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Not sure which of the many non-toxic dining tables available on the market are actually sustainable and safe for your humble abode?
Studies have shown time and time again that many of these tables release harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. This means that beloved furniture may very well be amongst the 35 most toxic household items you own – right after cleaning products and toxic food storage containers.
In this guide, we’ll discuss which materials to avoid in your pursuit of the most natural dining table setup, how to properly evaluate the green claims of the most popular brands, and share practical tips for keeping your sustainable dining table in tip-top shape.
P.S. For more healthy options for your home decor, check out these eco-friendly furniture brands and these fantastic sustainable home goods companies.
SKL top picks, in a nutshell…
- Best overall: Maiden Home
- Best Greenguard-certified dining table: Urban Natural Home
- Best reclaimed wood: VivaTerra
- Best round: Ethnicraft
- Best dining table for small spaces: Emeco
- Best expandable: Vermont Woods
Did you know that the air inside your home can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside?
According to EPA, it can even be over 100 times more polluted with the same pollutants.
Shocking, I know! It’s surprising how easily we can expose ourselves to numerous chemicals in our everyday lives without even realizing it. The reality is that one of the biggest contributors to indoor air pollution is the furniture we bring into our homes, including dining tables, chairs, couches, and beds!
But how? During production, many furniture pieces are treated with chemicals to enhance durability, resistance to fire, and appearance. The issue is that, over time, these chemicals are released into the air from the furniture, a process known as off-gassing.
To put it simply, off-gassing is the process by which manufactured products, particularly those made with synthetic materials and chemicals, release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful substances into the air.
P.S. This can happen for years after the furniture is made.
Some of the most common symptoms I’ve pesonally experienced are headaches, dizziness, nausea, and irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat. But it doesn’t end there. Long-term exposure can result in respiratory problems, liver and kidney damage, central nervous system issues, and an increased risk of cancer.
Children, in particular, are more vulnerable to these effects due to their developing bodies and higher rates of inhalation relative to their size, according to the American Lung Association. That’s why I always advocate for creating an entirely non-toxic nursery, equipped with certified safe cribs, baby gyms, dressers, and toys.
To help you evaluate which affordable non toxic dining tables are actually healthy for you and your family, we created a detailed guide of the best and worst materials.
What Toxic Chemical Are Hiding In Dining Tables??
Particleboard and MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard)
Particleboard and MDF are go-to choices for budget-friendly furniture, but what you might not know is that these materials often contain formaldehyde. This chemical is used in the adhesives that bind the wood particles together, and it can slowly be released into the air in a process known as off-gassing.
Formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen and can cause respiratory issues, skin irritation, and other health problems. I recently came across a study by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that proves that these chemicals can contribute significantly to indoor air pollution, posing health risks over time. So, while that particleboard dining table might be easy on the wallet, it could be taking a toll on your health in ways you can’t see or smell.
Chemical Varnishes and Finishes
We all love that sleek, polished look on a new dining table, but many traditional varnishes and finishes come with a hidden cost: high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These chemicals can off-gas into your home, causing headaches, dizziness, and even long-term health issues like liver and kidney damage.
The American Lung Association has highlighted the serious health impacts of prolonged VOC exposure, particularly in enclosed spaces. So, next time you’re admiring a glossy table, remember that the finish might be more than just a pretty face – it could be compromising your indoor air quality and your health.
Synthetic Foams
If your dining chairs have cushioned seats, there’s a good chance they contain synthetic foams treated with flame retardants. While these chemicals are intended to reduce flammability, they come with their own set of problems. Flame retardants have been linked to endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental delays in children, and an increased risk of cancer.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) explains that certain flame retardants can interfere with hormone function and are associated with developmental and reproductive toxicity. So, while those padded seats might be comfy, they could be silently affecting your health in significant ways.
Plastics
Plastics are ubiquitous in modern furniture, from structural components to sleek finishes. However, they can leach harmful chemicals like phthalates and Bisphenol A (BPA) into your home environment, especially when exposed to heat and sunlight. Phthalates are known to disrupt the endocrine system, leading to reproductive and developmental issues, while BPA can mimic estrogen and has been linked to hormonal imbalances and an increased risk of cancer.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have highlighted the potential health risks associated with these chemicals, underscoring their widespread presence in consumer products. You can check out the study here.
So, what’s the alternative? Opting for certified natural dining tables from one of the many non-toxic furniture brands on the eco market.
The Safest Materials for Non-Toxic Dining Room Tables
Now that we’ve covered the materials to avoid, let’s dive into some fantastic alternatives that are both safe and sustainable.
Solid Wood
Solid wood dining tables are a timeless choice for good reason. Opt for types like oak, maple, walnut, and cherry. These woods are not only beautiful but also incredibly durable and long-lasting.
Unlike particleboard or MDF, solid wood doesn’t rely on toxic adhesives and can be finished with natural, non-toxic treatments. A solid wood table can be a true investment piece that grows more charming with age. Plus, you can refinish or repair it, making it a sustainable option that can last generations.
Bamboo
Bamboo is another excellent choice for eco-friendly dining tables. It’s a rapidly renewable resource, growing much faster than traditional hardwoods. Bamboo is not only strong and lightweight but also offers a sleek, modern look that can complement a variety of home styles. Its rapid growth rate means it can be harvested without depleting forests!
Additionally, bamboo furniture is often crafted using low-VOC finishes, further reducing the risk of indoor air pollution.
Reclaimed or Recycled Wood
Using reclaimed or recycled wood for your non-toxic dining table is a fantastic way to reduce waste and give new life to old materials. This option is extremely environmentally friendly all while offering a unique aesthetic – each piece of reclaimed wood has its own story and character.
Since no new trees are cut down, it helps conserve natural resources. Plus, reclaimed wood dining tables have a beautiful, weathered look that adds charm and history to your dining space. It’s a great way to enjoy the benefits of solid wood while being kind to the planet.
Natural Non-Toxic Finishes
When it comes to finishing your dining table, natural non-toxic finishing options like beeswax, tung oil, and linseed oil are the way to go.
These finishes are non-toxic and safe for indoor use, enhancing the natural beauty of the wood without the harmful effects of VOCs. Beeswax provides a soft, lustrous finish that’s easy to maintain.
How To Know If A Dinning Table is Truly Non-Toxic
All sustainable dining tables come with one or multiple certifications that buy up the brands’ claims.
Greenguard Certification: This certification guarantees that your dining table has undergone rigorous testing for low chemical emissions.
You can rest assured knowing that your Greenguard-certified dining table contributes to healthier indoor air quality by minimizing VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and other harmful pollutants.
FSC-Certified (Forest Stewardship Council): Choosing an FSC-certified wooden dining table means supporting responsible forestry practices. This certification verifies that the wood used in your table comes from responsibly managed forests that prioritize biodiversity, indigenous rights, and the long-term health of forest ecosystems.
SCS Indoor Advantage Certification: The SCS Indoor Advantage certification focuses on verifying that your dining table meets strict criteria for indoor air quality performance. It guarantees that the materials used have been tested and proven to emit low levels of VOCs and other indoor air pollutants.
Cradle to Cradle Certified: The Cradle to Cradle certification evaluates products based on their environmental impact across their entire lifecycle – from material selection to manufacturing processes and end-of-life recyclability.
It encourages continuous improvement in sustainability practices and ensures that your dining table is designed with circular economy principles in mind, aiming for zero waste and maximum resource efficiency.
Now, let’s see which non-toxic dining tables deserve a place in your healthy home.
Best Non-Toxic Natural Wood Dining Tables in 2024
For those who appreciate a touch of sleek, modern elegance in their home, Maiden Home offers beautifully crafted furniture perfect for your living, dining, and bedroom spaces.
Founded by women, this CertiPUR-US® certified brand focuses on creating pieces free from harmful chemicals like flame retardants and formaldehyde. To do that, they solely use low-VOC, water-based glues and stains.
Their non-toxic dining room table collection, made from locally sourced walnut, ash, and oak, features spacious tabletops with uniquely angled beveled legs, as well as gorgeous organic round dining tables with hand-shaped legs.
What’s more, because all pieces are made to order, you can request special customizations, including a different finish, and size to meet your room’s space requirements.
Price
$2925-$5450
materials
White oak, walnut, solid ash
location/shipping
United States, ships to Canada
While we absolutely love Medley Home’s entire lineup of house fittings, we do have a soft spot for their non-toxic dining room furniture. Can you blame us?
The company’s sustainable dining tables are available in oval, round, and rectangular shapes and two different FSC-certified woods –hard white maple and American walnut.
Each piece is handcrafted in the USA, designed to age beautifully and last a lifetime. What’s more, the solid wood used can be sanded and refreshed as needed to prolong its lifespan.
Another thing we love is that Medley’s protective, zero VOC wood finish is heat and water-resistant, which means it’s not only super durable but also 100% safe for everyday living.
To complete the natural wood dining table setup, you can also opt for the matching chairs that are filled with CertiPUR-US®-certified foam and natural Dunlop latex.
Price
$2195-$5995
materials
FSC-Certified Wood, hard white maple/American walnut
location/shipping
United States, ships to Canada
Urban Natural Home is another fantastic destination for natural dining tables straight from the catalogs of 2024’s most sustainable and eco-friendly furniture brands.
Here, you can find multiple options from Ethnicraft, Copeland, Canal Dover, and Mater – each designed with the unique aesthetic of each company.
Take your pick from round, glass, fixed top, or extension tables, and select either natural wood or another unique finish to match your decor with ease.
Personally, I love their Greenguard-certified dining table and chair sets but you can always opt for separate pieces to get exactly what’s missing from your dining room.
Spoiler alert: you can also find plenty of wooden dining table 6-seater options for the entire family! Just keep in mind that, because all items are handmade to order in the USA, there will be a brief waiting period.
Price
$850-$6732
materials
Solid natural wood
location/shipping
United States
If you looking for a minimalist dining table made of wood, FSC Certified oak, and beech wood, to be exact, Mater USA is the brand for you.
I can only describe these eco-friendly dining tables as sculptural and inherently modern which is what would expect from a Copenhagen-based company.
To create their sleek lineup of minimalist home furnishings, Mater employs innovative, patented technology to upcycle industrial waste materials like plastic, aluminum, mango tree wood, coffee shells, spent grain waste, and discarded fishing nets.
Dining chairs and stools are sold separately to help you DIY the perfect setup for your space – both indoors and outdoors.
Granted, these organic wood dining tables are not, by any means, cheap, but as they say, you really get what you paid for.
Price
$2200-$4148
materials
FSC Certified oak & beech wood
location/shipping
United States
For those who love the rustic charm of a reclaimed wood dining table set, VivaTerra is a top destination.
With 15 years of history, the company stands out from the eco crowd with an extensive collection of unique, Fair Trade sofas, tables, storage solutions, bed frames, and non-toxic dining room furniture – all ethically crafted by skilled artisans from 20 countries.
Take this Provence Farm Table, for example. It’s made ethically by the hands of artisans in Hungary who use reclaimed 9th-century European timber beams to create a planked tabletop.
Each plank bears marks of its past life which is so special! What’s more, the hard wax finish enhances the natural beauty of the wood.
Need an organic round dining table that works in rooms of all shapes and sizes? Gidran is another great option. Just look how gorgeous this rich charcoal black atop a sturdy elm wood trestle base looks!
Price
$1799-$2999
materials
Reclaimed wood, recycled materials
location/shipping
United States
Compared to other options in this list, Masaya creates the most affordable non-toxic dining tables.
In addition to being handcrafted ethically in Nicaragua, these hospitality grade, FSC-Certified natural dining tables are entirely made of Teak wood, renowned for their durability and beauty.
It’s important to note that, after harvesting the teak wood, Masaya replants new trees to continue its renewable production cycle and maintain a carbon-negative business model.
Browse their collection to find a beautiful natural wood dining table for 8 people as well as many solid wood dining tables for 6.
Price
$1995-$2790
materials
100% solid sustainably sourced hardwood
location/shipping
United States
We first stumbled upon Vermont Woods during our research for the best sustainable outdoor furniture brands. But this company has so much more to offer!
We instantly fell in love with their natural wood extendable dining tables and charming organic round dining tables.
But what we appreciate the most is that Vermont Woods Studio crafts each piece locally, using premium, sustainably harvested American hardwoods. Oak, walnut, cherry, maple, to be more precise.
You can even pick your wood finish out of the 6 available options as well as choose your desired table size. Once again, because you’re basically paying for the absolute best non-toxic dining table with a lifetime guarantee, the manufacturing timeline may vary from 6-12 weeks.
Price
$1127-$5147
materials
Oak, walnut, cherry & maple
location/shipping
United States
Ethnicraft creates some of the slimmest, and most modern rectangular dining tables for 6, 8, 10 people as well as and natural wood round dining tables for 4 we’ve ever come across.
The materials range from oak, black oak, teak, and micro cement treated with a hard wax oil finish. So, at the end of the day, it all comes down to choosing the color that matches your kitchen or dining room the most.
Additionally, Ethnicraft is very transparent about their entire supply chain which is something we always love to see.
They have production sites in Serbia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia where production waste such as leftover logs, wood, and sawdust are re-used for other purposes.
Price
$1779-$6509
materials
Oak, black oak, teak, micro cement
location/shipping
United States
If you’re living in New York, you’ve probably heard of the ec-friendly furniture brand From The Source at least once before in your life.
Over the past two decades, the company has been able to secure partnerships with forestry officials and villagers in Indonesia to get the most unique and sustainably sourced hardwoods.
Their materials list also includes reclaimed and recycled options, such as recycled oil barrels, recycled rubber from tires, and reclaimed teak wood salvaged from old buildings.
Before you pick the best affordable non-toxic dining table for your home, go ahead and choose the top material, size, and base finish to meet your room’s demands.
The options are so many – from natural wood dining tables for 6 to modern solid wood kitchen tables for 4.
Price
$890-6550
materials
Mango wood, teak wood, stainless steel, glass
location/shipping
United States
Reclaimed custom wood dining tables? Yes, please! Urban Woods’ home furnishings are all handmade in Los Angeles from 100% reclaimed wood and sealed with a zero-VOC, water-based finish.
I have a soft spot for their industrial-style designs with metal bases. However, according to your aesthetic, you can outfit your dining room with round, and rectangular pieces with wooden legs.
Lastly, the company allows us to custom make the tables to virtually any size and also pick out our favorite wood finish and, in some cases, Kirei finish.
Price
$2250-$3950
materials
Reclaimed solid hardwood
location/shipping
United States
Emeco is a beloved BIPOC-owned company that uses sustainable & recycled materials to create eco-friendly dining room furniture with geometric simplicity and minimum function.
You can find plenty of options in any size and height imaginable. Most tables are made of responsibly selected, sustainable wood and recycled aluminum locally in the USA to further minimize their environmental impact.
Take your pick from bar tables, standing-height tables, and, of course, rectangular dining tables with customizable bases and tops by an array of current designers.
To top it all off, most pieces come with a lifetime warranty which is a huge plus.
Price
$3385-$5255
materials
Sustainable wood, walnut, recycled aluminum, powered coat
location/shipping
United States, ships worldwide
How to Care for Your Natural Wood Dining Table?
Use Natural, Non-Toxic Cleaners
Keep your organic dining table clean without introducing harmful chemicals by opting for natural cleaners.
A simple and effective solution is a mixture of vinegar and water. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and can effectively remove dirt and grime without leaving behind toxic residues.
Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a spray bottle, and use a soft cloth to wipe down your table regularly. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners that can strip natural finishes and compromise indoor air quality.
For more options, you can check out our super simple zero-waste cleaning swaps for a healthy home.
Regularly Apply Natural Finishes
Protect the natural beauty of your non-toxic dining room table by applying natural finishes regularly. Natural finishes such as beeswax, tung oil, or linseed oil provide a protective layer that enhances the wood’s durability and appearance.
These finishes nourish the wood and create a barrier against moisture and stains. Apply the finish according to the manufacturer’s instructions, typically using a soft cloth or brush, and allow it to dry thoroughly before using the table again.
Repair and Upcycle to Extend the Life of Your Table
If your table develops scratches or dents over time, consider sanding and refinishing the affected areas to restore their original beauty. You can also get creative with upcycling projects, such as repainting the legs or adding new hardware to give your table a fresh look.
I’d also highly suggest transforming your natural wood dining table to suit changing styles or preferences without replacing it entirely. For instance, consider changing the chairs or adding a new table runner or centerpiece to refresh the look of your dining space.
How We Researched and Rated the Best Sustainable Dining Tables
- We Checked All Material Sources: We assessed the sourcing practices of each brand, focusing on sustainable forestry management, the use of recycled materials, and adherence to ethical labor practices.
- Verified Certifications: We prioritized natural dining tables with recognized certifications such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), Greenguard, and Cradle to Cradle, to know for sure that they comply with rigorous environmental and health standards.
- Design and Functionality: We evaluated the design versatility and functionality of each dining table, considering factors like space-saving features, expandability options, and compatibility with various interior styles.
- Feedback: We analyzed customer reviews and feedback to understand real-world experiences with each dining table, paying attention to factors like product quality, customer service, and overall satisfaction.
We hope this guide helped you find the best non-toxic dining table for your healthy home. At SKL, our top pick will always be certified natural dining tables made from chemical-free and durable materials like solid wood with natural finishes to help us reduce the emission of harmful chemicals like VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in our homes.
The industry has come a very long way! In 2024, sustainable dining tables come in a variety of styles and designs that can complement any home decor.
Whether you prefer the rustic charm of reclaimed wood or the minimalist look of a sleek natural wood dining table, there’s a non-toxic option that suits your personal taste while contributing to a healthier living environment.
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