TV tray tables have been around since shortly after the invention of the television. When people started to want to eat in front of the TV in order to stay on top of their new television programs, TV trays became important. This kept people from having to push their TVs into the dining room or arrange their dining room to see the TV. The TV tray gave people more options when it came to eating and hanging out in the living room.
Metal with Plastic Top
Many TV tray tables have a sturdy plastic top on folding metal legs. This can mean the four legs fold in like a card table or you can have crossed legs that collapse on one another. This allows the plastic top to fold down flat and you can store the TV tray tables in the closet or even under the couch. These types of tray tables are immune to spills and damage which can be very appealing if you have children.
Wooden TV tray tables
Wooden TV tray tables give a little more class to the look of the dining platform. You can choose from a variety of wood grains to provide the perfect look for your living room. You should us coasters when working with wooden tray tables as the moisture from glasses can leave rings and cause damage. Consider getting the wooden TV tray tables shellacked to keep them from getting nicked or damaged as you put them away and take them out on a daily basis.
Fully Metal
Another option is the fully metal TV tray table. This includes a metal top. You are a little more limited in style when it comes to this type of tray table as there are only so many colors for the metal. You should think twice about metal TV tray tables if you happen to have a wooden floor. The legs from the metal can easily leave scratches or scuff marks on a delicate floor. Tile floors can handle the metal legs and you can even get sliders to put on the bottom to make the tray table move smoothly. If you have a bar across the bottom of the stand, making the tray table fold out like a teepee, you will need to get the rail clips to add the layer of protection against the floor.