Every so often as an event professional, you're going to run into times where you or your clients are going to need bar height tables. A lot of those times they're going to need more surface area than you can get from regular cocktail tables.
Banquet tables would be perfect you think, or serpentine tables. The problem is, banquet tables with longer legs so they can be bar-height aren't readily available. Fortunately, we have a quick and dirty tip for a way you can make 42'' high tables out of the banquet tables you probably already own.
Most banquet tables are 29''-30'' high, which is standard dining height. These tables are great for just about anything - eating, displays, raffles, banquet service, head tables, you name it.
At the same time, the only bar-height tables you probably already own are cocktail tables, which are most commonly found in 24'', 30'' or 36'' round styles. Great for a couple of drinks and an elbow here and there, but not ideal for a lot of your utilitarian tasks.
Bar height banquet tables are super useful for a variety of tasks. Think about the last time you had to plate 300 chicken dinners. Not having to hunch over to wipe down the rim of each plate is really nice, and your back will thank you.
Not only that but think about charity events with a large amount of silent auction items on display. Wouldn't it be nice to put the delicate items up behind the first row, for a multi-tiered effect?
Or even for something as simple as a trade show. If you have a lot of giveaways and don't want kids running off with all your logo pens, a bar-height table will really come in handy.
What you'll need to get it done
Fortunately, it's really easy, and super cheap to transform your standard banquet tables into belly bar, back-saving workstations.
All you're going to need are the tables you already own and a few common items you may even have laying around.
Note on the tables: this method works with just about any wooden folding tables. They need to have 3/4'' steel legs, like any of the plywood folding tables we sell here at EventStable.
This won't work on plastic folding tables, because of the larger diameter of the straight lets.
Once you have the tables, you'll need to find the following items:
- Six feet of 1'' PVC pipe (as of this writing, a 10' stick was about $4 at Lowes)
- Tape measure
- Saw (hand saw, or if you're doing a lot of tables, an electric mitre saw would be helpful)
- Marker or pencil
The first thing you need to do is measure the legs on your tables. You want to measure from the bottom of the foot, to the point the leg bends. The wishbone style of the leg has a couple bends, and that bend is what keeps the pipe from sliding further up leg.
On most of our tables, that measurement is about 5 1/2''.
Now that you have that measurement, you need to add 12'' to account for the amount you are looking to raise your tables.
In other words, your existing tables are about 30'' tall, and you want to make them 42''.
So add 12'' to 5 1/2'' and you have 17 1/2''. In this example I wanted to make it easy so I just rounded down to 17''.
Use your saw (or again, if you're doing a lot of these - an electric mitre saw will save you time and it will give you more accurate cuts) to cut each one to length.
You're going to need one pipe for each leg of the table. So cut four.
And that's it! Now just flip your table over and slide on your cut pieces of PVC pipe.
The result is surprisingly stable, because the PVC seems to fit perfectly.
Now go enjoy your new work stations, raffle tables, or trade show tables, and be proud of your DIY skills.
Need more help? Check out our video of this project.