The Best Extendable Dining Tables with Soft-Glide Runners

Runner quality is easy to overlook when choosing an extending dining table, yet it decides how pleasant the table is to live with. Soft glide runners use ball bearings or rollers so the two halves of the top slide apart smoothly, quietly and evenly, which makes it realistic for one person to open the table and protects the frame from racking over time. In this guide we explain what soft glide runners are, the signs of a well engineered system and how leaves locate once the table is open. We look at how runners work with high gloss, wood, glass and ceramic tops, how to size a table for your room and why leg placement affects comfort at the extended ends. You will also find a simple maintenance routine to keep the action smooth, advice on fixing common causes of stiffness, and a comparison with swivel and pull out designs so you can judge which mechanism suits your household best....