How to Choose a Conference Table Edge (and How Thick the Top Should Be)

The short answer: how to choose a conference table edge comes down to three choices, in this order: the surface (the standard TFL laminate or the harder HPL), the thickness of the top, then the edge that goes with them. For most rooms the standard 1-1/8 inch top with a square PVC edge band in the same color as the top is the clean, simple choice. A wood edge frames the top in wood and suits the wood-look finishes. A knife edge makes the top look thin, and an exposed plywood edge shows its layers. At OfficeSimpli the builder offers seven edges on three top thicknesses, and it shows which ones fit your surface, thickness and finish. Below: what each edge looks like, when it makes sense, and how thick the top should be.

What does the edge of a conference table do?

Our conference table tops are engineered wood with a laminate surface. On most tops the edge is a band that covers the core all the way around. It protects the table where it takes the most knocks: our materials page explains that the PVC band guards the corners against chipping and keeps moisture out.

The edge is also the part people touch. Arms rest on it, chairs bump it and laptops slide over it. And because it runs all the way around, it changes how the whole top looks. A band in the same color hides the edge. A wood band draws a frame around the top. A thin edge makes a heavy table look light.

Which edge suits most tables?

The square PVC band. It is the standard edge on the standard 1-1/8 inch top, and it comes in the same color as the top, so the table reads as one clean block. It works with all 15 finishes, from white and black to every wood look, and on a TFL top it is the lowest-cost edge in the builder.

Pick it for a busy room where the table gets daily use, for a solid color such as white or gray, or when you want the finish to do the talking.

When does a wood edge make sense?

A wood edge is a band of wood around the top. It shows as a frame on the surface, so it suits the wood-look finishes and gives a long boardroom table a more finished, traditional look. The builder offers three shapes:

• Thin wood band. A 3/8 inch band, rounded top and bottom (in the builder: 3/8 inch wood edge). The frame is thin and quiet.
• Wood bullnose. A band with a fully rounded face that shows as a 1-1/8 inch wood frame on the top (in the builder: 1-1/8 inch wood edge, rounded). We think a rounded edge is the softest under your forearms in a long meeting.
• Wood reverse bevel. A band angled at the top and the bottom that shows as a 1-1/8 inch wood frame (in the builder: 1-1/8 inch wood edge, reverse bevel). It catches the light and makes the edge look sharper and thinner.

Three things to know before you pick one. Wood edges cost more, and the builder shows how much. A wood band adds a little to the size of the top. And the builder does not offer a wood edge on the solid colors (white, black and the two solid grays).

What do the knife edge and the plywood edge do?

Both come with an HPL top. HPL is a thicker, harder laminate than the standard TFL; our materials page describes it as a harder wear layer with stronger impact and abrasion resistance. It costs more than TFL, and the builder shows the difference.

• Knife edge. The edge is beveled to a thin PVC-banded lip, so from a chair the table reads as a thin line. To our eye it suits modern rooms and pairs well with slim metal legs. Our mid-century conference table guide pairs it with a warm wood-look top and angled legs.
• Exposed plywood edge. A 1 inch top with the plywood core left showing at the edge and clear-finished. You see thin layers all the way around. It is a deliberate detail that suits a room with other wood and plywood in it.

How thick should a conference table top be?

The standard top is 1-1/8 inches thick, and for most tables that is the right choice. It takes four of the seven edges on TFL and five on HPL, where the knife edge joins them, so you keep the most options.

The thicker 1-7/8 inch top is a built-up top. It looks heavier and more substantial from across the room, which can suit a long boardroom table. It comes with the square PVC band only, in the same color as the top. The 1 inch top is the exposed plywood edge, on HPL.

Pick the surface and thickness for the look you want, then pick the edge. The builder works in that order: choose TFL or HPL and the thickness, and it shows the edges that go with them. Our guide to designing a custom conference table walks through every step of the builder.

Three tables to start from

Each link below opens the builder with the table already set up. Change anything you like, and the price updates as you go.

The 10 ft rectangle is the everyday table: one finish from edge to edge, nothing to catch the eye but the grain. The 12 ft boat shape shows what a wood frame does on a long top. The white racetrack shows the knife edge at its best, on a solid color where a thin line is the whole point.

Worth knowing: a wood edge adds a little to the size of the top, and the builder will not put one on white, black or the solid grays. The knife edge and the plywood edge both need an HPL top, which costs more than the standard TFL top.

Questions about conference table edges, answered

Can I get a live edge conference table?

No. A live edge is the natural, uneven outer edge of a tree, and our tops are engineered wood with a laminate surface and a finished edge. If you want a warm wood look with a visible wood edge, pick a wood-look finish with one of the three wood edges.

What is a bullnose edge?

A bullnose edge has a fully rounded face: seen from the side, the edge is a half circle. In the builder it is the 1-1/8 inch wood edge, rounded, offered on the wood-look finishes. We think it is the softest edge to rest your arms on.

What is a knife edge on a table?

The edge is beveled so it tapers to a thin PVC-banded lip, and from a chair the table looks much thinner than it is. In the builder it comes on an HPL top, on the standard 1-1/8 inch thickness.

How thick is a conference table top?

Our standard top is 1-1/8 inches thick. The builder also offers a 1-7/8 inch top with a square PVC band, and a 1 inch HPL top with an exposed plywood edge.

Which edge holds up best?

The square PVC band in the same color as the top is made for daily use: it guards the corners against chipping and keeps moisture out, as our materials page explains. If the surface itself takes heavy wear, an HPL top adds a harder wear layer.

Can I get a wood edge on a white table?

No. The builder offers wood edges only on the wood-look finishes. On white, black and the solid grays you can pick the square PVC band or the thick top, or with an HPL top the knife edge or the exposed plywood edge.

Written by Jeremy M., who built OfficeSimpli's Build Your Own Conference Table, and checked against the live builder.