Solid wood, veneer or melamine: which table top for a restaurant, café or hotel?

The short answer

	Solid wood	Wood veneer	Melamine
What it is	Boards of real wood joined together	A thin layer of real wood bonded to MDF or particleboard	A wood-based board with a melamine surface
Look	Real wood, including the edges	Real wood on the surface	A printed colour or wood look
Wear	Durable, and can be sanded and refinished	Not as durable as solid wood	Resists scratches, stains, heat and fading
Repair	Sand and refinish	Light sanding only on thick veneers	No repair route given by the sources
Cost	Highest	The look of wood for less	Lowest
Typical use	Restaurants, bars, high-end venues	Pubs, cafés and other busy venues	Cafés, food courts, play centres, casual dining

Sources 1 to 5. The details are below.

Solid wood

Solid wood tops are made from boards of real wood joined side by side (source 3).

• The big advantage: many solid tops can be sanded and refinished, which exposes sound wood under the damaged finish (source 3). One guide calls solid wood "durable and easy to repair" (source 1).
• The cost of that: it needs more care. A finished wood top is not waterproof. Use soft, non-abrasive cloths, the cleaner the maker recommends, and protection under hot dishes (source 3).
• Where it fits: restaurants, bars and high-end venues, where the table is seen without a cloth (source 2).

Wood veneer

A veneer top is a thin layer of real wood bonded to a base board, such as MDF or particleboard (source 1).

• The advantage: it gives the look of solid wood at a lower price (sources 1 and 2). It resists warping and cracking (source 1). One UK supplier veneers the underside of its tops as well, to stop warping (source 2).
• The limit: it is not as durable as solid wood (source 1). And because the wood layer is thin, only thick veneers allow light sanding (source 5). Ask how thick the veneer is.
• Where it fits: pubs, cafés and other busy venues that want a wood look (source 2).

Melamine

A melamine top is a wood-based board with a hard melamine surface (sources 1 and 2).

• The advantage: it resists scratches, stains, heat and fading (source 1), and it is easy to wipe (sources 2 and 4). It is the budget choice (source 4).
• The limit: the surface is a printed colour or wood look. None of our sources describes a way to refinish it.
• Where it fits: casual dining, cafés, food courts (source 4), play centres and holiday parks (source 2).

How to choose

1. How busy is the room? Many covers per day, children, quick turnover: melamine or veneer.
2. Is the table seen without a cloth? Then the top is part of the design. Solid wood or veneer.
3. Will you keep the tables for many years? Solid wood can be refinished when the surface is worn.
4. Who cleans, and with what? Wood needs gentle cleaners (source 3). Melamine is the easiest to wipe (sources 2 and 4).
5. Two areas, two tops? For example solid wood in the dining room and melamine in the bar. Check with your supplier that the same base and size come with both tops.

What our 33 tables offer

We checked the top options listed for each of the 33 tables in the RikoStyle range (source 6):

• Solid wood (beech or oak, on some models ash): 32 tables.
• Wood veneer: 31 tables.
• Melamine: 16 tables, including the Stella, London, Duffy, Presley, Prezzo and Rustic families.
• Bases: solid beech or oak wood on most models. Prezzo and Rustic have a metal base.

So for most of our tables, you choose the top, not the table: the same Stella or London table comes in solid wood, veneer or melamine. That makes it easy to use one table family in two areas with different tops.

Questions to ask any supplier

1. Top material and thickness (mm):                 ____
2. For veneer: veneer thickness, and is the
   underside veneered too?                          ____
3. Edge: solid wood edge, or a band/plastic edge?   ____
4. Finish (lacquer, oil) and recommended cleaner:   ____
5. Heat: is a mat needed under hot dishes?          ____
6. Can the top be refinished or replaced later?     ____

Next step

See the table sizes for 2, 4, 6 and 8 guests, or browse all tables. We make tables for restaurants and hotels, cafés, interior designers, furniture retailers and importers, and we are looking for long-term partners in each of these groups.

Sources

1. WebstaurantStore, Types of Table Tops and Bases, updated 5 February 2026: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/guide/541/types-of-table-tops-and-bases.html
2. Sarah Gechie, Our buying guide to choosing the right table tops, Trent Furniture: https://www.trentfurniture.co.uk/news/blog/blogid-14/our-buying-guide-to-choosing-the-right-table-tops-
3. Affordable Seating, Restaurant Wood Table Tops Guide, updated September 2026: https://www.affordableseating.net/resources/guides/wood-table-tops-guide
4. Superior Seating, What's Your Restaurant Table Top Made Of? Wood, Stone & Laminate Guide: https://www.superiorseating.com/blog/whats-your-table-top-made-of
5. Greenply, Veneer Thickness: Complete Guide to Sizes, Uses, and Selection, 8 December 2025: https://www.greenply.com/blogs/veneer-thickness-complete-guide-to-sizes-uses-and-selection
6. Top options as published on each table's page on rikostyle.com, November 2026.