At a glance
| Table | Typical height | Seat it pairs with | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dining table | 720 to 760 mm | Chair seat 430 to 480 mm | 740 to 750 mm is the usual choice. Top sits 280 to 300 mm above the seat. |
| Restaurant or banquette table | 720 to 760 mm | Banquette seat 430 to 460 mm | Set from the finished seat, which compresses in use. |
| Meeting or boardroom table | 720 to 760 mm | Adjustable office chair | The chair adjusts, so the table stays in the dining range. |
| Desk | 720 to 760 mm fixed; about 650 to 1,250 mm sit-stand | Adjustable office chair | A height-adjustable desk covers sitting and standing. |
| Coffee table | 380 to 450 mm | Sofa seat, usually 400 to 450 mm | Level with, or a little below, the sofa seat. |
| Side or end table | 500 to 600 mm | Sofa or chair arm | Level with, or just below, the arm. |
| Console or hall table | 760 to 900 mm | None | Behind a sofa, stay below the top of the sofa back. |
| Counter-height table | 900 to 950 mm | Stool seat 600 to 680 mm | Matches a kitchen worktop. Top 220 to 300 mm above the seat. |
| Bar-height table | 1,000 to 1,100 mm | Stool seat 700 to 780 mm | Usually with a foot rail. |
| Lounge or cocktail table | 450 to 600 mm | Low lounge seating | Lower, and closer together, for a longer evening. |
Millimetres, measured from the finished floor. 720 to 760 mm is 28 to 30 inches; a 900 mm counter is about 35 inches; a 1,070 mm bar is 42 inches.
The seat-to-top rule
Table height looks like a number you can look up, and for an ordinary room it is. But the figure that matters is the gap between the table and the seat, and that gap changes with the chair, the cushion, the thickness of the top and the floor beneath. Set the table from the seat, not from a catalogue.
- Dining or meeting table: top 280 to 300 mm above the seat.
- Counter or bar table: top 220 to 300 mm above the stool seat.
- Thigh room: leave at least about 200 mm between the seat and the underside of any apron or rail.
From overall height to base height
The top is part of the overall height, so the base is worked out by taking the top's thickness off. For a table specified at 745 mm overall:
| Overall height | Top | Base height to the underside of the top |
|---|---|---|
| 745 mm | 25 mm solid timber | 720 mm |
| 745 mm | 40 mm stone | 705 mm |
| 745 mm | 12 mm steel on a frame | 733 mm |
Five checks before you fix a height
- Soft seats: an upholstered seat compresses by a few centimetres under the sitter. Measure the seat height as it will be used, not as the catalogue gives it.
- Arms: a dining armchair needs its arms to pass under the apron, or the chair stops short of the table. Check the chair before fixing the apron depth.
- The floor: heights are taken from the finished floor. A thick rug, carpet, raised floor or underfloor heating build-up changes the answer.
- Thick tops: a 40 mm stone top, or a built-up solid timber edge, is part of the overall height, so the base is shorter by the same amount.
- Access: a table used from a wheelchair needs clear knee space below the top, so the base matters as much as the height. In the UK, BS 8300 is the reference for accessible design.
Specification wording
Paste into your schedule or specification and replace anything in [square brackets] with your own figures. Wording is a starting point: your specification governs.
Finished table height [745] mm to the top surface, measured from finished floor level. Chair seat height [450] mm as used (upholstery compressed). Seat-to-top gap [295] mm (280 to 300 mm). Underside of apron or rail not lower than [seat height + 200] mm. Finished height to be written on the shop drawing.
Finished table height [900 or 1,050] mm to the top surface, measured from finished floor level, to suit stools with a seat height of [650 or 750] mm. Top [220 to 300] mm above the stool seat. Foot rail at [ ] mm above finished floor level.
Finished table height [740] mm, set from the finished banquette seat height of [450] mm (upholstery compressed), with [290] mm between seat and top. Base placed clear of the knees. Heights to be confirmed on a mock-up with the real seat before production.
Terms used on this page
- Apron
- The rail that runs just under a table top between the legs. A deep apron reduces thigh room, so it affects how comfortable the table is with the chair.
- Finished floor level (FFL)
- The height of the completed floor surface, including any carpet, rug allowance or underfloor build-up. Furniture heights are measured from it.
- Finished seat height
- The height of the top of the upholstered seat above the finished floor. It is different unloaded and when sat on, because foam and feather compress, so drawings should state which one they mean.
- Thigh room
- The clear space between the top of the seat and the underside of the table apron or rail, so that thighs and knees can slide under without catching.
- Counter height
- A table or surface at about 900 to 950 mm, the height of a kitchen worktop, used with stools of about 600 to 680 mm.
- Bar height
- A table or surface at about 1,000 to 1,100 mm, used with stools of about 700 to 780 mm and usually a foot rail.
Standards and sources
- BS 8300-2:2018: Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment (reference for accessible design; no figures quoted here).
- Make Bespoke Studio journal: Table heights: the full guide this factsheet summarises.
Questions we are asked
What is the standard height of a dining table?
720 to 760 mm (about 28 to 30 inches), with 740 to 750 mm the most common. The top should sit 280 to 300 mm above the seat of the chair.
How high should a table be above the chair seat?
About 280 to 300 mm for a dining or meeting table, and 220 to 300 mm for a counter or bar table. Leave at least about 200 mm of thigh room between the seat and the underside of any apron or rail.
What is the difference between counter height and bar height?
Counter height is about 900 to 950 mm, the height of a kitchen worktop, and pairs with stools of 600 to 680 mm. Bar height is about 1,000 to 1,100 mm and pairs with stools of 700 to 780 mm.
What height should a table be for a banquette?
Usually 720 to 760 mm, set from the finished seat, which is commonly 430 to 460 mm once upholstered. Keep the same 280 to 300 mm gap between seat and top, and place the base clear of the knees.
Download the factsheet
A two-page A4 PDF with the heights table, the drawing and the specification wording, to keep with your project file.