Ask the Restaurant Tabletop Experts
Product Questions:
Question: Can I order round or flip up restaurant table tops through TimeWorn?
Answer: We can create tables that are just about any size and shape including tops with flip-up leaves. We can create any size radius on the corners and typically if you can draw a shape, we can cut it. Some products have a max diameter of 36″ but most have a 72″ max diameter for rounds. Depending on the product our max length is 10′ to 17′.
Question: What thickness restaurant tables can I get through TimeWorn?
Answer: Our standard thickness is 1 3/4″ with the exception of Mixed Plank Distressed Pine which is 1 5/8″ thick. Depending on the product we can go as thin as 3/4″ and as thick as 4″. Keep in mind anything over 2 3/8″ will have a steep up-charge as it has to be cut with special tools.
Question: How long will your restaurant tabletops last?
Answer: You can go 10-20 years before the finish will need to be sanded. The tables themselves will last much longer.
Question: How do I see your product before purchasing, do you offer samples?
Answer: We stock samples of all our products. The samples are 12″ x 12″ x the typical product thickness. The first two are free of charge and additional samples can be purchased for $30 each.
Question: Can I get my tops thicker or thinner?
Answer: Yes! These products can be made up to 4″ thick. We can also create Distressed and Butcher Block tops as thick as 4″. Our mixed plank products can be no thicker than 1 3/4″ thick.
We can also make many of our products thinner by request. We have found most standard restaurant bases to be between 28.25″ and 29″ tall for dining height so our typical 1-3/4″ thick tops are a great match to these bases.
Question: Are your products made in America?
Answer: Yes! We are proud to say all our products are made in the USA.
Question: Can you make bar tops? What is the max length?
Answer: Yes, absolutely! We can make tops up to 17′ in length and we have connected multiple 17′ bar tops allowing our customers to go as long as they’d like. Bar tops that require multiple pieces to achieve their full length will include domino joinery/biscuits and mechanical hardware to ensure a tight connection.
Here is a great article on the subject: Large Restaurant Tables
Question: How do I connect my bar top pieces?
Answer: Using glue, domino joiner biscuits, and mechanical hardware.
Question: Do your table tops require a subtop or metal support?
Answer: No! Our tops are assembled to be fully self-supporting when attached to a properly sized base. For bar tops, we recommend a bracket to support any overhangs greater than 12″.
Question: Do you have standard sizes to choose from?
Answer: Yes! Our quick-ship products come in the following 7 sizes:
- 24″x30″
- 30″x30″
- 30″ round
- 30″x48″
- 30″x72″
- 36″x36″
- 36″ round
Our made-to-order products (including the same quick-ship styles) can be made in just about any size up to 72″ wide to 17′ long. The Mixed Plank style has a max width of 36″ and max length will depend on the product selection but varies between 8′ and 12′.
Question: Are your products made with real wood?
Answer: Yes, absolutely! Every restaurant tabletop we make is solid wood and made in the USA. Our wood species choices include New White Oak, Red Oak, Maple, Beech, Pine, Walnut & Cherry. Our reclaimed choices are Pine and a mix of Red and White Oak.
Question: Is your wood FSC certified?
Answer: No. If you are working on a Leed certified project we would recommend using any of our reclaimed wood products that you can easily identify with this symbol:
Question: Do you have products made with reclaimed wood?
Answer: Yes! Any product on our website with this symbol signifies that it is built using reclaimed wood:
Question: Where do you get your reclaimed wood?
Answer: It is most often sourced from Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa but we have bought certain species from California, Oregon, Idaho, Missouri and several other states.
Question: Can you do a custom stain color?
Answer: Yes, we prefer to have you provide a specific Sherwin Williams or similar stain color with a matching ID number. It will take 10-14 business days for a sample. Matching will depend on the type and grade of wood specified. Custom samples have a $100 fee.
Question: What size do you most commonly sell for a 2-top and 4-top?
Answer:
- 24×30, 30×30, and 30 round for a 2-top.
- 30×48, 36×36, and 36 round for a 4 top.
Question: How much do your table tops cost?
Answer: Pricing varies by product and discounts are given for large quantity orders. In general, our least expensive product is $100 for a 24″x24″ restaurant tabletop and our most expensive product is $280 for the same size tabletop.
Question: Can you make bar tops? What is the max length?
Answer: Yes, absolutely! We can make tops up to 17′ in length. Bar tops that require multiple pieces to achieve their full length will include domino joinery/biscuits and mechanical hardware to ensure a tight connection. Here is a great article on the subject: Large Custom Tables for Restaurants
Question: How do I connect my bar top pieces?
Answer: Using glue, domino joiner biscuits, and mechanical hardware.
Question: Do your restaurant table tops require a sub-top or metal support?
Answer: No! Our tops are assembled to be fully self-supporting when attached to a properly sized base. For bar tops, we recommend a bracket to support any overhangs greater than 12″.
Question: Why won’t you sell to homeowners?
Answer:
- We are set-up to do large orders. Each step of our process is done using large machines that take time to set-up, if a majority of our time is spent setting up machines the costs tend to go up at an exponential rate.
- Shipping – We get charged the same $1,000 to ship a 24×30 table top to California as we do to ship (20) table tops to California
Question: Do you have products in-stock and ready to ship?
Answer: Yes! We have Quick-Ship products for just this reason! See the options here.
The table bases we sell are also available for shipment within 48 hours.
Question: Is your finish Shiny?
Answer: No, it is a dull or Matte finish, with an 11 degree sheen. Here is a list of sheens by degree:
- Matte=10 degrees
- Satin 20-36 degrees
- Semi-gloss = 35-70 degrees
- High-gloss = 85 degrees or more
Question: What kind of finish do you use?
Answer: It is a Two Part Acrylic Polyurethane sealer and top coat. It is oil-based and we use an oil based stain. It is manufactured and applied specifically for commercial, restaurant and hospitality use. Read more here: mlcampbell.com
Question: How heavy are your Restaurant table tops?
Answer: Our lightest is pine at 4 pounds per square foot and our heaviest is Maple at 8 pounds per square foot. This translates into 36 pounds for a 3′ x 3′ Pine restaurant table top and 72 pounds for a 3′ x 3′ Maple restaurant table top.
Question: I’ve had wood tops before that become sticky over time. Will that happen with yours?
Answer: No! The finish that was used on your tables was simply not made for a commercial restaurant setting. In the future we suggest you avoid anyone trying to sell you tables that are finished with: Any kind of conversion varnish, any kind of lacquer, any kind of rub on finish similar to Bona or any kind of water based finish to prevent your tables from ever becoming sticky. We use a finish specifically made for heavy industrial restaurant use and it is engineered not to break down from repeated cleaning year after year.
Bases:
Question: Do your restaurant table bases come with assembly instructions?
Answer: They do come with assembly instructions printed on the boxes. For our customers convenience we have also created this short video to help answer any questions you might have:
Question: Is it easy to attach the restaurant table bases you sell to your table tops?
Answer: If you have a little experience using hand tools you should do ok. Here’s a video we put together showing how to attach your table bases to our restaurant table tops:
Question: Is there any risk of the paint chipping on our table bases?
Answer: The bases are powder coated which is a very durable metal coating. Even still, there is always a risk of chipping when we’re talking about a metal paint coating. Although it’s extremely rare, we recommend that you contact us immediately if you experience chipped paint on one of your restaurant table bases.
Question: Do your bases come fully assembled and attached to the table tops?
Answer: The restaurant table bases we sell come unassembled and in a box. The instructions included as well as the videos we have created make it easy to both assemble and attach your new table bases. Here are two videos that show the assembly and installation of your new restaurant table bases:
Process:
Question: Who will I be speaking to when I call?
Answer: Although we have several office employees we try to make sure one of the owners is answering calls.
Question: Do you offer financing?
Answer: At this time we do not, but if we were to recommend a company to help purchase our products it would be Direct Capital.
Question: How do I get a quote?
Answer: You can call or email us the following information:
- Product selection
- Table top sizes and quantities
- Delivery address
- Billing address
- Contact name and phone number
Or simply visit our Contact Us page and fill out the necessary information.
Question: How do I place an order?
Answer:
- Sign quote / send PO
- Pay deposit
- Review and sign shipping doc
Maintaining the Tables:
Question: What do we use to clean our Restaurant table tops?
Answer: For all intents and purposes, you can use any cleaner/sanitizer. Our finish has the strongest testing of any wood finish on the market and we have yet to find a cleaner that will harm our finish. Our personal favorites would be Green Works or Eco Labs or any product that is environmentally friendly that you find does an adequate job at cleaning your restaurant tables.
Question: Will we ever need to do a “touch-up” coat of finish?
Answer: The short answer is No. Once you have decided on a product and have received your sample we absolutely recommend you test the durability of the finish. You will find it impossible to penetrate through the finish and into the wood. In 5-10 years should your tables show wear from scuffing or similar there are a few products you can wipe on to remove the scuffing or should you want a “new finish” look the tables can be sanded with high grit sandpaper making them look like they were just newly finished.
Question: In the process of moving tables around we had a table tip over and we gouged the side of a table taking off both the finish and some of the wood, can this be repaired?
Answer: Yes of course and surprisingly we get asked this once or twice a year. You will start by sending us several pictures of damaged area, this will allow us to put together the correct products in order to make the repair and successfully walk your contractor through the process. We do recommend you have either a handyman or carpenter complete the repair. We will supply you with the correct materials at no additional cost should it be within 24 months of receiving your restaurant table tops regardless of how the damage occurred.
Warranty:
Question: Are we taking any risks by using solid wood restaurant table tops?
Answer: We have done everything in our power to remove any risk that may exist otherwise. A majority of companies will dry their lumber down to a moisture content (MC) of 8-10%, we take our MC down to 6% and under. This allows us to ship to any of the 50 states without risk of shrinking or cracking. We also primarily use quarter-sawn wood which is a huge cost on our end, but by doing this we eliminate the risk of the table tops cupping. Lastly, we coat our tables with a finish that outperforms 99.9% of all other finishes on the market. Together these crucial steps give us and our customers a product that simply outperforms all others on the market.
Question: What is the length of your warranty?
Answer: As of 2018 we have increased our full warranty from the industry standard of 1 year to a full 2 year warranty against all manufacturing defects. We also carry a full 10 year structural warranty on the wood itself.
Shipping:
Question: Where do you ship?
Answer: We ship to all 50 states and export as well. For shipments outside the US, we can ship to your freight forwarder or coordinate with our own.
Question: How do you ship?
Answer: Our products are stacked with padded paper then shrink wrapped and nylon banded to a pallet that is made to withstand freight shipping. Once the tops are secured to the pallet, a 2×4 lumber and OSB shipping crate is attached to the outside of the pallet on all sides and top. See this example photo:
Question: How long does shipping take?
Answer: It will depend on your location. All table tops are shipped from our facility in Minnesota. Some examples are as follows: For cities such as Chicago or Kansas City, the transit time will likely be 1-2 business days. For most locations in California, Florida, New York, or Washington the transit time will be around 4 business days. For Washington DC , Texas, and the Carolina’s, it is usually 3 business days.
Question: How much should we expect to pay for shipping?
Answer: A good estimate is 10% of the table tops price can be allotted for shipping. However, an order for a small quantity of tops or for our quick-ship tops can be closer to 20%.
We take great pride in properly packaging our products for freight shipment. We choose freight carriers based on their reliability and proven history of delivery on time and without damage.
Question: What do I need to do to prepare for receiving my new table tops?
Answer: If you haven’t received an email outlining instructions on how to receive your tables, please let us know. You can also watch this video to see how the crate will be delivered and how it should be handled.
Question: How do I get tracking information for an order?
Answer: Once an order has shipped you will receive a general tracking email from Echo Freight (our freight management company) and a detailed tracking email from our office.
Question: Can I expedite my shipping?
Answer: We have many carrier options and there may be expedited options depending on your location and budget. Guaranteed Delivery Service may also be an option if your delivery is time-sensitive. Inquire for pricing & availability.
Terms:
Question: What are your payment terms?
Answer: A 50% deposit is required with the remaining balance due when the order is ready to ship. An invoice for the remaining balance will be emailed about a week prior to the expected ship date unless other arrangements have been made. All orders must be paid in full before shipment can be scheduled. In the case of orders under $5,000 we ask that the order be paid in full when the order is placed.
Question: Do you take Credit Card?
Answer: Yes! We accept all major credit cards (AMEX, Visa, Discover, MasterCard), and wire transfer. We also accept checks but we kindly ask that any checks be sent with a way to track the delivery so that if anything should happen to the check we are notified.
Question: Do you offer discounts?
Answer: Yes! Discounts are based on the square footage of table tops ordered. We also offer trade pricing. Inquire for details.
Question: Do you use distributors?
Answer: All products are purchased direct from us, the manufacturer.