The dining table gets used for more than meals. It is where homework gets done, laptops get opened, and guests stay talking long after dinner. A quartz slab dining table can take all of that, and it looks like a piece of stone furniture rather than a piece of wood that needs protecting.

This guide covers the shapes, sizes, thicknesses and colours to choose from, and how to look after a quartz table so it stays new.

Why choose quartz for a dining table

Long cream quartz dining table with rounded ends under a crystal chandelier

A dining table sees spilled dal, wet glasses, hot dishes, crayons and the odd dropped fork. Quartz stone handles everyday life better than most table materials.

It doesn't stain. Pacific Surfaces quartz is non-porous, so turmeric, wine, oil and ink sit on the surface and wipe away.
It is safe for food. Is a quartz countertop safe to eat from? Pacific Surfaces quartz is certified to NSF/ANSI 51 for food contact, so you can serve straight onto it.
It resists scratches. Quartz is harder than glass, wood or marble, so cutlery and plates don't leave marks.
It never needs sealing, polishing or oiling.
It can be made in one piece. Pacific Surfaces dining table tops are cut to size as a single slab, so there is no joint across the middle, even on a long table.

Our dining table tops are made from a low silica quartz composite, which also makes cutting them safer for the people who fabricate them.

Choosing a shape

The shape of the table changes how a room feels and how people sit around it.

Rectangular tables suit long dining rooms and seat the most people. Softly rounded corners, as on this table, keep the clean lines but are kinder to hips and little heads.
Racetrack or oval tables have fully rounded ends. They make it easier to fit an extra chair and help conversation flow around the table.
Round tables suit square rooms and smaller families. Everyone can see everyone, and there are no corners to bump into.
Square tables work well for four people in compact apartments, or as a pair that can be pushed together for guests.

Because the top is cut to size from a quartz slab, you can choose almost any shape your room needs, including custom curves.

Sizes and seating

Twelve-seat white quartz dining table cut from a single slab

Allow about 60 cm of table edge for each person, plus room at the ends if people will sit there. As a starting point:

4 seats: a rectangle of about 120 x 80 cm, or a round table about 100 to 110 cm across.
6 seats: about 180 x 90 cm, or a round table about 120 to 135 cm across.
8 seats: about 220 to 240 x 100 cm.
10 to 12 seats: about 280 to 300 x 110 to 120 cm.

The Deepwave table above is about 305 x 122 cm, a generous size for a formal dining room. Leave at least 90 cm between the table edge and the wall or the nearest furniture, so chairs can be pulled out comfortably.

Quartz slab size is what makes a long table possible without a joint. A super jumbo quartz slab from Pacific Surfaces measures about 3.5 m by 2 m, so even a twelve-seater can be cut as one piece.

Thickness and edges

Pacific Surfaces table tops come in 12, 20 and 30 mm.

12 mm suits a slim, modern table on a full-width metal or wooden frame that supports the whole top.
20 mm is the everyday choice for most dining tables, strong enough for moderate overhangs.
30 mm gives a solid, substantial look and suits larger tables and bigger overhangs.

A mitred edge can make a 20 mm top look 40 mm or thicker without the extra weight. For the edge profile, a rounded bullnose or eased edge is softer on forearms and safer around children, while a sharp mitred edge looks more architectural. Our guide to quartz countertop edge profiles shows each option.

Choosing a base

Quartz is heavy, so the base needs to be strong and well placed. Pedestal bases cut from the same quartz, like the fluted bases on the tables in this guide, give the whole table one look. Metal frames and solid wood bases work well too. Whatever you choose, ask your fabricator to check that the supports sit close enough to the ends to carry the overhang safely.

Colours

A dining table is the largest single surface in most living spaces, so its colour sets the tone.

White quartz keeps a dining room bright and works with almost any chair, from pale oak to dark walnut. Deepwave, the table shown above, is a crisp white with soft grey veining that looks like rippling water.

Marble quartz brings the look of a classic marble table without marble's habit of staining under a wine glass or etching under lemon juice. Warm creams and beiges suit traditional rooms with brass and wood.

Dark tones make a strong statement. Alabaster Noir, a deep black with fine white veining, gives a dining or coffee table a sculptural, gallery feel and hides everyday marks well.

Every design comes in polished, matte, suede and velvet finishes. Polished looks richest under dining lights. Matte and suede show fewer fingerprints and glass rings, which helps on a table used every day.

Coffee and centre tables

Faceted black Alabaster Noir quartz centre table in a city apartment living room

The same quartz engineered stone used for countertops makes striking living room furniture. Pacific Surfaces' Centre Couture table is a faceted, sculptural piece about 94 cm across and 51 cm high, cut with precise edges from quartz. Coffee tables, side tables and console tops can all be made to order, in a design that matches your dining table or kitchen.

Caring for a quartz dining table

The quartz countertop maintenance tips that keep a kitchen counter looking new work just as well on a table:

Wipe after meals with a damp microfiber cloth and a few drops of neutral soap, then dry.
Use trivets or mats under hot dishes, pressure cookers and tawas straight off the stove. Quartz handles everyday warmth, but direct, intense heat can mark the surface.
Avoid bleach, oven cleaner and abrasive pads.
Lift heavy objects rather than dragging them, and take care not to knock the edges with heavy pans.
There is no sealing, oiling or polishing to do.

Our care guide covers stubborn marks, and our guide to whether quartz is heat resistant explains what heat can and can't do.

Order a table made to measure

A quartz dining table is cut to the exact shape and size of your room, in the same quartz you might choose for your kitchen or bathroom. As a quartz company and one of the quartz slab manufacturers in India that presses its own slabs, Pacific Surfaces can make the top in any design from our range. To see the designs in person, find a dealer near you, or send us your size and shape and we'll help you plan the table.