is available for the Crescent or Vector series only. A double rail system is used through the center of the conference table to support the top. The rails incorporate a track system that guides sliding covers. These covers can be finished in Brushed Aluminum, Powder-coated or veneered with Wood. Covers slide open to expose wiring plates that can be fitted with a variety of power and data jacks. There are fixed covers between the sliding ones that hide the top of the wiring trough. Wires are fed through the pedestal and hardwired to the electrical plates. The trough can be used as a raceway to run wires between pedestals, so that it is possible to feed wires up through only 1 location.

Wiring plates can be specified with 1, 2 or 3 duplex power outlets. Data outlets are fitted in 3 or 4 removable inserts per plate. The inserts can house duplex data jacks (cat.5 rj45 as standard) or a variety of other outlets including VGA, audio, etc.

Alternate Wiring Options. Several flip-top style wiring modules are available, and can be incorporated into any of our conference tables. Occasionally a client will specify a particular module from a different vendor and we work with them to fit it in our tables. These modules often have a small lip on the top that is designed to set on the top of the table surface.

Conference Table Power: Wiring Grommet

Option: Wiring Grommet. The wiring grommet is an excellent solution to build power/ wiring into a conference table. It is unobtrusive when not in use, and provides basic outlets plus the flexibility to add additional cables through the pass-through hole. If more outlets are required multiple grommets can be installed, up to one per pedestal.

Our 4"d wiring grommet includes 2 power, 2 phone/data (cat.5 rj 45) outlets as standard. The duplex data/phone jacks can be replaced with a variety of other jacks, but there is an alternative designed into the grommet to accommodate another corded outlet. The grommet is recessed below the surface of the conference table top and includes a 1x2" pass-through opening. A corded VGA outlet (or similar) can be passed through this opening and left loose inside the cup when not in use. The cord can be pulled out to connect directly to a laptop without the need for a patch cord to connect to a fixed jack. If an audio jack is needed in combination with the VGA, the cords can be tied together and pulled out in tandem.


Pricing for the 4”d wiring grommet includes the grommet with outlets, a housing (secured to the pedestal with set-screws from inside the grommet), a finished hole through the table top, (Hand-polished in Glass tops, Sandblasted finish in Stone tops), and a removable Brushed Aluminum cap. The round cap has overlapping cutouts that can be closed or spun open to allow wires to pass. The grommet is fixed at 3/8” below the top surface of the table to allow a place for the cap to sit where it is captured by the exposed sides of the Stone or Glass top. This detail highlights the material of the top rather than hiding the transition with a lip that sits on the surface.
The grommet ships with a 6’ power pigtail that can be plugged directly into a floor outlet. The data jack need to be hardwired as they can be configured several different ways (such as for data or phone connectivity). The grommet is removable from above, through the top, so it can be serviced after the table is set-up.

Next time we'll look at another option: the wiring trough.

Conference Table Power & Wiring

As more and more conferences include high-tech applications like videoconferencing or online presentations, power and data ports are becoming a necessity for many conference room table.

How Does It Work? Power and data ports are built into the table top, concealed beneath a sliding or removable cover. Wires run through the table pedestal, and removable panels in the side of the pedestal provide access for maintenance. Typically a power outlet is installed in the floor under the pedestal, making the power completely seamless.

What Do You Need? Before ordering your wired conference table, think about how the table will be used and how many people will need to plug in their computers. As is often the case with new technology, many businesses find that they use the power in their conference table more than they expected. So it is better to plan for more than you think you need, and have enough if your needs expand. Rather than to compromise, end up with less than you actually need and have to retrofit the table later to add more outlets. If you are unsure of what you need, our designers can help you make this decision.

Next time, we'll look at some of the options available in conference table wiring & power.

Glass Conference Table Care: Tips to Protect Your Glass Table Top

A glass conference table is an investment which will pay off for years to come if properly cared for. Follow these easy tips to preserve the appearance of your glass conference table top.

Clear Glass: No special care is necessary with a clear glass table top. Simply clean the surface of the glass with glass cleaner and paper towels. Do not use abrasive cleansers or rough materials which might scratch the glass. If a sticky substance like wax, gum or tape residue is stuck to the glass, use a solvent to remove it or carefully scrape the substance away with a razor blade.

Frosted or "Scratched" Glass: If your glass table features a finish like Frosted glass or our "Scratched" glass, special care is required. The smooth side (usually the top) can be cleaned as above. But take care when handling and cleaning the treated side.

When necessary, wash the Frosted or "Scratched" surface gently with glass cleaner and a paper towel to remove finger prints and dirt. A solvent or degreasing kitchen cleanser should not be used on the Frosted or "Scratched" surface, as they can cut through the sealer and remove pigment. Also, aggressive rubbing or scrubbing can remove tiny particles of glass and pigment from the textured surface.

A difficult smudge or tape residue can be removed from the "Scratched" glass surface by picking out the dirt from the pores with the tip of an exacto knife. Remove debris from the glass with attention to the existing scratch pattern as you will be adding tiny new scratches.

Chips and Minor Damage: Nothing is more frustrating than to discover a scratch or chip in your prized glass table. Unfortunately, once the damage is done there isn't much you can do to repair it. In some conference rooms you may be able to turn or move the table so the scratch does not reflect sunlight and is less prominent. Glass finishes like our "Scratched" glass, and some frosted glass finishes, create a visual texture which helps trick the eye and mask minor scratches. If the scratch is large and your table top is in multiple sections, you may choose to replace the damaged section. And if all else fails ...there's always strategically placed coasters.

Moving Your Glass Conference Table: Always arrange to have adequate staff on hand to move your conference table. A large table top made of 3/4" thick glass is heavy! This is especially important when moving a frosted or "Scratched" glass top, as the movers should take care not to leave smudges on the textured surface of the glass. Movers who are straining under too heavy of a load will be so focused on not dropping the glass, they won't have the energy to mind their fingerprints. If the conference table is to be moved more than a few feet, or turned on its side (to go through a doorway or around a corner), use padded blankets to protect the glass.