Dining table sizes, and the chairs that fit
Updated 10 October 2026
Allow 24 in (60 cm) of table edge per person, and 36 in (90 cm) from the edge of the table to the wall so a chair can be pushed back — 42–48 in (107–122 cm) where someone has to walk behind a seated person. A table for six is about 72 × 36 in (180 × 90 cm), or 54–60 in (137–152 cm) round, and needs a dining area of roughly 12 × 9 ft (3.7 × 2.7 m).
Table size by number of seats
Each person needs 24 in (60 cm) along the edge and 15–18 in (38–45 cm) of depth for a plate and glass. A table narrower than 36 in (90 cm) leaves no room for dishes in the middle.
| Seats | Rectangular | Round |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 30 × 30 in · 76 × 76 cm | 30–36 in · 76–91 cm |
| 4 | 48 × 30–36 in · 122 × 76–91 cm | 36–44 in · 91–112 cm |
| 6 | 60–72 × 36 in · 152–183 × 91 cm | 54–60 in · 137–152 cm |
| 8 | 84–96 × 40 in · 213–244 × 102 cm | 72 in · 183 cm |
| 10 | 108–120 × 42–48 in · 274–305 × 107–122 cm | — |
Round tables seat one more at a pinch than their size suggests, and nobody gets a corner; rectangular tables fit along a wall and take a bench on one side.
Room behind the chairs
| From the table edge to… | Leave | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A wall, with nobody passing behind | 36 in · 90 cm | A chair pushed back far enough to sit down |
| A wall people walk along | 42–48 in · 107–122 cm | Someone sits while someone else squeezes past |
| A sideboard or cupboard that opens | 48 in · 122 cm | The door or drawer, and a person at it |
| Another table | 54 in · 137 cm | Two chairs back to back, and a gap |
Heights: tables are 28–30 in (71–76 cm); chair seats 17–19 in (43–48 cm), which leaves about 12 in (30 cm) for knees. Chairs are 16–20 in (40–50 cm) wide; keep 6 in (15 cm) between them so elbows clear, and check that armchairs slide under the apron.
The dining area each table needs
The table plus 36 in (90 cm) on every side. Add 6–12 in (15–30 cm) to one dimension if that side is a walkway.
| Table | Dining area |
|---|---|
| 4 seats, 48 × 30 in (122 × 76 cm) | 10 × 8.5 ft · 3.0 × 2.6 m |
| 6 seats, 72 × 36 in (183 × 91 cm) | 12 × 9 ft · 3.7 × 2.7 m |
| 8 seats, 96 × 40 in (244 × 102 cm) | 14 × 9.5 ft · 4.3 × 2.9 m |
| 6 seats, 60 in (152 cm) round | 11 × 11 ft · 3.4 × 3.4 m |
See it with your walls. Open Won't Fit with a kitchen already drawn, set the room to your measurements, and put in the table and chairs you are looking at. It shows where a chair cannot be pushed back and which cupboard door it blocks. Free for two rooms, no account.
Open a kitchen