Dining table sizes: how many fit at 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 cm

A weeknight dinner for two and Christmas lunch for ten need very different tables. The length of the table decides who gets a seat, and the size of the room decides how long the table can be. This guide gives you one rule for each, a quick table of sizes, and real tables from our range at 120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 cm.

The rule of thumb: 60 cm a person

Allow about 60 cm of table edge for each person. That is room for a plate, a glass and two elbows.

Two more rules of thumb help:

• Ends. A table about 90 cm wide or more has room for a chair at each end.
• Space around it. Leave about 90 cm between the table edge and a wall. That lets a chair pull out and someone walk behind it.

So for room length, add 1.8 m to the table length. A 180 cm table needs a room about 3.6 m long.

Dining table size for 6, 8 or 10

Here is the 60 cm rule worked out for each common length.

| Table length | Seats along the sides | Seats with a chair at each end | Room length needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 cm | 4 | 6 | about 3.0 m |
| 150 cm | 4 | 6 | about 3.3 m |
| 180 cm | 6 | 8 | about 3.6 m |
| 210 cm | 6 | 8 | about 3.9 m |
| 240 cm | 8 | 10 | about 4.2 m |

Two things stand out. A 150 cm table seats the same number as a 120 cm table by this rule, but everyone gets more elbow room. And a 210 cm table is the comfortable 8 seater dining table: eight fit at 180 cm with the ends used, but it is tight.

120 cm and under: four at the table

For a small dining space or a kitchen corner, four is the number.

• Airlie Round Dining Table 120cm, Natural Elm Veneer is 120 x 120 cm and 76 cm high. A round table has no corners to bump, so four chairs sit around it easily. The legs are a closed design that keeps it steady.
• Gogi Solid Oak Dining Table, 135cm, Natural is 135 cm long and 80 cm deep, in solid oak. It fits a smaller dining space. At 80 cm deep it is better with chairs on the sides only.

150 cm: more room, or a table that grows

If four is normal and six happens on weekends, an extendable table covers both.

• Mackay Extendable Dining Table 106.6–150cm, Rubberwood, Walnut opens from 106.6 cm to 150 cm. It sits on a carved pedestal base, so there are no corner legs in the way. It is 106.6 cm deep.

180 cm: the dining table size for 6

This is the most common size for a family table. Six sit along the sides with room to spare.

• Ella Solid Acacia Dining Table 1.8 Metre, Brushed Black is 180 x 100 cm. The 100 cm depth leaves room down the middle for shared dishes, and room for a chair at each end when you need eight.
• Loxley Oval Extendable Dining Table 160–200cm, Natural Oak runs from 160 cm to 200 cm and is 90 cm deep. Its maker counts four at 160 cm and six at 200 cm. Two half-cone pedestal legs hold it up instead of four corner legs, so there is more room for knees and chairs.

210 cm: an 8 seater dining table

At 210 cm, three chairs fit down each side with room to spare, and the ends take two more.

• Antica Mango Wood Dining Table 210cm, Light Honey is 210 x 100 cm in mango wood with a light honey stain. It is simple in shape and long enough for a full table of family and friends.

2.4 m and longer: the big Christmas table

A 2.4 m dining table seats eight along the sides and ten with the ends. It needs a room about 4.2 m long, so measure before you fall for one.

• Atherton Marri Timber Dining Table, 240cm, Natural is 240 x 120 cm, in solid and veneer Marri, a West Australian hardwood. At 120 cm wide there is plenty of room for platters down the middle.
• Momus Solid Eucalyptus Dining Table, 260cm, Brushed is 260 x 110 cm in solid eucalyptus. By the 60 cm rule it seats eight along the sides and ten with the ends. It comes flat-packed, which helps on the way in.

Round or rectangle?

A round table suits a square room and a group of four. Everyone can see everyone, and there are no corners. A rectangle suits a long room and a group that changes size, because you can add a chair at each end. If you can't decide, an extendable table like the Mackay or the Loxley gives you a small table most days and a bigger one when people come over.

Good to know

• Measure the room first. Take off about 90 cm on each side (rule of thumb). What is left is the largest table that fits.
• Measure the way in. Check doorways, hallways, stairs and lifts against the table's size on the product page.
• Delivery. Mid to large items mostly go by furniture removalist, who texts you the day before delivery. See our delivery page for details.
• Assembly. Most of these tables need minor assembly. Each product page says what to expect.
• Colour. The colour on your screen can look slightly different from the real timber.