Part 1, Top Size & Shape
Dining tables come in many shapes and sizes. Use this guide to help determine the size and shape that works best for your needs. In part two of this guide, I'll explore the strengths and weaknesses of various table bases. Turner Custom Furniture can make any size or shape dining table. Please contact me here with any questions. View a gallery of a few dining tables I've built here.
Common Dining Table Shapes
What Size Table is Right for You?
In order to determine how many people you will be able to comfortably seat, use the following formulas:
- Allow 24" of space per person for a tight fit, 30" for a comfortable fit. Kids take up less space, bodybuilders take up more.
- For rectangular tables divide two times the length of the table by 30, then add two places for the ends. Round up or down, for a tighter or more comfortable feel.
- Example: A 72" x 40" table. 72 x 2 = 144 / 30 = 4.8, round to 5, + 2 for the ends = 7. So perhaps 3 per side a bit tight, and 2 per end. Or 6 people total, very comfortable.
- For round tables, you'll need to determine the circumference, then divide that by 30.
- Example: A 72" round table. 72 x 3.14 (pi) = 226.08 / 30 = 7.536, or 8 people pretty comfortably.
- For square tables, divide the length of each side by 30, then multiply by 4. Most square tables seat 4, as you end up with a lot of waste in a 60" square table, which seats 8. A comfortable square table is 40" square.
Here are some examples of comfortable dining tables, in various sizes, shown with place settings. More complex place settings will require more space.
