replace heavy dining table?

[Fluttermill]

Hi, brand new to RVs, bought Siesta Sprinter a month ago. Is there a reason the dining table (approx 24x36) needs to be so heavy? It is on a post & has to be dismantled & stowed every time the slide out is retracted & the rig moves, which will be nearly every day. Both size & weight make it very awkward & thus drudgery. It is thick particleboard with artificial stone countertop, feels like 30 lb, which seems a waste of cargo weight as well. Would it be OK to replace this with a lightweight collapsible camping table?

[FW28z]

Is it the particle board itself being so heavy or the countertop affixed to the particle board?

Particle board itself is a bit on the heavy side. You could replace it with something like Mahogany, which would be lightweight and strong. As well, Mahogany is dimensionally stable, which means it won't warp. Other woods may warp if exposed to the elements (i.e. used outside).

While Honduras Mahogany (regarded as Genuine Mahogany) is quite expensive and an endangered species, Philippine Mahogany is much less expensive and more common (and you might know it by it's alternative name... Luan).

a 3/4" thick piece of Philippine Mahogany having your required dimensions would be less than 10lbs.

The only issue with Philippine Mahogany is it takes quite a few coats of varnish to fill the pores and finish, and it is a lot lighter in color than Genuine Mahogany.

Of course, there are a lot other options too.

[groswald]

I have the same issue with the tables in our Thor Axis. I'll be replacing them with sugar maple or cherry solid tops. They'll look good and weigh a whole lot less. Of course a self-supporting table like a camp table should be fine too.

Randy

[Fluttermill]

FW28Z I think it is mostly the particleboard but they are not separable. It would probably be a simple matter to move the post attachment to a piece of furniture-quality wood for a long-term solution. But until I have time for that, was mainly wondering if the weight itself was a desirable feature for some reason not obvious to a newbie, or whether there was a practical reason not to temporarily substitute a camp table or pair of TV snack trays, recognizing they are more easily knocked over if bumped.

[groswald]

No reason for particle board other than it's cheap! It's flat and stable, but has no structural integrity. It's been the substrate of choice for laminate countertops for a long time, but the weight's not an issue in your house.

[FW28z]

I know of no reason there would be an advantage to the weight... unless it is intended to turn the table into a sleeping area, then you would want something that would be durable... which isn't necessarily particle board.