Buy · spools for tables
Wooden spools for tables
The right wooden spool for a table depends on two numbers: the flange, which sets the tabletop's diameter, and the overall width, which sets how tall the reel stands on end. A 30-inch reel makes a coffee table, a 36 to 42 inch reel a patio or dining table, and a 48-inch reel a big outdoor table for four.
From the reel desk · Checked 9 November 2026
Height comes from the width
Stand a reel on one flange and its height is its overall width: the traverse between the flanges plus the thickness of both flanges. That surprises people. Two 36-inch reels from Southwire's tables, the H-13 and the N-24, share a flange size but stand about 19 and 32 inches high. One is a coffee table, the other close to a dining table.
Sizes by table
| Table | Target height | Flange | Reels from Southwire's tables |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side or plant stand | 12 to 20 in | 23 to 24 in | C-1 (11 in), C-3 (13), N-5 (18½), C-5 (20) |
| Coffee | 18 to 22 in | 30 to 36 in | N-7 (20), H-13 (19⅜), C-10 (22½) |
| Low patio | 24 to 26 in | 28 to 32 in | N-11 (24), A-10 (25), N-15 (25), A-11 (26) |
| Counter or bistro | 27 to 30 in | 34 to 42 in | C-17 (27½), C-22 (28½), N-19 (29½) |
| Tall dining or bar | 31 to 34 in | 36 to 48 in | N-29 (31), N-24 (31¾), A-29 (32), A-38 (32) |
Other makers' reels at the same flange can be an inch or two different. When you send a buy request, give the height you want as well as the flange.
Nailed or plywood
For outdoors, nailed wood. Its two-ply flanges, nailed at right angles, take weather for years once sealed. For indoors, plywood reels have smoother faces and are lighter to move, but they are mostly small. An export reel marked E is treated with preservative; avoid it for indoor furniture and kitchen tables.
Condition for a table
A table reel needs a flat top flange, no rot, and a base flange that sits level. It does not need perfect staves or drive holes. That means damaged reels the desk cannot sell as working reels often make good tables, and cost less. Ask for "table grade" in the message.
Preparing a spool table
- Pull staples, tags and protruding nails.
- Sand the top flange; the grey weathered layer is thin.
- Fill the arbor hole or use it for an umbrella pole.
- Seal the top and every edge, especially the bottom flange that will sit on a damp patio.
- Set it on pads or feet so the bottom flange can dry.
How many and how they travel
One or two table reels go on runs through your area. Sets for events or a restaurant patio take longer to match; give a size range and a date.
Before you buy a spool
| Use | Flange | What matters most |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee or side table | 30 to 36 in | A flat, uncracked top flange and a height of 16 to 26 in on end |
| Patio or dining table | 36 to 48 in | Overall width near 28 to 30 in, so chairs fit under the top |
| Hose, rope or wire winding | 24 to 42 in | A round arbor hole and a drum that turns true on a shaft |
| Re-spooling cable | 30 to 60 in | Drum diameter and traverse matched to the cable's bend radius and length |
| Displays, venues, farms | 48 to 72 in | Somewhere firm to set it down, and a machine to do it |
- Look at both flanges. Cracks that run across the grain, split rims and loose tie rods are what fail first. Ask for photos of each face.
- Check for nails. Run a hand round the rim and the drum; anything standing proud gets pulled or set before use.
- Ask about treatment before a spool goes indoors, into a garden bed or near food. Some reels are preservative-treated; most are plain lumber.
- Plan the last fifty feet. Under about 36 inches, two people carry it. Up to 48, a ramp and two people. Above that, forks, a loader or a tractor.
- Matched sets come from one job or one maker. Say if the spools must match in size, stencil or colour.
Questions the desk gets
What size spool makes a dining table?
Look for a 36 to 42 inch reel about 28 to 30 inches wide overall. Southwire's N-24, A-29 and N-34 stand 31 to 33 inches on end, a little high; a seat cushion or trimmed base fixes that.
Should I seal a spool table?
Yes, for outdoor use. Sand, then seal the top and the flange edges. Nailed wood weathers well once sealed; plywood flanges need more care.
Sources
Each opened and read on 9 November 2026.
- Southwire, Reel Packaging Information (CableTech Support): reel series, wooden reel dimensions and weights, steel reel dimensions and charges, tag contents; cites NEMA WC26
- AFL, Wood Reel Recycling Program: nailed wood only, no plywood; flanges at least 1½ in thick and 30 in across; 75% of staves; full truckloads; mainly East Coast and Midwest