Conference room tables are the workhorses of the modern office. Choose wisely and it can make the difference by giving a great first impression for your clients (and subsequent deals done) as well as simply allowing business to get done efficiently among your workers.
They come in a variety of shapes and sizes and it is important to choose the right one for your business, as well as taking into account your future requirements.
Circular
Circular conference room tables are normally quite small and are used in meeting rooms that will house perhaps 4 or 5 employees. Although they can be made much larger, it is rare to need such a table (unless you have a large circular room) because they tend to be very uneconomical when it comes to space. A variation on this theme is the octagonal table.
These small tables work great in large offices. For example, you may wish to host your own small meetings instead of having to formally book a large meeting room. These tables work great in these types of situation.
Some of these smaller tables come with wheels, a feature that is not usually available with the larger meeting-room style tables.
Modern Style
The typical, modern table seats around 6 to 8 people comfortably i.e. one at each end and 4 to 6 around the long sides. Many such tables are often referred to as having a “boat shape”. They are slimmer at the ends and wider in the middle. This facilitates group discussions better as it is easy for everyone to face towards the center of the table.
Personally, I don’t think they look anything like boats but this is the jargon used so there you go!
Racetrack Style
Boss 10Ft Race Track Conference Table as seen at Amazon.com
The racetrack style is so-called because the perimeter resembles that of a racetrack (no sharp corners). You can fit more people around such a table and they are also more comfortable to use. Expect to pay a small premium for this type of design.
Used
A high quality table will typically cost several hundred dollars depending on the material used and the quality of construction. It is possible to buy used tables. There are many bargains to be had around this time due to business liquidations.
Data Ports
Traditionally, a conference room table was fitted with ports to allow for cabling to be passed through, so that a telephone could be mounted. These days, with the importance of internet access, it is not uncommon to find modern tables featuring data ports or even a control panel
Bulk Base
Bulk bases are enclosed storage spaces underneath tables. These are especially useful if you have phones or IT equipment available as you can store cabling and devices within them. If you decide that you need this feature then make sure you get one that allows for easy access, otherwise you may find that technicians leaving in a hurry will leave the base in an untidy state.
Alternatively, some tables come with what is known as “wire management”. These tables feature cable management grommets and recesses to keep cables away from feet and legs.
Materials
Conference room tables come in a wide variety of materials. The most typical is wood laminate although you can also get solid versions (e.g. oak).