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For a used dining table, check three things: whether it is solid wood or veneer, whether it fits your room with chairs pulled out, and whether it wobbles. Solid oak tables are common on Marktplaats, last decades and can be sanded back to look new, so they are often the best second hand value.
Count about 60 cm of table edge per person, and leave at least 75-90 cm between the table edge and a wall or cabinet so people can sit and get past. A 140 cm table seats 4 comfortably and 6 tightly. 180-200 cm seats 6, 220-240 cm seats 8. Round tables of 110-120 cm seat 4, 140 cm seats 6.
Measure the room before you search, then write the maximum length in your search. Dutch living rooms tend to be long and narrow, which favours a rectangular table or an extendable one.
Look at the edge of the tabletop and the underside. On solid wood the grain on the edge continues from the top, and the underside is the same wood, often rougher. Veneer shows a thin layer on top of a different core, usually visible as a line on the edge or at a chip. MDF or particle board with foil feels lighter and the underside looks uniform and smooth.
Solid wood can be sanded and oiled many times, so stains, rings and scratches are fixable for an afternoon of work. Veneer can be sanded lightly once, maybe. Foil can't be repaired. That is why a scratched solid oak table is often a better buy than a pristine veneer one.
Push the table sideways at the tabletop, then lean on one corner. Slight movement is normal on long tables, but wobble that comes back with a knock means loose joints or legs. Many modern tables have bolted legs you can tighten; antique and older tables with mortise joints may need glue. Check under the top for cracks along the boards and for splits around the bolt holes.
For extendable tables (uitschuiftafel), open and close it twice. Runners should slide without force, leaves should line up flush, and leaf storage should still work. Missing leaves happen often, so count them.
A solid oak table of 200 cm can weigh 60-100 kg. Ask whether the legs come off, bring the right tools, and plan for two or three people plus a van. Wrap the top in blankets, as the edges dent easily. With vindje.com you can ask for a solid oak table between 180 and 200 cm with removable legs, and it reads the listing text so you skip veneer tables and ones that are too long.
| Item | Typical asking price |
|---|---|
| IKEA or simple veneer table | EUR 25-120 |
| Solid oak table 180-200 cm | EUR 200-600 |
| Boomstamtafel (slab table) | EUR 300-900 |
| Extendable table (uitschuiftafel) | EUR 100-450 |
| Design table (Pastoe, Arco) | EUR 400-1500 |
Rough Marktplaats asking prices in the Netherlands. Condition, age and season move them a lot.
Describe what you want in your own words and vindje.com searches Marktplaats in Dutch, then reads every listing and keeps only the real matches. For example:
Solid oak dining table 180-200 cm for 6 people, removable legs, under 400 euro, within 20 kmSearch Marktplaats like this
About 180-200 cm long and 90 cm wide, or a 140 cm round table. Leave 75-90 cm around it for chairs.
Look at the edge and underside. On solid wood the grain continues over the edge and the underside is the same wood. Veneer shows a thin top layer on a different core.
Yes. Solid oak can be sanded and oiled several times, which removes most scratches, rings and stains.
First tighten the leg bolts underneath. If the wobble stays, the joints may need regluing or a carpenter.