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Thread: Trestle table supports

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    Fort Worth, Texas
    Posts
    28

    Trestle table supports

    I'm going to be building a 10 ft long trestle table for a client and I've noticed that a majority of tables i see online have the middle supports going from the middle of the bottom to the top of the legs like this picture.
    down trestle.jpg

    Why would you not go instead from the bottom of the legs to the middle of the table? Like the picture below? This was one of the few i've seen like this. Would that not give the center of the table more support?

    up trestle-table.jpg

    Thanks for your help!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    San Francisco, CA
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    10,304
    You might be right. But really what those diagonal supports do is prevent racking. They'll do that job in either design.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    West Tennessee
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    99
    Yes, most definitely your change adds support potential to the design.

  4. #4
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    Apr 2013
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    Kansas City
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    2,652
    knee space?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Ingleside, IL
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    1,417
    When I built my trestle table, I put a stretcher at the top as you can see in the pics. As Stan said, consider the potential knee room problem those diagonal braces may cause. The top stretcher and the top supports I think would solve your problem. I'm sitting at the table now and can not move it side to side even a little. Rock solid. The table is 6' long.
    20180826_163209.jpg_MG_5395.jpg

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
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    1,279

    Trestle table

    I built this table and benches for my daughter. It is essentially a copy of. Christopher Schwarz table from an ‘09 issue of Woodworking, a great magazine. The small grandkids and dogs love it because of the open bottom. White oak and Mahogany on the table. Sapele and white oak on the benches.
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by Jack Frederick; 07-20-2019 at 8:43 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKean, PA
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    I believe either design will give stability to the table. The first photo the intent was to brace the table. There may have been a rib down the center of the table you can't see that takes care of any weight placed on the table. The second design in my opinion would hold more weight, since some of the weight will be supported by diagonal supports the legs. The second design does put the bottom stretcher in tension, but that shouldn't matter. If the table is a standard width knee room shouldn't be an issue. Feet on the bottom brace however could be.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

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