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How to pack a table
Without suitable packaging, even if the courier is careful, transport can cause damage to your table. This page outlines the steps to protect a table before transport.
Why packaging is essential
An object that’s not well protected can arrive scratched, damaged, or broken, even if the carrier is as careful as possible.
With Cocolis, your items travel with individuals or professionals on journeys they're already making. They are handled during loading, in transit, and unloading—each a moment where good packaging makes all the difference.
An object can arrive scratched, broken, or incomplete. These situations are rare but avoidable and almost never happen when an item is properly packed from the start.
Prepare your table before packing
Examine the tabletop to identify any fragile areas: thin edges, sharp corners, lacquered surfaces, glass, marble or ceramic. These materials require extra protection. If your dining table has an extension mechanism or leaves, fold it to its closed position and make sure it’s properly locked before packing.
This is also a good moment to gather your materials and plan the right protection for each part. Good packaging preparation happens before you start, not as you go along.
Steps to pack a table
- If the legs can be removed, take them off. Put the screws and fittings in a bag and attach it to the main part. Dismantled legs lower the risk of damage and make transport easier, whether it’s a dining table, coffee table, or garden table.
- Prioritise protection of the tabletop: cover it completely with cardboard, securing it with tape placed on the cardboard. For tabletops made of glass, marble or ceramic, add a layer of bubble wrap under the cardboard.
- Reinforce the corners of the tabletop with folded pieces of cardboard or bubble wrap – these areas receive the most bumps during handling.
- If the legs cannot be removed, wrap each leg individually with cardboard or bubble wrap, paying particular attention to the ends.
- Check that the tabletop is properly protected over its entire surface before departure.
Good habits to know
The essential points to avoid problems during transport
Adapt packaging to the item
Packaging isn’t universal. Take into account the fragility, weight, and shape of your table to choose the right protection – the main thing is that the item is well protected during transport.
Don’t seal the packaging too soon
Leave your table visible when the courier arrives. They must be able to check its condition before taking charge and take photos with and without protection. Seal the packaging only afterwards.
Take photos before shipping
Photograph your item before and after packing. In case of a problem, these photos are your only evidence of its initial condition.
Inform about special requirements
Some items have specific requirements: must be kept upright, particular handling direction, extra fragility. Clearly inform the courier about these before departure.
Never stick tape on surfaces
Brown tape can leave marks or damage finishes. Never stick it directly to an item – always use an intermediate layer.
Frequent mistakes & things to watch out for
Some mistakes happen regularly and explain most damage on arrival.
The tabletop is the area most exposed to scratches, which can occur even with light protection if two surfaces rub against each other during transit. For a glass, marble or lacquered table, never skip the layer of bubble wrap under the cardboard – cardboard alone won’t protect these surfaces from micro-abrasions.
Transporting table with Cocolis
Simpler, more human transport
With Cocolis, your item doesn't go through a warehouse, isn't passed from hand to hand and doesn't endure multiple re-loadings. It's delivered directly from point A to point B, in a single trip, by an individual or professional already making the journey.
In reality, it’s often someone like your neighbour or cousin making the trip for their own reasons who takes special care of what they're carrying. It's not a courier under pressure to deliver dozens of parcels a day. This difference means a lot in how your item is handled.
Fewer handlings also means less risk. But your item will still be loaded and unloaded, and a sudden brake can happen: correct packing is still essential to protect sensitive areas at these key moments.
Practically, packing doesn't need to be designed to withstand a whole logistics chain. It just needs to provide effective protection for a single journey—which is achievable by everyone.
Frequently asked questions
Other packing guides
For further advice, you can review packing guides for different types of item.
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