Today we rarely have food at the conference table, much less hold an important conference at the dining table.
In the Middle Ages, the meeting room and the banquet hall were often one and the same.
Your Auntie Mabel probably told you to keep your elbows off the dining table, eat with your mouth closed and ask to be excused from the table. There's no proper aunt advising us on etiquette when we're sitting around a conference table. But good manners are just as important in the workplace.
Most conference table etiquette boils down to one simple principle: be considerate.
If you are attending a meeting or presentation:
- Be on time. (enough said!)
- Remain attentive: no checking email on your Blackberry, fidgeting or daydreaming. Turn off your cell phone before the meeting or leave it behind. If there's no clock in the room, set your watch in your lap under the conference table so you can check the time without the presenter noticing.
- Don't leave the conference room during the meeting. Take a bathroom break just before if that is likely to be an issue. If leaving early is absoutely necessary and you have prior permission of the presenter, sit by the door to cause as little disruption as possible.
- If the topic is of vital interest to you and you have many questions to ask, try not to dominate the conversation; keep your questions brief, and be sure to let others have their say too. If the opposite is true, still come prepared with a question or two in case the discussion lags. And never interrupt.
If you are hosting a meeting or presentation:
- Only invite people who need to be there. Don't waste people's time by calling them into the conference room when their presence isn't necessary.
- If you need extra time to set up or break down, reserve the conference room for the extra time. Don't assume the space will be available early.
- If your presentation includes discussion time, give everyone the opportunity to ask questions. Treat everyone sitting around the conference table as equally important, regardless of the corporate hierarchy. Try not to let any one participant dominate, or derail the discussion with off-topic issues.
- The secret to successful meetings: however long your presentation is, always schedule it for ten minutes longer and finish "early." Attendees will walk away from the conference table thinking you are the best presenter ever.
(And if you must rest your elbows on the conference table, at least your Auntie Mabel isn't there to see it.)
The Yalta Conference, Feb 4-11, 1945.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin met in Yalta to plan the defeat of the Axis, and agree to terms of the eventual occupation of Germany.
(Remember the troops this Memorial Day weekend.)
Honed Absolute Black Granite has developed a reputation as a difficult or problem material due to fingerprints showing on the stone. We have even seen columns calling honed absolute black granite a "nightmare" which no one should ever use.
It is true that honed absolute black granite requires more maintenance than polished absolute black granite. And it is not possible to completely eliminate fingerprints. For that reason we do not recommend honed absolute black granite for high-use applications like kitchen countertops. But fingerprinting doesn't have to be a nightmare. Understanding the honed finish and knowing how to work with it are the secrets to success with this beautiful stone.
In some cases, the reason that finger prints show up so much is that the final wash step has not been performed properly. Many crews emphasize multiple applications of Mineral Oil, while we emphasize getting it off again. With oil left on the surface, every time you touch it, you move oil around. The oil is meant to saturate the stone so that the pores do not accept oils from fingerprints. Fingerprint oils will show up as a stain if the pores are not evenly colored by oil already. We suggest the following technique to achieve an even finish:
Re-apply a thin layer of Mineral Oil so that the surface is consistent in color. (Use only cotton rags or a heavy weight paper towel/ shop rag for all steps.) Remove as much excess as possible with dry rags. Clean well with a large sponge, water and a mild dishwashing soap (we use Dove because it has a mild de-greaser). It is important not to apply dish soap directly to the top. Apply soap to the wet sponge. Wash well and rinse extremely well with wet rags. After the top has dried, we use Windex on a rag to even out areas that might still seem a little darker than the rest of the stone due, to too much oil left on that area.
Stoneline's Benjamin Grey Stone is a warm grey stone from Jerusalem with soft veining in a sweeping pattern over the whole surface. It is an excellent choice for a conference table, executive desk, occasional table or infrequently used formal dining table. Benjamin Grey is a medium hard stone and some scratching can occur. We recommend coasters and placemats to protect your stone table top.
Everyday Cleaning
For general cleaning the stone can be wiped down with water, a little soap and a soft sponge. Dish washing soap and warm water will remove fingerprints and most other oily spots. Very stubborn stains can be removed with a bristle scrub brush and cleanser such as Ajax. (This type of cleaning however will remove the luster and the finish will have to be reapplied.)
Periodic Maintenance
Repeated washing on highly used table tops will slowly wear off the sealer. The surface may eventually appear duller. For periodic maintenance , we recommend applying another coat of mineral oil. Frequency depends on use but approximately once every two years for an occasionally used dining table.
To reapply mineral oil top coat, mix Watco Natural interior oil finish (Woodworkers Supply 800-645-9292) with 20% Mineral Spirits and apply a thin coat. Wipe off the excess with a clean rag. Buff the surface with a dry rag until there are no puddles or beads of oil. Any oil that dries on the surface will appear glossy and the procedure will need to be repeated. Let dry 24 hours.
Re-Sealing The Finish
If a problem such as a stubborn stain occurs, it may be necessary to re-seal the finish. First wash the top thoroughly with a clean, soft sponge and warm soapy water. (Tough oil stains may need to be scrubbed out with a bristle brush and Ajax.) Use Acetone (or stripper purchased from HMK) to strip the finish only if it is necessary. After cleaning, rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove all residue from the cleanser, as this may effect the finish. Let the stone dry (a fan speeds the dry time). With a large, clean, soft rag, wet the surface with the sealer (use gloves). Apply a thin even coat and wipe up the excess with a clean rag. Any sealer left puddled on the surface will dry glossy. If necessary, reapply after the surface appears dry. A 3rd coat may be necessary if the stone has been stripped.
A Honed (satin) finish with a 1" hand-tooled border detail is standard on all our Benjamin Grey Stone table tops. Standard Benjamin Grey width is 3/4" thick (an approximate width due to surface variation in the natural material). Stoneline produces Benjamin Grey table tops in any size up to 60x108". Larger table tops are constructed in multiple pieces, up to 30' long.
Honing black granite creates a beautiful satin finish. However, the Honed finish is not as impervious as Polished. Honed granite will show discoloration from fingerprints or liquid stains, which must be treated with regular maintenance. Because of this, Absolute Black Granite, Honed Finish is somewhat controversial for home use. We do not recommend Honed Black Granite for kitchen countertops.
A homeowner expecting Honed Absolute Black Granite to be as carefree as its Polished counterpart is bound for disappointment. However, with proper maintenance Honed Black Granite is an attractive option for conference tables, formal dining tables and occasional tables (end, coffee and console tables). It can even be used for a more frequently used family dinner table, if the homeowner is aware of the fingerprint issue.
Daily maintenance: For general day to day cleaning, use a sponge and water only. Window cleaner and dish soap can also be used when necessary. Some discolorations (such as an oily spill or heavy fingerprint use) may take a couple of washings to even out.
Dealing with Problems: If your Honed Absolute Black Granite table top has a scratch or an area that has been polished to a higher sheen (usually by rubbing against something during transit), you can generally sand the surface back to the matte finish. Use 320 wet/dry sandpaper with water and sand by hand. Then use a Scotch-Brite rub out page (Grey super fine) as the final texture. Try localized sanding first in a small area, and go through the sealer steps. If the sanded area does not blend in well, it may be necessary to evenly sand and refinish the entire surface.
Resealing: Should the top need resealing, we recommend Premium Impregnator #314P from Gran Quartz (800-458-6222). This is the same product used to seal the granite surface in our factory. To reapply sealer, first clean the sandblasted border area and Honed surface with soap and water. Rinse well and let dry. Then apply two or three coats of sealer to the textured border and Honed surface. The border will absorb far more sealer than the Honed surface. Rub off the excess on the Honed surface, but leave the textured border wet. Let dry a few hours between coats. On the final coat, the sealer needs to be buffed off of the Honed area immediately with a clean cloth while it is still wet. If it dries, it becomes cloudy and is difficult to remove. Work quickly, moving around the entire top to buff off the excess before it flashes and dries on the surface. If it dries cloudy, reapply a small amount of sealer and re-buff the whole surface to an even appearance.
Stoneline Designs' Absolute Black Granite is a deep black stone from Zimbabwe with no veining and consistent coloring. We offer granite in either Honed or Polished finish. A 1" sandblasted border and edge detail is standard on all our granite table tops. Standard granite width is 3/4" thick. Stoneline produces granite table tops in any size up to 66x116". (72" width and 120" length as available.) Larger table tops are built in multiple sections, up to 30 feet long.
See also: Absolute Black Granite, Polished Finish
Stoneline Designs has just completed design and installation of a home office including computer desk and custom wall unit. The client needed modern furniture for a beautiful contemporary home in Austin TX. The room where the office was to be located includes a glass wall overlooking a garden. Such strong architectural design demands equally strong furniture design. So they turned to Stoneline.
The computer desk, from our Axis line of office furniture, includes a wiring channel to conceal cables running to the computer stored under the desk. The wall unit was custom designed for the space and to coordinate with the Axis desk.
Next time: more photos and a report on the project from our on-site installer.
Contact Stoneline for a quote on your next contemporary furniture project.
Option: Wiring Grommet. The wiring grommet is an excellent solution to build power/ wiring into a conference table. It is unobtrusive when not in use, and provides basic outlets plus the flexibility to add additional cables through the pass-through hole. If more outlets are required multiple grommets can be installed, up to one per pedestal.
Our 4"d wiring grommet includes 2 power, 2 phone/data (cat.5 rj 45) outlets as standard. The duplex data/phone jacks can be replaced with a variety of other jacks, but there is an alternative designed into the grommet to accommodate another corded outlet. The grommet is recessed below the surface of the conference table top and includes a 1x2" pass-through opening. A corded VGA outlet (or similar) can be passed through this opening and left loose inside the cup when not in use. The cord can be pulled out to connect directly to a laptop without the need for a patch cord to connect to a fixed jack. If an audio jack is needed in combination with the VGA, the cords can be tied together and pulled out in tandem.
Pricing for the 4"d wiring grommet includes the grommet with outlets, a housing (secured to the pedestal with set-screws from inside the grommet), a finished hole through the table top, (Hand-polished in Glass tops, Sandblasted finish in Stone tops), and a removable Brushed Aluminum cap. The round cap has overlapping cutouts that can be closed or spun open to allow wires to pass. The grommet is fixed at 3/8" below the top surface of the table to allow a place for the cap to sit where it is captured by the exposed sides of the Stone or Glass top. This detail highlights the material of the top rather than hiding the transition with a lip that sits on the surface.
The grommet ships with a 6' power pigtail that can be plugged directly into a floor outlet. The data jack need to be hardwired as they can be configured several different ways (such as for data or phone connectivity). The grommet is removable from above, through the top, so it can be serviced after the table is set-up.
Next time we'll look at another option: the wiring trough.
As more and more conferences include high-tech applications like videoconferencing or online presentations, power and data ports are becoming a necessity for many conference room tables.
How Does It Work? Power and data ports are built into the table top, concealed beneath a sliding or removable cover. Wires run through the table pedestal, and removable panels in the side of the pedestal provide access for maintenance. Typically a power outlet is installed in the floor under the pedestal, making the power completely seamless.
What Do You Need? Before ordering your wired conference table, think about how the table will be used and how many people will need to plug in their computers. As is often the case with new technology, many businesses find that they use the power in their conference table more than they expected. So it is better to plan for more than you think you need, and have enough if your needs expand. Rather than to compromise, end up with less than you actually need and have to retrofit the table later to add more outlets. If you are unsure of what you need, our designers can help you make this decision.
Next time, we'll look at some of the options available in conference table wiring & power.
