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The short answer: a dining table in Britain is 30 inches (76cm) high, 35 or 39 inches (90 or 100cm) deep, and anything from 60 to 120 inches (152 to 305cm) long, with 24 inches of edge allowed for each person. Those are the numbers our own standard sizes are built on, and they are a good starting point whoever makes the table.
Height
Every dining table we make is 30 inches (76cm) high. That suits a standard dining chair with a 17 to 19-inch seat, and it is the number the rest of the furniture world is built around. We will alter it, and some clients want 31 or 32 inches for a very tall family or a wheelchair, but 30 is the default for good reason.
Depth
Our tables are made in two standard depths, 35 inches (90cm) and 39 inches (100cm). At 35 inches there is room for place settings on both sides and a narrow run down the middle. At 39 inches you gain a proper channel for serving dishes, and people opposite each other can talk without leaning. We also make 42-inch (107cm) tops for genuinely large rooms; beyond that, reaching the middle becomes a stretch.
Length, and how many it seats
Allow 24 inches of table edge per person. 21 inches is a squeeze and 27 is generous. On that basis:
| Length | Seats (sides) | Seats (with the ends) |
|---|---|---|
| 72in / 183cm | Six | Eight, if the base leaves the ends clear |
| 96in / 244cm | Eight | Ten |
| 120in / 305cm | Ten | Twelve |
Our standard refectory lengths are 72, 78, 84, 90, 96, 108, 114 and 120 inches, and anything between can be made. Worked answers for the common numbers are on our pages for eight-seater, ten-seater and twelve-seater tables.
Round tables
Our round tables are made at 48, 54 and 60 inches (122, 137 and 152cm) across. A 60-inch round seats six comfortably and eight at a squeeze, and it suits a square room where a long rectangle would look wrong.
Extending tables
A drawleaf table carries two leaves under the top, 18 inches (45cm) each, which draw out level from either end. A 96-inch drawleaf therefore opens to 132 inches, room for six more people, with nothing to store in a cupboard.
The room around it
Allow 36 inches (about 900mm) between the table edge and the wall so a chair can be pulled out and sat in. At 30 inches it works if people breathe in; at 42 inches someone can walk behind a seated guest with a dish. A room 15 feet long gives 180 inches, less 36 at each end, which leaves a 108-inch table. Our guide to sizing a table to a room goes through the arithmetic in full.
Every standard size we make is listed, in inches and centimetres, on every size we make. Or ring the workshop on 01449 710500 with the room dimensions and we will tell you the length and depth to build.