Patio cafe tables

A table on the pavement has to sit level on uneven ground and clear away at night. Every one of these 49 tables carries a patio listing, and the tops are aluminum, synthetic teak, steel or resin. Start with the base and its footprint, then the top size for two or four, and leave the finish until the sidewalk is measured.

Base first on the pavement

Sidewalks slope toward the gutter and paving stones rise and sink. A base with a wide footprint copes better than a narrow one, and for a round top the spread should be at least two thirds of the diameter. Bases here run aluminum, steel, cast iron and resin, with a little wood and chrome. Aluminum and resin are the lighter lift at close; cast iron stays put when the wind gets up.

Tops and sizes

Square tops lead by a wide margin, then rectangles, then rounds. Aluminum and synthetic teak are the most common surfaces, with steel, resin and a few wood tops behind them. Synthetic teak gives the look of a wood slat without asking for oil. Wipe any top before the first customer sits, since dew and pollen settle on it overnight.

For two, a 24-inch square is the minimum and 30 inches is generous. For four, choose 36 inches square or a 42-inch round. Leave about 36 inches of clear walkway past the tables, more if your local permit asks for it.

Prices range from about $77 to $397, and a few listings are sets with the base included.

Shade, sets and the next question

Want an umbrella over the table? The patio tables with umbrella hole take a pole through the top, though the weight still belongs in a separate umbrella base underneath. The wood look in a weather-ready form is gathered in the plastic teak tables. Metal tops are in the steel and aluminum patio tables, and the light ones you can carry in at night are in the resin patio tables.

Chairs come next. The patio chairs sit beside these on the sidewalk, and the rest of the range is under outdoor cafe furniture.

Hose the tops, tip them to drain, and put them under cover or indoors when the season ends. Then draw the sidewalk on your shop plan, curb to door, with the tables, the chairs and the clear path your city asks you to keep.