Vinyl Tablecloth. No, Really.

By Beth

I am in the market for a vinyl tablecloth.  For my dining room.  Wait!  I can explain!

My 4.5-year-old has recently become enamored with eating dinner in the dining room.  This is fine by me, since up until now the dining room has been used exclusively for housing the play kitchen and the time-out chair and I am happy to be getting some use out of the room.  My dining room set is a hand-me-down and prominently features 70s-style wicker back chairs, but the tabletop is actually quite beautiful with a series of large wood inlays radiating from the center in a starburst pattern.  Since the tabletop is by far my favorite feature of the set, and since I don't foresee being able to purchase a new set of my own for many years, I want to protect the table from puddles of milk and flung noodles and mashed peas and all the other messes that accompany any dining experience that includes small children.

As far as I can figure, the best way to protect my table with limited daily intervention and without spending piles of money for custom-made pads is with a vinyl tablecloth.  This had me pretty severely bummed, because even my style-challenged dining room would not benefit from a dose of picnic-chic, but then I found this:

(Photo from Amazon.com)

And I am thinking it is maybe not so bad?  I mean, it is not at all to my taste, but it does make a good fit with my furniture and it doesn't look like maybe there's really a picnic table under there and it would be hard for the kids to sneak blobs of jello under it.  I want something I can leave on the table all the time, and I don't know if I can deal with full-time "lace," but I haven't found anything better.

I'm having a hard time deciding.  You decide for me, ok?

poll by twiigs.com

Comments

[K]

My grandma used to have vinyl tablecloths that looked like that one- except hers always had cigarette burns on them...

[Debb]

I have a valentine's day vinyl on right now. I love the whimsy of it.

[Jan]

What if you covered the tabletop w/ a sheet of plastic (like home depot sells for painting) & then used a regular tablecloth?

[Elizabeth]

I think I would do either plastic placemats when the kids eat there(this is what we use and they cover a pretty large area and pop right into the dishwasher), regular placemats that just go into the wash, or get a few fabric table cloths and and rotate them through the wash.

[Muirnait]

I like this one a little better...
http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Vinyl-Tablecloth-Damask-White/dp/B0001MS4AK/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267807034&sr=1-25
but it doesn't come in the oval, I guess?
But the whole vinyl thing ... yeah, I dunno. As someone with small kids it can be forgiven ;) Or plastic with something washable over top and then placemats for the kids is a good suggestion too!

[Beth in SF]

My grandma uses those LOL.

[Michelle Pixie]

I think you'd be better off finding a really nice cloth tablecloth you like and than buying one of those clear plastic things to cover it. I have the same issue as you with our table and I do the vinyl thing, I just change them out with the seasons or months. The kids have fun with the different ones we find and they do make some funky ones if you look hard enough! :D

[Hillary]

Have you tried looking at Etsy for an oilcloth one that's more to your liking? I get the need, I don't think it's a bad idea, but that one is a little fusty.

[craftyashley]

Perhaps get some sassy fabric and sew some plastic to the top?

[craftyashley]

Or try chalkydoodles etsy store:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/chalkydoodles

[Sarah Smith]

Don't do it! Have you ever heard of "laminated fabric?" It's like a happy medium. It is a fabric tablecloth with a thin coating on it that makes it water resistant (water beads on it) and easy to clean. I bought two at Marshalls and used them for Thanksgiving this year and they looked great, but were so easy to clean. I'm sure you can find many different kinds. Here's a link just so you can see what I'm talking about:

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=121565

[Sahara]

I haven't yet been able to process the style portion of your question. I'm stuck back on the idea that you have a mischievous toddler and are considering a table cloth? I've thought about it before, too, but am worried that my sweet ray of sunshine would tug that sucker right off the table. That's why I have decided to feed my children in their kennels until they are 16.

Please note: my children are in fact human, and no, I am not serious about the kennel thing. Their cages are easy to clean out with a hose, so I feed them in there where they have more room to move around.

[Speckledpup]

buy a glass cut to the shape of your table top. you'll thank me forever.

[Sabrina]

Someone just beat me to my suggestion. Glass top. You can have glass cut to the exact shape. Nice glass. With nice, smooth edges. Shatter-proof type glass. Really not that expensive. My parents have had many made for old, nice wood dressers that my mom INSISTS on using as giant plant stands in front of windows. It looks beautiful and totally protects the wood. Yellow pages-> glass company -> call. Don't be afraid!

But anyhow, dude, use a vinyl tablecloth! Until company comes.

(This reminds me of another long-term benefit of the glass top. It's not only nice enough to leave on when company comes, it gives a gorgeous, finished look. You can safely serve a nice buffet on it if you had a party, and not worry about your table top EVER AGAIN.)

[Chattycricket]

BETH. No.

DUDE.

[Lisa]

I say buy it. I buy the super cheap ones at Target and replace them every 3 months or so. NOT fine decor but my table still looks pretty and clean up is easy. Then when company comes over I can just take it off and show the pretty wood.

[adrienne]

search esty - there's bound to be something, somewhere that's better than that.

[Carrisa]

I bought a really hip looking vinyl tablecloth at Target recently on clearance for $2.98. I took it home and stapled it to my table. Sounds crazy I know, but I was having a hard time finding a table cloth to fit. This one wipes down easily, it's a small table. It's in the kitchen, not a dining room. Not quite the same as what you are looking for, but just letting you know that vinyl tablecloths do still serve a purpose.

[Marie Green]

I buy and use the vinyl ones from Target all the time- and though I do very little holiday decorating for any holiday besides Christmas, I tend to buy a holiday-ish type and change them out seasonally. Honestly, I think they look cheerful and like Children Live Here. Plus, you can wash them with a washcloth.

So I say, go for a couple of vinyl ones. It's either that or plan on refinishing the table in 5-10 years, right?

[Kate]

When I was growing up my mother always had a plain vinyl tablecloth on the dining room table and then would cover it sometimes with a cloth tablecloth. The nice thing about vinyl is you don't have to hem it so if so find a pattern that you like at your local fabric store you can just have them cut a piece the right size.

[caleal]

I don't understand why some people are so up in arms about this, lol. It's not bad looking, you can take it off if people will come over, and it will most definitely protect your table. Problem solved. Buy it!

[Tracy H.]

I was going to suggest getting a piece of glass cut as well. It's not that expensive. I work for a glass company, we do it all the time. Glass top and placemats and you're set.

[Emma]

G st fabrics has foam-backed vinyl rolls (on fabric bolts) which you can cut to the size of your table & trim if you need to trim a curve (hancock might have them too - there's one on 7). I layer them under my williams sonoma (outlet) tablecloths. Glad I went on the cheap for my tabecloths b/c then I don't cringe when anyone spills! (and the sun has bleached 1/3 of them - and I still love my tuscan prints!!). Let me know if you want help w/ cheap layering to protect your table - I still owe you a favor from that dvd you burned for me last xmas's preschool show!! :)