Buying an Art/Drafting Table

Get at least a 30″ x 40″ table, unless you are cramped for space. Measure your available space (footprint) before you buy. Allow an extra 3-4 feet for room for the stool and yourself. You may need extra table-top space for supplies that you want on hand but you don’t want to slide off if you tilt the top. I have seen one model that has a 12″ wide section that doesn’t tilt. I want that one, but it’s much harder to find.

As times changed, so did the needs of those using these tables. Over time, drawing desks developed the ability to be used while either sitting or standing. The tabletop surface would now pivot from completely horizontal to totally vertical. This allowed artists, architects, and engineers alike to be able to make their table work specifically for their particular needs.

If you have to fold it up and away, you need a sturdy tabletop. The one I bought before was made of particle board, and if it bumped a corner, it would get a dent in it. You want to keep the surface as smooth and flat as possible. Luckily the only dings I got in it were on the edges. I was really amazed at how fragile it was.

Modern drafting tables are sleek steel framed tables, usually with a cleanable vinyl cover. They have built in parallel rulers, protractors and precalibrated scales. You can find a new drafting table to meet any need?some are constructed for handicap accessibility and some are computer compatible to combine CAD with old-fashioned hand drafting. You can even get drafting tables with built-in light boxes for tracing work. Even though CAD and other computerized drawing programs have largely replaced drafting, many professionals still like to use a drafting table. Designers, architects and artists often edit computerized copy by hand. This gives them copyright protection, since it is difficult to copy or alter hand drawn edits.

Some models are heavy, some are fairly lightweight. Even though mine was a “lightweight portable” table, it was still fairly heavy. A solid core top will add to the weight and durability. If you order online or through a catalog, include shipping/freight charges in your cost analysis. Some tables are only shipped by truck freight. Get a direct quote up front.