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Change dining booth to table and chairs

chiefward
Explorer
Explorer
Thinking about changing out my dining booth to table and chairs. Will keep the bench against the back wall since it has a handy outside access but will remove the pedestal table and one booth. I plan to install a stand alone table and two chairs but have some questions from those that has done this.

Did you attach the table to the floor?

Do you tie down the chairs for transport?

Did you regret making this modification?

Where did you find a table to fit the space?
2011 Fun Finder by Cruiser RV, model X210WBS
2017 Ram, 1500, Tradesman,
10,000 Equal-I-zer hitch
13 REPLIES 13

valhalla360
Nomad II
Nomad II
We've had both and prefer the dinnete. You lose a lot of storage area.

Unless there is some other reason, leave the table with posts. The table with wide base is a pain to get your feet in and out (regardless of bench or chairs).
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV

LilyKing
Explorer
Explorer
If you want to change your dining booth to a table and chairs, you will need to purchase a new table and chairs. You will also need to remove the booth from your dining room. Nice Dinette Sets here - ***Link Removed***

JBarca
Nomad II
Nomad II
I know some time has past and you may have already sorted this out, but I'll show what we do with our table and chairs.

Ours came from the factory with the table not mounted to the floor. Sunline was out of business by the time we got the trailer, so we could not ask them how they wanted to do this securing for travel.

Here is what we do. The wife really likes that the table is not mounted to the floor as she slides the table on the carpet standing up to the end of the slide room when not in use to create more room in the camper. Then we slide the table back to eating position when we need to use it etc.

It came with 4 chairs, but we now only use 2 of them since 98% of the time, it is just the two of us. The other 2% of the time, we bring the other 2 chairs with us.



We lay over the table down and to the front of the slide to travel. The chairs are stacked in such a way, the seat fabric isolates the wood to wood touching. We tried this many ways, and this is the final setup we came up with. It has worked since 2007 and over 45,000 miles with no damage. We really like it




If we carry 4 chairs, it looks like this.


I will say this, the table and chairs is slight forward of the TT front axle. It is not way behind the axles. I also have shocks and a Trail Aire rubber equalizer. The suspensions upgrades really help tame down the road bounce.

I'm not sure we could do this if the table was at the back of the camper. The bounce is more magnified back there. I can tell by the swivel rockers that move some on bad roads.

Hope this helps give you some ideas to build off of.

John
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.

spoon059
Explorer II
Explorer II
OP, we replaced out U-dinette with a round freestanding table with drop leaf. I made my own benches for the one side and back wall. My table isn't anchored down because originally we would take it out for some trips and put a pack-n-play for our youngest. We found that flipping the table upside down was sufficient for transport and haven't changed that.

We found the original dinette to be awful uncomfortable and under used. Now the kids sit on the benches I made and my wife and I have short stools that we use. We absolutely LOVE it and have no regrets. Hope your reno goes smooth and you like it too.
2015 Ram CTD
2015 Jayco 29QBS

B_O__Plenty
Explorer II
Explorer II
Took my dinette out on a TT I had. Left the table that had a post going to the floor. Used a couple nice wooden folding chairs I got a Wally World. Very happy the way it came out.
B.O.
Former Ram/Cummins owner
2015 Silverado 3500 D/A DRW
Yup I'm a fanboy!
2016 Cedar Creek 36CKTS

chiefward
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks a lot for all the advise and ideas....
2011 Fun Finder by Cruiser RV, model X210WBS
2017 Ram, 1500, Tradesman,
10,000 Equal-I-zer hitch

pennysmom09
Explorer
Explorer
We removed the end tables from the walls, we just lay them down when we move. We are considering the same with the dinette table since it has worked out well. The chairs donโ€™t move even when we forget to fasten them.
Nancy and Doug
2015 KZ Durango 325RL FW

GREGORYJ
Explorer
Explorer
We "tie" the chairs down like this.

Ellen & Greg
08 National Dolphin DL-35Ci, Kelderman Air Ride, Rear Trac Bar
Workhorse W22, RoadMaster Rear Sway Bar, Towing 08 Smart Car

Ava
Explorer
Explorer
I removed my dinette as well recently and find the table and chairs I use donโ€™t move much without any strapping down. The piece of carpet under them seems to keep them steady.

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
My current 5er and my previous TT, both had these anchored into the floor with straps to keep things from moving in transit (not the Command hooks in the photo below):





It turns out, the ones installed by the manufacturer are almost identical to the same ones used for hanging picture frames. So, if you are looking for them, go to WalMart to the picture fame area and you'll find them there. I used a half-inch course dry-wall screw to anchor it to the floor, so it would not go too deep and perhaps come out the bottom of the slide.

I've added more of these in different locations to create hooks for different tie-down or bungie cord tie downs.





As far as the table, we've had 2 RV's with stand-alone kitchen tables. Both were the pedestal rectangular tables with the claw foot style base. Holes were drilled through each arm of the claw feet and long screws attached each foot to the floor. Of course, you could leave the table free-standing and move it around then too. If ours was free standing and not screwed down, I'd probably keep a strap over it too, to keep it from falling over or sliding around.

This is not my photo, but we have the same chairs and table (Montana High Country 375FL - Fifth Wheel).



The strap over the chairs is hooked into one of those hooks like pictured above. There is a screw hole drilled into each foot on that table with a long screw going into the floor, actually, only about 1/2 an inch.

Any table will work, as long as it fits your space and your comfort level. If you want, you could even use a camping folding table. Nothing says it has to be RV specific. Measure the size you have available and visit furniture stores.

Good luck!

ependydad
Explorer
Explorer
We replaced a pair of theater seats with this table:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078864X2M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It is not secured to the floor as we regularly move it to make more "hallway" room. We secure it to a railing beside of it with bungees.

We bought super cheap IKEA chairs because they stack together:
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/teodores-chair-green-50350939/

We put the front legs of them over the center support of the table.

On the other side, we built a L-shaped bench (we needed to be able to seat 4 regularly and 6 occasionally).
2017 Spartan 1245 by Prime Time
2018 Ram 3500 Crew Cab DRW w/ 4.10 gears and 8' bed
FW Hitch: TrailerSaver TS3
Learn to RV- learn about RVing - Towing Planner Calculators - Family Fulltiming FB page

RobWNY
Explorer
Explorer
We didn't change things out like you are thinking about doing but our 5th wheel came with the dinette table and chairs. The table is bolted to the floor as well as the outside wall utilizing a cleat underneath the table where it butts against the wall and we secure the chairs during transport by turning one upside down and placing it on top of the other, cushion to cushion. Then we use bungee cords and attach them to the hooks the factory installed that are screwed to the floor. Because the chairs are tight up against the edge of the table, we use a blanket between the edge of the table and the chairs to prevent damage.
2020 Silverado 2500HD LT, CC, 4X4 6.6 Duramax
2021 Grand Design Reflection 311BHS

I asked him to do one thing and he didn't do any of them.

goducks10
Explorer
Explorer
chiefward wrote:
Thinking about changing out my dining booth to table and chairs. Will keep the bench against the back wall since it has a handy outside access but will remove the pedestal table and one booth. I plan to install a stand alone table and two chairs but have some questions from those that has done this.

Did you attach the table to the floor?

Do you tie down the chairs for transport?

Did you regret making this modification?

Where did you find a table to fit the space?


Looks like a viable plan.
https://www.granddesignrv.com/showroom/2020/fifth-wheel/reflection/floorplans/29rs


Most tables are screwed to the floor.
Chairs may or may not be strapped down.
Any local cheaper furniture store will have different size small tables. Chairs as well.