Ordering Wood Restaurant Tables: The 8-Step Process
Here’s exactly how ordering wood restaurant tables works at TimeWorn—from first call to final install. You’ll see what info to prep, how samples and quotes work, what happens in production, and how to schedule shipping without surprise fees.
Still comparing styles and species? Start with our restaurant table tops and skim the Buyer’s Guide for quick sizing and clearance rules.
Overview: 8 steps from idea to install
- Initial query (share sizes, counts, timelines)
- Samples & a detailed quote
- Contract & deposit to book the schedule
- Production (material, machining, finishing)
- Shipping coordination & delivery window
- Install (tips to save time and cost)
- Photos & feedback (helps future orders)
- Ordering again at scale (multi-location)
1) Initial query—what to send
To jump-start ordering wood restaurant tables, include:
- Location (city/ZIP) for accurate freight
- Sizes & quantities by table type (e.g., 24×30 two-tops, 30×48 four-tops)
- Shortlist of styles/species for samples
- Target install date and any constraints
If you’re still deciding, compare options on restaurant table tops and check quick rules in the Buyer’s Guide. Need bases too? See restaurant table bases.
For official accessibility clearances and reach ranges, see the 2025 ADA Standards
2) Samples & Quote — the essentials
After your specs, we’ll send full-thickness 12″×12″ samples finished like the final tops and a line-item quote. This makes ordering wood restaurant tables predictable and gives you a clear sign-off point before we cut lumber.
Your quote includes: sizes and quantities, species/collection, stain/tone and sheen, edge profile and corner detail, thickness, options (e.g., pre-drilling, sound padding, grommets), plus crating, target ship week, and freight estimate. Review carefully—it’s far cheaper to revise a quote than remake a table after production.
How to test samples: view under your daytime/evening lighting, wipe with the exact cleaners your team uses, and check heat/moisture with real service items (mugs/plates). Expect natural variation with solid wood; we finish the whole order to the same recipe for a unified look.
Approve before we build: confirm sizes/quantities, species/collection, stain/tone, sheen, edge/corners, thickness, base pattern for pre-drilling (see restaurant table bases), and any cutouts/branding. Lead time starts when contract + deposit are received.
Approve the quote or request edits. Still comparing? Browse tabletop collections or see quick sizing in the Buyer’s Guide.
3. Contract & Down Payment
Once you are ready to place your restaurant tabletop order, we request a signed copy of the contract and a down payment. With both, we can place the order on the production schedule. We cannot add your table tops to our schedule until these are received. Please note: if we quoted you a 6-week lead time, that time starts once we receive your contract and down payment.
4) Production — how your tables are built (and why it matters)
Once you approve the quote and submit the deposit, we lock specs and begin production. At this point changes are limited, so we document every detail up front. Here’s the flow we follow on every order:
- Material prep: select kiln-dried hardwoods (or reclaimed stock) and bring moisture to target for nationwide installs.
- Breakdown: cut to length, rip to width, and sort for balanced board orientation so tops stay stable in service.
- Glue-up: full-length glue joints with proper clamping; panel layups sized for your final dimensions.
- Size & machine: trim to spec, then CNC for accuracy and repeatability across locations.
- Edges & corners: apply your chosen profile (e.g., 1/8″ roundover, back-bevel, hand-scraped) and any radius/clipped corners for traffic lanes.
- Sanding & prep: progressive grits for a smooth, uniform surface before finishing.
- Finish system: multiple coats of low-gloss acrylic polyurethane, sealed on all sides (top and bottom) for durability and consistent sheen.
- QC & documentation: final inspection, measurements, and photos so reorders match the approved spec.
Lead times: timelines vary by construction. New-stock builds move faster; reclaimed or specialty textures (e.g., distressed, rustic patina) add prep and dry time. We’ll note your estimated ship week on the quote and update you if anything shifts.
Change windows: prior to cutting and glue-up, we can usually adjust sizes or counts; after machining/finishing begins, changes typically require a new run. To keep installs smooth, consider pre-drilling and confirm base plate patterns early—see restaurant table bases.
Have a schedule constraint? Tell us before production starts so we can sequence material, finishing, and crating to meet your install date.
5. Shipping
For most customers, this is the most crucial step! Customers should be reading every email they receive from our office, but the emails you receive about shipping are of the utmost importance.
You must know the answers to these questions before we can schedule your table tops for shipping:
- What day will work best for me to receive my restaurant tables?
- Do I have a loading dock?
- Will I have a forklift to unload the crate(s)?
- Will my tables fit on a lift gate?
- Will I have people available to help unload the tables and bring them into my restaurant?
- How many people will I need to move the tables?
If you’re unsure of the answer to some of these questions, we advise you to wait for us to schedule a shipment. Freight carriers will charge as much as $100 per DAY if you are not ready to receive the tables when they arrive. It’s also imperative that if a driver offers to move your tables for you, you ask what that charge will be. They WILL charge you 100% of the time if they are required to do ANY work outside their trailer. If the site isn’t ready (closed, no lift-gate access, no helpers), carriers may charge redelivery and storage fees; confirm a staffed 2–4 hour window before we book.
It’s also critical that you thoroughly inspect both the crates and the tables when they arrive. If the driver refuses to wait while you uncrate your delivered tables, you MUST state this on the BOL: “driver would not wait for an inspection of the product.” Should something be damaged and you do not write that on the BOL, you have absolutely no recourse to have them pay for damages that may have occurred in transit.
It’s also worth noting that if your restaurant tables are shipped around the holidays or inclement weather is expected, there could be delays. We do our very best to avoid these issues as we know they can and will likely make receiving your product more difficult, but these things are out of our control.
6. Install—faster with pre-drilling
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While we don’t offer table top installation, we can provide you with some suggestions:
- Pre-drilling: we’ll match your base pattern for quicker, cleaner installs
- Protective pads: set tops upside-down on soft pads during assembly
- Time planning: simple tables ~10 minutes; complex or twin-base setups can take longer
Outfit the room consistently with compatible table bases and consider pre-drilling for repeatable installs across locations.
7. Photos & Feedback
Taking pictures of your completed project probably isn’t at the forefront of your mind, but it’s a HUGE accomplishment that should be documented and shared with your customers and vendors. For us as a vendor, admiring your projects and the hard work that went into them is one of our favorite parts of the job. (You’ll also score massive brownie points—we never forget our customers who attach project photos to their name.)
You’ve probably had multiple communications with our office. You know what you like and love about our wood table tops and services. We want to hear specifics; let us have it—the good, the great, and yes, even the ugly. We are by all measures a small business, and not just meeting but exceeding our customer’s expectations allows us to continue to grow, individually and as a company.
