Rule of Thumb Question

[Belle City Woodworking]

I am building a 9' long X 45" wide Barn Lumber Table.  I am making a 4x4 barn beam base in a Trestle Style with X ends if that makes sense.  My question is how wide should the top support for the base be and how far should it be inset from each end of the table?  Thanks in advance for the help!

John

It will be loosely based on this design:

[Cecil]

Whatever looks good.

Here is picture of a cantilevered pergola



Note, the supports are out far enough to give it enough strength, but only about 1/3 of the way.  The same with your table.  The top supports do not need to be out that far to give it the strength it needs.  The table in the OP has wide supports that wide because they look pleasing to the eye.

Therefore I say, put your artist/designer thinking cap on and draw it out.

[Belle City Woodworking]

Whatever looks good.

Here is picture of a cantilevered pergola



Note, the supports are out far enough to give it enough strength, but only about 1/3 of the way.  The same with your table.  The top supports do not need to be out that far to give it the strength it needs.  The table in the OP has wide supports that wide because they look pleasing to the eye.

Therefore I say, put your artist/designer thinking cap on and draw it out.

Thanks for the response Cecil!

[barryvabeach]

John,  I try to test things out when I can.  I am always afraid someone will sit on the end of the table, and have the table tilt.  So to determine how close to the end of the table, I  would lay out the long beam, and put a two pieces of wood under it either end, 4 inches in from the end, then push down at one end and see what happens.   Then move the support in or out, and recheck till you feel comfortable that if someone goes to sit it it, it would turn over.   Wish there was a simple test for side to side, but there you have to consider the mass of the base, so it is tougher.

[Belle City Woodworking]

John,  I try to test things out when I can.  I am always afraid someone will sit on the end of the table, and have the table tilt.  So to determine how close to the end of the table, I  would lay out the long beam, and put a two pieces of wood under it either end, 4 inches in from the end, then push down at one end and see what happens.   Then move the support in or out, and recheck till you feel comfortable that if someone goes to sit it it, it would turn over.   Wish there was a simple test for side to side, but there you have to consider the mass of the base, so it is tougher.

Thanks for the response!

[Cecil]

John,  I try to test things out when I can.  I am always afraid someone will sit on the end of the table, and have the table tilt. 

The table in your OP has a board basically laying on the floor.  The length of that board is important, in order to keep the table from tipping.  I am not sure what convention is for that.  I would say within a couple of the top on each end.  The X brace does not need to be that wide, but you need support on the floor nearly as wide at the top.

[Chuck Nickerson]

If the only seating *ever* is on the benches the supports can be near the end.
If chairs at the end(s) are ever used for additional seating, you'll want the legs set in far enough for leg room.
DAMHIKT.

[Gary G™]

The cantilevered pergola looks great.

[BrentDH]

After Chuck's suggestion about seating on a chair on the end it occurred to me that you would want to set the legs in far enough from the end that there would be room for one person to comfortably sit on the outside of the legs but still on the bench.  In other words don't make the guy sitting on the bench at the end straddle the leg.

[Belle City Woodworking]

Thank you everyone for your replies and thoughts!