What is a Drop Leaf Table?
A drop leaf table is a table that has at least one leaf with hinges that allow the leaf to be dropped down flat against the table legs. A drop leaf table may have half of the table that drops or it may have two hinged sides that drop, with a narrow section left in the middle of the table. Drop leaf tables are available as either dining or occasional tables and can be in any wood finish and shape. The English Elizabethan drop leaf table dates back to the 16th century. These tables were often made of oak and designed to double their length. Earlier Elizabethan drop leaf tables are usually of a plain Gothic style, while the later ones are often more elaborately carved. The English Jacobean tables of the early 17th century are large and are gate leg rather than drop leaf in design. Gate leg tables differ from the drop leaf table style in that the leg assembly swings out like a gate to support the leaf when it’s not hanging down. A drop leaf table made from good wood such as cherry, walnut
