OK, I dont know how I have survived with my kitchen as long as I have but I have to put up with it for a few more years. I have little counter space and I dont think they are even as deep as a standard counter top (home made cabinets done sometime in the late 50's). This week I have to fondant a cake that is 12" high and 9" rounds. I cannot figure out where the heck I am going to find enough space to roll this piece out. Any creative ideas for me?

Do you have a kitchen or dining room table you could roll it out on?

How about on the floor? I'm just kidding.

Try rolling it out on your dining table just like Deb mentioned.

I've used my kitchen table for all my cake decorating since I started. The only problem that I have recently noticed, is that my table has a slight dip in it and my fondant was thicker in the middle that the edges. Subsequently, it has led to some problems especially in working with gumpaste that I roll out for use with the Cricut. I started checking my cabinets and other surfaces and realized that if I lay my rolling pin (the big Wilton silicone one) on most of them that there is a space under the middle of my rolling pin and therefore I end up with thicker middles. So I have decided to go to the local countertop people and see about getting a small piece of granite or something to lay on my table and have an even surface to work on. If it isn't too expensive, I may have it shaped to lay over my table and just leave it on, like a table cloth. That would decorate my kitchen and give me a completely flat and level surface to work on.

HTH's.
Pam

Does your husband/partner/father/brother/friend have a big workbench you could cover with heavy duty plastic and use?
Or you could check with local kitchen warehouses and see if they have counter-top off-cuts you could buy.
Or go visit a friend who has bigger counter-tops than you.
Just some ideas.

I have the same issue with countertops...my countertops are 23" deep.

I had to borrow a table for the big cake I did recently. I found a few on Craigslist for about $25 and thought I would buy one of those, but my mom had one tucked away and let me use it. I've heard of rolling the fondant on the floor though in a pinch...on top of a piece of vinyl of course. My floor is not flat enough for that and I have issues with getting up once I'm down on the floor (the leg I broke in Feb is still weak), so no way was I going to try that.

Sometimes I even see people selling their old countertops and cabinets on Craigslist, usually for very cheap. Maybe if you found something big enough, you could keep it permanently in your garage.

I have a fold up table that I use for all my fondant. I got it at Target and it is a 6 foot table, that folds in half. I just bring it out when I need it. Also good since it is made of a heavy plastic, and the fondant doesn't even stick to it at all! You don't even have to dust it...just roll the fondant on and lift it off....it is great, and saves a ton of time....I think most of the larger chanin stores have them with their card tables...I think mine was about $30.00 a well worth investment....hope this helps!

Do you have any problems with pushing down on the table top? Does it give much at all? Any problems with it being completely level on top?

I have textured counter tops, so I use a card table to roll fondant on. It is a perfect size since I can move all the way around it when I'm rolling. Sometimes I can't reach the other side of my kitchen table and get a thicker side to my fondant. it also helps that the card table is a little shorter too.

The table I have is really sturdy...doesn't budge, I put it on a carpet so it doesn't slide, but the table with stands the rolling of th fondant, and pushing on it...it is really heavy plastic, and well made...I think Sams and Bj's have them too....another bonus is that it is really easy to wipe clean

I thought about my table but it is an antique that has fold down ends and a center leaf so there is just no place that does not have seems. Both mil's (yes I am lucky enough to have 2 of them ) have tile counter tops. A card table would be great if I were not 6' tall. I have 2 of the 6 foot folding tables that were mentioned but they have a texture to them and mine give when pressure is put on them.
I think I came up with a solution if I can get it done in time. I have a makeshif island on wheels and I am going to have to sweet talk the hubby into building me a removable top for it with blocks on the underside to keep it from moving from side to side and front to back. Then I am going to get some heavy vinyl table cloth fabric and staple it to the top so it should have easy clean up. Finally if I get the vinyl that everyone is talking about to roll out on I should be set. If I cannot get it done in time I will have to roill it out on my glass top coffee table. It is about 3' square so I think it will fit. Just not looking forward to the knee pain I will have afterward.
Thanks so much for the ideas. I had the topic on watch but I did not recieve any notice of reply I dont know what is up with that. I will chalk it up to one of the bugs that they are working on.

I have the best man in the world. He is in the basement right now building me a 4' X 4' top to sit ontop of our little makeshif island. It will all be on wheels so I can move it around and the top will just lift off to be stored when not needed. I cannot wait!

I think the card table idea is good...plus can be used for something else, later. easy storage, too.

I have a large marble slab I use to roll out large pieces of fondant on. It's 30" by 30" by 1". Is it heavy? Unbelievably! But DH is a muscle man and pulls it out when I need it. I got a unbeatable deal on it, and you usually can't find slabs that big - but perhaps if you checked a countertop place for just a loose slab? Maybe even a smooth (& lighter) countertop material?
Eventually I plan on building an island to my custom needs, complete with drawers for all the supplies & leave the slab on the top.

I do have a large smooth kitchen table with an extension leaf but it leaves the indentation in the fondant or it smooshes into the crack. I lay out that sticky contact paper when I work on a cake. When I'm done I just pull it up starting at the corners into a bunch & all the bits, cornstarch, powdered sugar, drips of frosting or dye, crumbs - it all comes up & I have a clean table.

ONE BIG HINT BeeBoos-8599_

make SURE your husband rounds the corners of that 4x4 top!

I speak from OUCH!

i have the same problem, not enough counter space.

i bought some vinyl at walmart and place it over my kitchen table. works every time!

I use a plastic mat that is made for cutting fabric for quilts with a rotary cutter. The front is textured but the back is smooth as can be. I think you can pick them up at walmart for about $20. It works great and nothing sticks to it. Plus when I am done I just hose it down in the tub with the hand shower and some dawn dishwashing liquid. Everything just kind of slides right off with no scrubbing required. It is paper thin so I store it behind one of the shelving units in my kitchen.

It is done and I think I love him even more now.

Doug, I had him take the router to the edge.

We used very inexpensive materials so it only cost about $50
It is 4 x4 and has 2x4 blocks on the underside to keep it from sliding
around on me. The base is mdf and we used dry erase board for the top.
It pops off and fits right behing the island (which is on wheels) when I dont need it. Best of all since I am 6' tall, I dont have to stoop over to work on it and can actually sit a bar stool at it and work on my cakes. No more taking up the entire counter with cakes and having to order out when I am in the process of working on something.

Thanks for all of your suggestions. I really appreciate your input.