Over the centuries, the card table has evolved from a purely utilitarian item into a stylish interior decoration. Now they not only play behind it, but also have tea parties or lunch. You can make a practical option for poker or preference yourself.
Types of card tables.
Initially, card tables were used exclusively for playing cards.
History of appearance
In the 16th century In Spain, a card game called “ombre” has become very popular. As A. Dumas writes in the novel “Gabrielle Lambert”, it was a modified version of another gambling entertainment - bouillot. It was banned in France under Louis XIV. But they allowed to play ombre, limiting the size of the bets. Gradually, this fun conquered all of Western Europe, and under Catherine the Great, who lifted Empress Elizabeth’s ban on cards, it came to Russia.
For the aristocracy, furniture makers began to make special tables at which it was convenient to play. They were called "card" ones. The product was an important attribute of a fashionable living room, indicating the wealth and high social status of the owner of the house.
Traditional tables
The classic card table has the following features:
- The shape of the tabletop, suggesting an arrangement of players equidistant from each other: a circle, a square or a regular polygon.
- There are no crossbars between the legs (pronogs), which allows you to sit on either side.
- A tabletop covered with soft-lined cloth or leather so that the cards do not slip and do not need to be picked up with a fingernail when taken from the table.
- Boxes or niches for a deck, chips and other gaming attributes.
There are options for other board games - chess, checkers, go, backgammon, etc. The board is drawn directly on the tabletop; there are niches on each side for figures and counters.
They also make universal products. They are equipped with an inverted table top.
Card table with an inverted table top.
On one side it is upholstered in cloth with a soft lining, on the other it is smooth with the image of a chessboard or other markings.
Design options
Models are made in decorative design.
They may have the following features:
- carved patterns;
- bent or twisted legs;
- inlay made of ivory, mother-of-pearl, semi-precious stones, gold or silver;
- shiny polished countertop;
- enamel or gilded bronze finish.
This table looks elegant and is an important element of the interior. Design and materials are selected according to the style of the room.
What does it look like
What is artificial rattan and what kind of furniture is made from it?
Card tables have many modifications. The main types include the following:
- Folding type products. Additional parts are attached to the sides, which can rise and significantly increase the surface area.
- Sliding options. The surface usually consists of two parts that move apart to the sides. You can add an additional element to the central part.
- Transformers. In this design, the tabletop can easily be turned over and turned into a coffee table or kitchen table. This is possible due to the fact that one side is covered with cloth, while the other remains smooth.
Use then and now
In the old days, card tables were used only for games, mainly card games. Over time, these entertainments began to go out of fashion, and the purpose of this piece of furniture changed.
Now you can see it more often:
- flowers in a vase;
- souvenirs;
- magazines and newspapers.
The table can also be used as a coffee, dining or tea table. With the change in purpose, the need for a strict square or regular polygon shape has disappeared, so modern models in most cases have the appearance of a rectangle or oval.
Classic features are preserved in poker tables. They cannot be used for other purposes due to the presence of a playing field covered with cloth on batting or other lining.
Design and materials
If we start from the traditional style, card tables were made by hand from elite types of wood, and the top was decorated with expensive materials, including: ivory, enamel and metals. Many of them were real works of art, the originals of which are worth a lot of money today.
This does not mean that buying such furniture is expensive. You can order an exact copy of an existing table or create your own design, choosing materials as you wish. Plastic, metal, chipboard or cheaper types of wood are considered practical and most budget-friendly options. Modern tables usually do not have bright decor and are distinguished by simple, laconic forms. Sometimes the tabletop is made in a bright color (lime, emerald, burgundy), decorated with unobtrusive patterns or imitation of a natural stone coating.
It should be noted that vintage items do not always fit into the overall interior of the apartment; in this case, budget materials are the salvation, from which you can make furniture that does not stand out from the modern style.
What materials is it made from now?
In the old days, gaming tables were made only from wood, but now the list of materials has expanded significantly.
In budget products, instead of solid wood countertops, laminated chipboard or MDF is used. Such models do not tolerate changes in humidity and temperature well, so they are suitable only for residential premises with the most comfortable conditions.
Wood massif
Today, solid wood tables are considered premium products. This good quality, durable furniture looks noble. Most often it is performed in Empire, Baroque or Classicism styles, harmoniously combined with a classic interior.
The option for installation in the kitchen has a wooden countertop and a metal frame. Most of these models are equipped with drawers.
Antique tables are the most expensive. Such a product can be purchased at an antiques exhibition.
Metal
The metal product looks good in a high-tech interior. Often a frosted glass tabletop is placed on a chrome frame.
Models with 1 leg look interesting. They are lighter than traditional ones, so they can be easily moved to another place.
PVC
Plastic gaming tables are the cheapest. A new product looks beautiful, but its attractiveness is quickly lost due to scratches and deformations.
PVC models have 3 advantages:
- light weight;
- wide range of colors;
- the ability to imitate the surface of any natural material.
They produce tables imitating wood, marble, and granite. Among the plastic models it is easy to find one suitable for any interior.
There are also combined products - with a PVC tabletop on a metal frame.
What you need to know about this furniture option
To begin with, I will look at the general points inherent in all such designs, and then you will learn the features of using tables today.
Peculiarities
As for the characteristic features of card tables, the main ones can be considered the following:
| Illustration | Description |
| Symmetrical shape. Designs always have strict proportions, this is primarily due to the fact that everyone who is located at the table receives the same space, and the game takes place under equal conditions. Most often, the tables are square, and this is the traditional configuration, but there are also rectangular solutions that can be adapted for different purposes. | |
| Card tables do not have legs. This is explained simply: the small size of the structure does not allow a person to sit comfortably if the table has legs. Therefore, this option is done either without them at all, or they have a non-standard configuration so as not to interfere with the legs when sitting. | |
| Luxurious decor and a large number of carved elements. Of course, there are modern models in a minimalist design, but the classics are the wood options, made in a traditional style and looking luxurious. The legs are most often figured, as for the color, most often it is either a plain version or a patina to give an antique look. | |
| Often the design includes small drawers. You can store everything you need in them and put small items so that they are always at hand. The number and size of drawers depends on the shape and size of the table, usually there are not many of them - 1-2 pieces. | |
There are a large number of transformable models, all of them can be divided into three main groups:
|
Card tables today
Let's look at all the nuances of using such structures at the present time. Let me immediately note that all symmetrical options that are initially small in size and intended to accommodate two people are called card:
Types of card tables
There are 2 types of products:
- with a solid tabletop;
- folding tables.
The second option is used in compact rooms. When folded, the piece of furniture takes up little space and does not clutter up the space.
There are several types of structures.
Folding
The most popular representative of this category is the book-table. When folded, it resembles a folio, mounted on its end with the spine facing up. To move into the working position, the moving parts of the tabletop are lifted on both sides and retractable legs are placed under them. The length of the table increases 4 times.
There are also models that are assembled with corners towards the center. To do this, they are equipped with special card loops.
Sliding
When folded, such models are a compact table with a lid divided in two. A small number of players can play behind him.
If new participants arrive, both parts of the tabletop are moved apart and an insert board is placed in the gap between them.
Transformers
Transformers are products with inverted table tops. One side is covered with cloth and is intended for card games, the second is smooth and is used for drinking tea, eating or, for example, playing chess.
Spanish "Ombre"
Remember the history of Spain and its Golden Age? Until the mid-16th century, the Spanish Empire actively expanded its colonies, and the noble class knew how to not only fight, but also have fun. The card game ombre was very popular in the country, where two players fought against a third.
There were no special tables for ombre at that time. The Spaniards played at ordinary tables and did not even suspect that thanks to the name of the game they had invented a new type of furniture. From the middle of the 16th century, the power of the empire was shaken, and in the conditions of economic decline, the Spanish nobles had no time for games and tables, but ombre continued its triumphant march across Europe.
Card table in the interior
In addition to the utilitarian function, the product also serves an aesthetic one. It should be harmoniously combined with other furniture and fit well into the style of the room.
Antique design
The antique table looks good in a classic interior with monumental heavy solid wood furniture, a leather sofa and curtains on the windows. Wealthy people buy genuine antiques. Such products are subject to restoration: the decayed cloth is replaced, the passages left by the wood-boring beetle are filled, dirt is removed, etc. If there was an image on the tabletop, for example a landscape, it is also cleaned and defects are retouched.
Wealthy people buy an antique table.
Finding an antique table is difficult because there are few well-preserved examples. Instead, you can purchase an imitation.
Externally, such furniture looks like antique:
- made of valuable wood;
- made in the Empire, Baroque or Classicism style;
- decorated with carvings, bronze, ivory or mother-of-pearl inserts;
- processed using artificial aging technology.
A special paint – craquelure – is applied to the product.
When it dries, it becomes covered with cracks. Only a specialist can distinguish such a table from a real antique.
The legs are equipped with “heels” made of bronze. This technique was used in the 19th century.
Most models are designed in calm dark colors with bright elements, for example, the colors of natural stone - turquoise, light green, burgundy. There are also colorful tabletops with patterns, landscapes or pastoral scenes.
Modern table
The product in a modern design will decorate an interior in a high-tech or modern style. Gloss, shine, and smooth surfaces are welcome here. A table with a chrome-plated metal frame and a glass lid fits well into this concept.
The color is chosen to match the decor. The green playing field will be an accent spot in a calm high-tech interior, but in some cases it may be discordant with the surrounding objects. In such a situation, you should purchase a transformer with an inverted tabletop, the reverse side of which is made in black and white (checkerboard) or other neutral colors.
If the apartment owner is a follower of minimalism, he should pay attention to a table with 1 leg. Such models look elegant and take up little space.
Designer delights
For buyers who are inclined to experiment and prefer progressive trends in the field of interior design, manufacturers and individual craftsmen make original tables in unusual designs.
A product made from roughly processed wood looks harmonious in an eco-apartment. A similar, but slightly more refined option is suitable for a country or Provence type interior.
An extravagant table with a figured top, carved legs and a patterned drawer will fit well into a room with a non-standard setting.
Lovers of marine themes can order a product decorated with mollusk shells and equipped with chips stylized as sea pebbles.
Combination with the interior
Gaming tables can seamlessly fit into any style thanks to their versatility, acquired through their modernization. This is especially true for custom-made furniture, since you can initially indicate your wishes based on its appearance.
The main thing when choosing is to take into account the design of the room in which the table will be located:
- antique models made of wood will fit perfectly into the classical style, as well as Empire or Baroque;
- metal tables with plastic additions will decorate a more modern apartment, designed for modern or high-tech;
- lovers of unusual things can order a minimalist gaming piece of furniture with a chessboard pattern applied to its entire surface.
The variety of materials on the market makes it possible for everyone to purchase such a piece of furniture for their home. It is advisable not to deviate from the history of its origin and be sure to equip it with a field for card games. Restoring old furniture would also be a good option; this will allow you to breathe new life into the table and make it exclusive. Even in a modern home, such antiques always look interesting.
Getting to know the history of the card table helps you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the past and acquire a truly interesting device. Its special qualities, such as versatility and compactness, will forever remain unchanged advantages. And modern versions of the models will fit perfectly into the existing interior.
Average cost of card tables
Prices for card tables vary widely - from 600 rubles.
up to 280 thousand and above. An octagonal poker model sells for an average of 4,000 rubles. Carved beech card table Ustyan GU-402
with chess pieces and a board measuring 65x65 cm.
Price – 69900 rub.
Gaming table “6 in 1” DBO Tornado
Can be converted for playing poker, tennis, air hockey, billiards, roulette or for eating. The set includes several tabletops of different sizes, rackets, 2 decks of cards and other accessories.
Price – 81522 rub.
Plastic folding table with drawer
When assembled, the product takes up little space. To move to the working position, the tabletop is unfolded and rotated 90°.
Price – 5720 rub.
Product with chrome-plated metal legs and a folding tabletop made of plastic-coated chipboard
Dimensions – 1200x800x730 (H).
Price – 6500 rub.
The average cost of an octagonal table is 4,000 rubles.
Game table shape
Classical
ModificationsOrder
The rectangular shape is an ideal solution for both a classic dining table and a small coffee table. Depending on the size, the table can comfortably accommodate from 6 to 10 people (players).
Mini
ModificationsOrder
The square shape is perfect for both a small coffee table and a classic dining table. Depending on the size, it can accommodate from 4 to 8 people (players).
Hexagon
ModificationsOrder
The hexagonal shape is ideal for comfortable play in a friendly company. Depending on the size, this table can accommodate from 6 to 8 people (players).
Making a poker table with your own hands
A homemade table for playing cards is not as beautiful as its elegant designer counterparts, but it is more practical and cheaper.
Card table design
The creation process begins with the development of a sketch.
At this stage you need to choose:
- tabletop shape;
- product size.
The first depends on the expected number of players. Most often, poker tables are made 6- or 8-sided.
When choosing a size, you should listen to the recommendations of the Russian Sports Poker Federation.
Drawing of a card table.
The following parameters are considered optimal here:
| Number of players | Playing field size, mm | Table dimensions |
| 10 | 1185x2430 | 1400x2680 |
| 7 | 1050x2000 | 1250x2200 |
The height is the same - 750-800 mm.
The table top is covered with soft material to make it easier to take cards. The legs are made removable. After the game, such a table can be disassembled and placed in the storage room.
Selection of materials
To make furniture you will need:
Plywood sheets 4, 10 and 21 mm thick
Green cloth
Izolon (foamed polyethylene)
Underlay for laminate
Faux leather
Laminated fibreboard trim with a rounded front part (2 pcs.)
Laminated fibreboard trim with a straight front part (2 pcs.)
Laminate flooring
Removable legs (available at furniture stores)
Glue
Self-tapping screws
Staples
Octagonal table
This model has a wooden frame and a soft armrest. The playing field is covered with cloth.
The length of the side is 50 cm, the dimensions of the tabletop are approximately 1250x1250 mm.
Step-by-step instruction:
- An octagonal tabletop is cut from a 21 mm thick plywood sheet.
- Screw the base for the supports to it with self-tapping screws.
- Screw the legs.
- An octagonal playing field with dimensions 200 mm smaller than the tabletop is cut out of a 10 mm thick plywood sheet.
- The backing for the laminate is laid on it and fixed with a construction stapler.
- Lightly moisten the cloth and stretch it onto the field.
- A 4 mm thick plywood edging is attached around the perimeter of the table top.
- Laminate is placed on top of it.
- An armrest is cut out of 10 mm thick plywood.
- A rounded casing is attached to it from above, and a straight one from the end. To cut the second part at the desired angle, use a miter box.
- The armrest is covered with isolon. The outer part of the polyethylene foam is attached to the end of the casing, the inner part is wrapped so that the structure can be put on the table.
- Artificial leather is stretched over the isolon, stitching its edges or fastening with a stapler. The seams are covered with fragments of the same material.
- Place the playing field in the center of the tabletop, then screw the armrest to it.
Video
DIY octagonal poker table
Making your own octagonal poker table
Hexagonal card table
This is a more beautiful option.
It is made in the following sequence:
- From sheets of plywood 21 mm thick, 2 hexagons with a diagonal of 100 cm are cut out.
- The pedestal is made from the same material.
- They make a structure for fixing the tabletop, which is put on the podium.
- One of the hexagons is attached under the base of the tabletop.
- From sheets of plywood 21 mm thick, 2 hexagons with a diagonal of 150 cm are cut out.
- A hexagonal shield is cut out in one of the parts.
- Using pre-applied markings, openings for glasses and chips are cut out, the edges are processed with a router and polished.
- The edges of the table top are treated in the same way.
- They make a playing field and cover it with batting.
- Then - vinyl fabric (can be replaced with artificial leather).
- The base is fixed - a hexagon with a diagonal of 100 cm.
- All the parts are painted, then the table is assembled from them.
Classic poker table
This option fully complies with the technical requirements of the Sports Poker Federation.
Manufacturing procedure:
- Using a jigsaw, sheet A is cut out using a pre-applied marking. To enable the tool blade to be inserted, a hole is drilled on the contour in an arbitrary location.
- The inner part is made in the same way.
- Draw the contours of sheet B on the plywood and cut it out with a jigsaw.
- Begin assembling the game base by gluing both parts and additionally fastening them with self-tapping screws.
- On the playing surface, a side is assembled from several parts, connecting them with glue and self-tapping screws. The parts are processed with sandpaper or a grinder.
- Turn the playing field over and set the side in the correct position, securing it with clamps.
- Markings are applied indicating the position of the side.
- 8 holes are made on it and the playing surface.
- Glue the bolts to the side.
- After cleaning the work surface, glue the vapor plastic to the tabletop.
- Cover the structure with cloth, securing it with a furniture stapler. The excess part of the material is trimmed.
- Screw the legs.
- A part cut along its contour from a sheet of foam rubber is glued to the side.
- Using the pattern, they cut out the trim from vinyl fabric and cover the side with it. The material is fixed with a furniture stapler.
- The inner part is made in the same way.
- Connect the playing surface to the side.
- Tighten the mounting bolts
- Ready poker table.
Small poker table
Creating a model designed for a small number of players will require the least effort.
Execution order:
- A base is cut out of a sheet of plywood 21 mm thick using a jigsaw.
- A side is made from the same material 10 mm thick.
- Both parts are connected with self-tapping screws.
- A platband is glued to the upper edge of the side, which will give it a rounded shape.
- The bases for the legs are screwed to the tabletop from below.
- Screw the supports.
- Disconnect the side and attach the laminate backing to the table with a furniture stapler.
- The structure is covered with cloth.
- The side is covered with laminate backing and artificial leather. A small margin is left outside.
- Return the part to its place and screw it to the tabletop with self-tapping screws.
- The outer part of the casing is stretched and fixed under the table.
- Boxes are drawn on the playing field with chalk.
- Cover the table with paper, leaving gaps between the sheets.
- Apply paint in places where there are gaps between pieces of paper. As a result, markings will appear on the tabletop.
The table is ready, you can start playing.
Video
Card tables
A card table can not only be an antique value, but also an excellent home assistant that will not take up much space in the room.
“Queen of Spades” and “Sovremennik” magazine
It is believed that A.S. Pushkin wrote his mystical story “The Queen of Spades” at the card table in the fall of 1833 in the ancestral village of Bolshoye Boldino.
The poet and writer Nikolai Nekrasov often spent time at the card table. He knew firsthand what it was, having received the pitiful remains of an inheritance that his ancestors did not have time to lose. However, Nikolai Nekrasov approached the game rationally, relying not on luck, but using intelligence and strategy. Thanks to regular huge winnings, he returned the village of Greshnevo, lost by his ancestors, and published the popular magazine Sovremennik, founded by Pushkin.
Many gambling people of that time literally lived behind the green cloth, but with the victory of the proletariat, the attribute of the bourgeoisie was forgotten as unnecessary. Rare examples remained in museums and private collections, and only the 21st century brought card tables back from oblivion.
Photos of card tables
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Features and purpose
When choosing fittings and fasteners, you need to take into account their quality and intended purpose. It often happens that specific structural parts are suitable for certain products. For example, folding tables require card loops.
Any furniture hinge can be characterized as a semi-mechanical part that performs the function of a connecting device. A hinge is needed to attach a door, facade or table top to the body of a furniture product; with its help, its hinged part will be easy to open and close. Card hinges are usually used to secure hinged parts, allowing the sash to open 180°. Therefore, such hinges are often used in the manufacture of folding tables.
Although the design features of book-tables do not allow these fasteners to be completely hidden, they are easy to decorate.
The ombre loop has many useful characteristics:
- provides a wide opening angle of the valves;
- has a long service life;
- provides a high level of ultimate load, which means a large number of operating cycles;
- allows you to open the sash softly and smoothly;
- has good strength and wear resistance;
- not subject to deformation;
- groove fastenings prevent the doors from loosening;
- has anti-corrosion properties;
- The hinge is easy to install and dismantle.
When purchasing, you should know that a high-quality part does not creak, has no external damage or scratches
It’s also worth paying attention to the packaging. There must be 2 parts: a functional fastener and a decorative plug
Furniture hinges can be made of different metals. It is better if the material for their manufacture is steel or brass. However, it is worth considering that it is not a very good solution to install furniture with steel parts in rooms with high humidity levels.
Assembly order
Prepare your work area. The assembly surface must be smooth and clean. Lay out tools, product elements and accessories.
- A typical assembly starts with the drawers, if any. All parts of the box body are neatly connected according to the diagram. Then the guide is attached to the sides of the drawer and to the sides of the table.
- Guides are also attached to the roll-out shelf under the keyboard and to the supporting sides.
- The sides of the table themselves are connected to each other by drawers using euroscrews or confirmats. Sometimes eccentrics or minifixes are used.
- Shelves and other horizontal parts are attached to the sides according to the assembly diagram.
- The final element of the lower part of the structure is the tabletop.
According to the method of fastening the tabletops, there are dowel-glue and eccentric. When joining parts with dowel-glue, wooden dowels are coated with PVA glue and tightly fitted to the holes in the ends of the vertical sidewalls.
An eccentric connection occurs by tightening the elements with an eccentric washer or minifix. This is called hidden fastening.
A connection using glue is considered more reliable. But there is one drawback: it is impossible to disassemble such a table when moving. An eccentric connection is more mobile and, if assembled correctly, is no less durable and reliable.
The last steps are to secure the facades to the drawers, and attach hinges under the hinged facades, if any. The handles are screwed in. The extension or upper structure above the tabletop is assembled separately in the sequence indicated in the diagram.
The video instructions show how to assemble a computer desk, observing safety precautions.
Assembling a computer desk requires care and patience. The main thing is to take your time and carefully study the product assembly instructions. If you wish, you can trust professional furniture assemblers who will quickly and efficiently cope with the task.
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