Start with the room, not the table. Measure the floor, take away about 36 inches (91 cm) of clearance on every side where chairs will pull out, and what remains is the largest table the room can hold. Then check that figure against the number of people you want to seat, allowing about 24 inches (61 cm) of table edge per person, or closer to 30 inches (76 cm) if you like room to spread out. Clearance and elbow room decide almost everything else.
Start with clearance
Thirty-six inches between the table edge and a wall, a sideboard or another piece of furniture is the working minimum. It lets a seated guest push back and stand without hitting anything. If people will walk behind seated diners on the way to the kitchen or a door, allow about 44 inches (112 cm). Kitchen and bath planning guidelines in the US use the same figures: 32 inches where no one passes behind the chairs, 36 inches for someone to edge past, and 44 inches to walk past comfortably.
Measure from the front of any furniture that stays in the room, not from the wall behind it. A sideboard 18 inches deep takes 18 inches off your usable length.
- Largest table length: room length minus 72 inches (183 cm).
- Largest table width: room width minus 72 inches (183 cm).
- Busy walkway on one side: subtract 80 inches (203 cm) instead, to leave 44 inches on that side.
These are maximums. Most rooms look and work better with a table a little smaller than the largest that fits.
How many people, how much table
Rectangular tables
Allow 24 inches of edge per seat as a minimum and 30 inches for comfort. Chairs vary from about 18 to 22 inches (46–56 cm) wide, and a few inches between chairs makes sitting down and standing up easier. As a guide:
- 60 inches (152 cm): four, or six with one at each end.
- 72 inches (183 cm): six.
- 84 inches (213 cm): six comfortably, eight at a squeeze.
- 96 inches (244 cm): eight.
- 108 to 120 inches (274–305 cm): ten.
To seat someone at each end, the table should be at least 36 inches wide so the end place is not cramped.
Width
Most dining tables are 36 to 42 inches (91–107 cm) wide. A place setting takes roughly 12 inches (30 cm) of depth, so a 36-inch table leaves a strip of about 12 inches down the middle for serving dishes. At 40 inches that strip grows to 16. Beyond about 44 inches, passing food and talking across the table become harder.
Round and square tables
Round tables suit square rooms and smaller households. There are no corners, and everyone can see everyone else.
- 36 to 44 inches (91–112 cm): four.
- 48 inches (122 cm): four, or five at a squeeze.
- 54 inches (137 cm): five to six.
- 60 inches (152 cm): six, or seven to eight closely.
- 72 inches (183 cm): eight.
Past about 60 inches the centre of a round table is hard to reach, and conversation tends to split in two. For eight or more, a rectangle or an oval usually works better. A square table of 36 to 44 inches seats four.
Height, chairs and the base
Standard dining height is 28 to 30 inches (71–76 cm) to the top surface. Dining chair seats are usually 17 to 19 inches (43–48 cm) high. Aim for roughly 10 to 12 inches (25–30 cm) between the seat and the underside of the tabletop.
An apron, the frame rail that runs beneath the top, takes some of that space. Check the height under the apron as well, especially if you plan to use armchairs, whose arms need to slide underneath.
Where the legs sit
The base changes how many people a table really seats. Four legs at the corners set a firm limit at each end. A trestle or pedestal base frees the corners, so an extra chair often fits, but check where the feet land so no one sits astride one.
Measure the clear space between the legs along each side. It should fit your chairs side by side with a few inches to spare. A 72-inch table with 64 inches between the legs holds three 20-inch chairs on each side; a base with thicker legs set further in may hold only two.
Benches
A bench seats more people in less length and slides fully under the table when it is not in use. Choose one a little shorter than the clear space between the legs, and remember that a bench has no back, which some guests prefer only for shorter meals.
Scale and the feel of the room
Numbers tell you what fits. To judge how it will feel, mark the outline of the table on the floor with painter's tape, or lay out flattened boxes, and leave it for a day or two. Walk around it, pull a chair out, carry a tray past it.
- Visual weight: a thick solid top or a heavy base reads larger than its measurements. In a smaller room, a slimmer top or an open base keeps the floor visible.
- Rugs: a rug should extend about 24 inches (61 cm) beyond the table on every side, so chair legs stay on it when someone sits back.
- Daily use versus occasional guests: size the table for the number you seat most days, then check that the larger number fits at 24 inches per person.
A worked example
Take a dining room 11 by 14 feet (335 × 427 cm), or 132 by 168 inches. Leaving 36 inches on every side gives a largest table of 96 by 60 inches. You seat six most evenings and eight a few times a year.
An 84 by 40 inch table (213 × 102 cm) fits well. It leaves 42 inches at each end and 46 inches along each side, enough to walk behind seated guests. Three chairs on each side get 28 inches apiece, with a place at each end for a seventh and eighth when you need them.
Each of our dining tables lists its full dimensions, and the wider dining and kitchen collection shows benches and storage to measure alongside. If your room calls for a length or width we do not list, we can build to your measurements. Custom orders begin with a free consultation and a full quote before any wood is cut.