How to choose dining table size
How to choose dining table size
When choosing the right dining room for your home, size matters. And there are several factors to take into consideration when weighing up the length, width and height you need, including the size of the space you have, how many people you want it to seat and any unique needs you have when it comes to sizing.
If you want to find out the standard dining table size, and how high and wide your table should be, read on. This blog will also help you to measure your space for a new dining table.
What is the standard size of a dining table?
The first thing you’ll need to take into account when choosing a dining table is how many people you need your table to seat. If you’re a family of four, for example, a four-seater table may work just fine, especially if you’re short on space. If you have more space to play with, you might decide to go for a six or even an eight-seater so you can have space for guests. If you’re part of a big household or you regularly host dinner parties, you may decide to go for a 10-seater table.
You should consider comfort levels when seated. If people do not have enough elbow room, their comfort will be significantly affected. After all, how can you expect to really enjoy a meal if you don’t have space to move your arms freely? Ideally, you should aim to have a 70cm-wide space for each person at the table.
Here are the standards lengths of these dining tables:
- 4-seater dining table – 75 - 90cm
- 6-seater dining table – 118 - 140cm
- 8-seater dining table – 150 - 220cm
- 10-seater dining table – 180 - 280cm
What height should a dining table be?
Regular-height dining tables tend to be between 71cm and 76cm from the tabletop to where the leg of the table meets the floor. Such tables are designed to be used with chairs that are between 40cm and 50cm in height.
Of course, a standard-size table may not be right for you, depending on your unique needs. Whatever height you opt for though, you should ensure that there is at least 24cm between the chair and the tabletop, and you should aim for no more than a 30cm gap between the two.
How wide should a dining table be?
The width of the dining table you choose will depend on how many people it’s designed to accommodate, as well as its shape (for example, whether it’s circular, rectangular or square).
Here are the typical widths for different sized dining tables:
- 4-seater dining table – 75 - 90cm
- 6-seater dining table – 75 - 90cm
- 8-seater dining table – 75 - 90cm
- 10-seater dining table – 90 - 100cm
How to determine dining table size?
When determining the width and length of your dining table you should buy, you’ll need to think about where it will be positioned. Whether you place your table in a dining room, kitchen, conservatory or multi-use space, you should aim to leave one metre between the edges of the table and any furniture or the walls ideally. This will allow people plenty of space to pass by the table without others having to move out of their seats. Of course, if you don’t have the luxury of space, you may decide to place the table nearer to a wall at one side to allow more space on the side that people are more likely to use to pass by. You should allow at least 90cm for people to slide their chairs in and out comfortably.
To calculate the right size dining table for your space you should:
- Identify the area where you want to place your dining table.
- Measure the length and width of this space.
- Next, you should take away 180cm from the length and width of the space as this will ensure you have 90cm free on each side. If you want more space around your dining table, you can take 200cm from the length and width instead.
- The figures you’re left will tell you the length and width of the dining table you should purchase. For example, if your dining space is 400cm long and 300cm wide, the maximum side table for your space will be 220cm long and 120cm wide if you want to leave a 90cm clearance. If you want to leave a metre gap, you would need a table that’s 200cm long and 100cm wide.