There is no such thing as a ‘normal’ height for chairs. Chairs come in all shapes and heights depending on the country manufactured in as well as the company making the chairs.
While this might not seem like an issue to many, it’s a completely different story when it comes to actually furnishing your house.
There’s not much worse when you’re super excited about getting your chairs delivered to finish off your dining room, only to unbox them and find that they’re way too short or tall for your dining room table.
You’ll either have to send back the chairs, perhaps at a tall cost out of your own pocket, or deal with chairs at the wrong height for your table forevermore.
To avoid this bitter disappointment, it’s important to take the measurements of every chair you’re considering to ensure that it’s the right size for your house or table.
Unfortunately, there is no industry standard when it comes to the height of different types of chairs. However, from looking at many different types and styles of chairs, a loose average can be determined of 17 to 19 inches, or 43 to 48 centimeters. This is measured from the top of the seat to the chair leg.
For a comparison, stool heights tend to fall between 16 to 23 inches or 40 to 58 centimeters.
Below is a table of the average heights for the most popular types of chairs on the market.
Type of chair | Average height range (inches) | Standard height (inches) | Standard height (centimeters) |
Dining table chair | 17 to 19 | 18 | 45 to 50 |
Kitchen table chair | 17 to 19 | 18 | 45 to 50 |
Desk chair | 17 to 19 | 18 | 45 to 50 |
Counter chair | 24 to 26 | 24 | 61 |
Bar chair | 28 to 32 | 30 | 76 |
So, why is it so important to match your chair height with the purpose you’re using it for? For starters, ordering a dining table chair to use with a bar will leave you much too short to even see over the bar. You’ll be staring right into the exterior of the bar rather than sitting at the bar itself.
Not only is this bordering on the line of useless and redundant, but it will also look incredibly silly in your space.
Speaking in terms of something slightly less ridiculous now, you can use dining table chairs, kitchen table chairs, and desk chairs interchangeably due to their ‘normal’ heights being around the same number.
However, there are a whole number of other issues that can arise by using a dining table chair as a desk chair.
Matching chair height to your table height
Again, there is no industry standard when it comes to table heights, making it difficult to pair a table with chairs from different manufacturers.
Some companies do this on purpose so that they can claim their chairs fit perfectly with their tables, making you more likely to purchase an entire dining room set from their catalog.
You should leave around 9 to 13 inches, or 23 to 33 centimeters of space between the table, counter, or bar and the chair seat. This is enough room for your legs to fit underneath the table without having to squeeze between the two pieces of wood.
12 inches is a good average to opt for so that you make sure all of your chairs are able to fit comfortably underneath your table.
Opting for a chair too short might make it difficult for you to rest comfortably on the table or counter in front of you. However, choosing a chair too tall can prevent you from fitting your legs underneath the table, stopping you from sitting as close to the table as you might like.
Below is a list of the most common tables found in the house and their average heights, as well as the ideal chair heights to pair with them.
Type of table (standard sizing) | Average height range (inches) | Standard table height (inches) | Average chair height needed (inches) |
Dining table | 28 to 30 | 30 | 16 to 18 |
Kitchen table | 28 to 30 | 30 | 16 to 18 |
Counter | 34 to 39 | 36 | 22 to 27 |
Bar table | 40 to 43 | 42 | 28 to 31 |
Coffee table | 18 to 20 | 20 | 6 to 8 (stool) |
Side table | 22 to 30 | 25 | 10 to 18 (stool) |
Console table | 24 to 42 | 30 | 12 to 30 |
Office desk | 28 to 30 | 29 | 16 to 18 |
Bathroom table | 30 to 36 | 32 | 18 to 24 |
As you can see, some tables differ greatly in heights. The average height of a type of table is not always going to be accurate with your own table, so it’s important to have your tape measure handy.
Check the height of your table by measuring all up the table leg from the floor to the worktop itself.
Ordering the correct chair height online
If you’re looking to replace a number of chairs for a table in your house, you can easily do this by checking the height of the chair beforehand. Make sure that you have the height of your table to hand so that you can compare the chair heights with this figure.
If a chair is being advertised without its height, it’s best to check with the manufacturer before ordering and hoping for the best. You wouldn’t be the first, and you certainly won’t be the last to order a chair without knowing its height.
However, this can lead to disappointment and having to get rid of the chairs as well as starting the process of purchasing new chairs all over again.
Buying chairs in-store
Purchasing new chairs in-store should be easier in theory as you can see the chair in person. However, it’s unlikely that your current table will be in the store and therefore you still need to take your measurements with you.
Don’t be shy - take the tape measure to compare measurements of the chairs with your table as well. Otherwise, you might be left with chairs too tall or short for your table.
