Dining Seats Calculator
Free tool · No signup · Instant answer. Enter your table's shape and size and we'll tell you how many chairs fit comfortably — using the 60 cm-per-diner rule.
In short: every diner needs about 60 cm of table edge. We divide your table's usable edges by 60 cm and show you a top-down diagram of the result.
How the calculation works
- 60 cm per diner: the standard comfortable elbow-room allowance used by UK furniture makers.
- Rectangular tables: we count diners along both long sides, plus one at each end if the table is at least 75 cm wide.
- Round tables: we divide the circumference (π × diameter) by 60 cm.
- Comfort, not cramming: the numbers below are for relaxed dining — you can always squeeze one more for Christmas.
Tool FAQs
How much space does each person need at a dining table?
Allow about 60 cm of table edge width per diner for comfortable elbow room, and roughly 45–50 cm of table depth for their plate, glass and cutlery.
How much room should I leave around a dining table?
Leave 75–90 cm of clear space behind each chair so people can pull out and walk past. In a tight kitchen-diner, 60 cm is the workable minimum.
What size table seats 6 people?
A rectangular table around 180 × 90 cm seats six comfortably (two per long side plus one at each end). A round table needs about 120–130 cm diameter for six.
Know your number? Browse our best dining sets in the UK (2026).
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