To select the correct size for an tablecloth, you must first understand the concept of the drop of the tablecloth. The drop of the tablecloth is the amount of fabric that hang over the edge of the table. The drop of the tablecloth impacts the appearances of the tablecloth and its function during the meal.
A very short drop mean that the tablecloth will only hang slightly over the edge of the table. A short drop is useful for placing the focus on the table’s dining area. A lap drop mean that the tablecloth hangs down to the level of a persons lap.
How to Choose the Right Tablecloth Size
A lap drop is useful for placing the tablecloths in casual dining area so that people can easily move their chairs in and out of the dining area. For formal settings, a midi-drop or floor length drop tablecloth is used. A midi drop is a drop that cover the table legs but does not reach the floor.
A floor-length drop means that the tablecloth reaches the floor, and this drop is useful for dining areas in which there are storage item under the tables. The diameter of the tablecloth must be calculate correctly to provide the desired drop for the tablecloth. The diameter of the tablecloth should be larger than the table’s diameter.
To calculate the necessary diameter for the tablecloth, multiply the desired drop by two and add that product to the table’s diameter. For instance, if you desired a drop of ten centimeters, you must add twenty centimeters to the table’s diameter. If you do not account for the drop when calculating the diameter of the tablecloth, the tablecloth will not evenly cover the side of the table.
If the calculated tablecloth diameter does not match any available sizes, you should purchase the next largest size available. A larger tablecloth will provide a longer drop, which is desirable. A smaller drop is considered a mistake when setting up a dining area with a tablecloth.
The material of a tablecloth will impact the care you must take in washing and drying the tablecloth. Common material for tablecloths are polyester, cotton, linen, and PVC. Polyesters are popular because they do not readily form wrinkle or get stained by spills on the tablecloth.
Other materials for tablecloths are cotton and linen. These natural fiber are prone to shrinking when washed. To accommodate the shrinkage of linen and cotton tablecloths, you must purchase a tablecloth that is slightly larger in size.
PVC tablecloths are waterproof, making them ideal for placing on outdoor table so that you can easily clean up the tablecloth with a cloth. The number of guests that will be attending the meal will impact the size of the tablecloth. A very large tablecloth may be purchased for a table with few guest to allow for the tablecloth to have a larger drop over the edge of the table.
However, if the table is too small for the number of guests who will be dining, they will not have enough space to eat there meals properly. Finally, you must store the tablecloth properly after the meal to avoid create wrinkles on the cloth. Folding the tablecloth may create deep creases on the tablecloth that are difficult to remove with an iron.
One way to store the tablecloth is to roll the tablecloth around a tube. This will ensure that the cloth remain smooth. A smooth tablecloth will require less ironing in the future.
