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I have been using an 8 foot folding table in my craft room as my
second table. It is not very "hard", as in, too springy, so you have
trouble stamping evenly on it.
My parents took it back today to use for a birthday party, lol, which
totally disrupted my whole room. (I wasn't home at the time, so I
couldn't unload it myself!)
I was thinking I should buy one for my own, so it just can STAY in
there.....but I want to be able to stamp on it!
So, what do you use for your stamping tables?
Any tips on which kind/brand are not flexable and can be stamped
on?
Anne, I know you can buy the tables like schools use, or businesses for conference rooms, at Staples or Office Depot, places like that. You know...the faux wood top with the collapsible legs? They come in several lengths. I think you can get those on sale quite often for not too much.
I was reading not long ago, too, about a gal who had a table like you're talking about, kind of bouncy? She went and got a sheet of plexiglass cut to fit, very inexpensive she said, and it made all the difference in the world.
I have made my own out of a sheet of ply wood...cut in half at the store $.50 a cut...I bought 2 sets of folding legs at lowes I think $20 per set...need some scraps of wood to screw them into and then to the bottom of the table so it does not go all the way through. I have yet to stain mine, but have a table cloth and plastic over it for my classes....have not had a complaint yet. You can see the covered version in my gallery. I like the 2 together so I can use one for a party or yard sale etc. fairly light weight too.
I just got a new stamping surface today actually! I was stamping in the closet but I'm about to lose that in a renovation, so I picked up an 8' piece of pre-painted MDF and it's attached to the wall with shelf brackets. I've also got a little bookcase and a drawer unit underneath for some stability. Here's a pic. Excuse the mess on the left, I have yet to find homes for that stuff. lol
I have lots of work left to do in there, I need to add my old shelves to the wall and the previous surface I had will intersect with this one to create a huge L shape. I can't wait to have it finished!
I have a banquet table---the old style---fake wood top, but flat, not springy(i have some of those too and i hate those for stamping, but great for parties). I have also used in the past, like one of the above posters said a piece of plywood with legs screwed into it, until my DH stole that for a work bench, LOL.
I agree with the others the fold away tables are not for stamping... I use my table for my cuttlebug and critcuts and I also have a cutter on it and use my desk for stamping....hth
I have a regular dining table in my craft space. I got it at a store closeout sale for about $35 I think. If you have the space for an 8' folding table - I'd go to furniture stores and ask about their discounted possibly damaged tables. To the store a small scratch on the table top would mean deep discounts that won't affect your crafting.
I bought 2 Elfa desks from someone I found on Craigslist complete with a set of legs as well as 2 filing cabinets for $60. It was a great find The woman was having a moving sale and wanted new office furniture so she was getting rid of her old stuff. Garage sales can also be a really great place for awesome finds.
I use a solid core wood door that has been converted into a table (Hardware legs screwed on). It's perfect, very solid to stamp, I exacto blade on it, I use my heat gun on it and it folds up if I need it to.
I have a card table to stamp on- but to get rid of the spongey feel, I have a glass cutting board on top of the table which is my actual stamping surface. It works well, and is very economic- esp. if you have no money!!
Mary
I recently (about a month ago) bought a black "desk" which is more like a table from staples. its on the smaller side but it works well and it has a shallow drawer which i can put my cutting mats on. it also came with a matching chair and was only $99.00
We had a kitchen table that had one of those tops that looked like butcher block. When we moved I wanted a new kitchen table so I put the old one in my stamp room. The top is really solid. I know people sell these at garage sales.
__________________ Debbie
I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end. - Margaret Thatcher
I have a card table to stamp on- but to get rid of the spongey feel, I have a glass cutting board on top of the table which is my actual stamping surface. It works well, and is very economic- esp. if you have no money!!
Mary
Well...I'm the CHEAPEST person to EVER live, so you can understand that I HATE spending money, on ANYTHING, except stamps! LOL!
I use a 4ft "mini banquet" table that was in my neighbor's garbage!!!!
LOL!!!
(The top had several paint spatters and some of the finish was "bubbled" on one side. I just put that side against the wall, in my bedroom, stacked up my inks, and viola! a stampin' space!)
I stamp on SEVERAL layers of cardstock to avoid the dried paint, and have been doing it for 10 years! LOL! For stamp camps I have 4 8' banquet tables!
I went to a store that sells used office supplies. They had this great office conference table that comes in 4 pieces. It has two 2' x 4' rectangles, and two half circles. I can make different configurations. I usually have it set up with a 4' square for stamping, and a 4' circle with a tablecloth for having breakfast, etc. When my stamping friends come over, or we have a larger family dinner, I put the tables together with the half circles at each end. The tables are very sturdy, and have a formica type top. They are in my sunroom.
My DH put sliders on them, so they are easy to move.
__________________ The best things in life aren't things.
Wow! What great ideas! I knew you guys would have some good tips.
Love all the ideas, now to think about it...
The table I use the most, for stamping, is actually our old kitchen table that
my dad made- it is like a butcher block, about six inches thick, lol. He did
cut the legs off to use it as a ping pong table base, so it is a bit shorter.
I use stools tho- it is perfect height for those.
I guess it depends if you'll want to fold it up and/or move it or if it will be a permanent fixture in your stamping room.
If you'll want to fold it up and/or move it, any of the office supply stores sell folding tables. The one I have is made of pressed board with a laminate top. It is heavy to move, but very sturdy and not 'spongy' like the plastic folding tables are. I use it for some stamping events I host at my house when I need more room for projects. Most of the time it is folded up, and not used, however.
If you want to do with something more permanent in your stamping room, look for a kitchen or dining room table. In my original stamping room (before we moved), I bought a nice dining table from World Market. When we moved, our new house had a dining room, so that table is now in the dining room until we buy a dining room set, then it will be moved to the family room in the basement to be used as a game table.
For my new stamp room, I got a kitchen table on clearance at Target for around $65 (75% off). It's not as nice as the World Market table, but has a nice wood finish and is very sturdy. If I hadn't found that one, I would have looked at yard sales and on Craig's list for a used table. You can find them for very inexpensive there.
To preserve the top, I purchased some yardage of clear vinyl to use as a 'tablecloth'. JoAnn's (and probably any fabric store) sell it on a roll for fairly inexpensive. You can easily wipe the vinyl or use goo gone to remove sticky adhesive. And, if it gets too yucky, you can simply buy more vinyl and make another one.
FYI, I have two tables in my room that I use. The tops are the same hard, smooth wood for a great stamping surface. The legs are different. One is stationary and the other is a folding table with adjustable legs that I have used many times as an extension to my dining table. I adjust the legs up when I do this and it is the same level as the dining table. when done, I just re-adjust and fold up and carry back into my stamp room. These came from IKEA and you buy the tops and legs separately.
Here are a couple photos where you can get an idea of what they look like. I love them and would highly recommend them.
stamping table
