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Furniture Dimension Calculator

Standard heights and depths for tables, desks, chairs and counters, and a check on a dimension you already have.

Furniture works when it fits a human body, and the ergonomic ranges for that have been settled for decades. This tool gives the standard height, depth and width for the piece you are building, then checks a dimension you already have against the published range so you can see how far off it is before you cut anything.

At a glance

What you enter
What are you building?, Height of the person using it, A height you already have, A depth you already have
What you get
Suggested height, Suggested depth, Suggested minimum width, Your height is inside the standard range, Difference from the suggestion, Change needed to reach the range, Depth comment
Formula shown
Yes, every step, right below your results.
Cost and privacy
Free, no account needed, and nothing you type is stored.

See worked examples โ†“ Read the FAQ โ†“ Share this calculator โ†“

What are you building?

Used for a note on proportion. Leave blank if the piece is for general use.

The top height or the seat height of the piece you are checking.

The depth of the top or the shelf.

Reset

Results are estimates for general information only, always verify with a professional or official source before acting on them.

How to use the Furniture Dimension Calculator

  1. 1 Enter What are you building?
  2. 2 Enter Height of the person using it (in), Used for a note on proportion. Leave blank if the piece is for general use.
  3. 3 Enter A height you already have (in), The top height or the seat height of the piece you are checking.
  4. 4 Enter A depth you already have (in), The depth of the top or the shelf.
  5. 5 Press Calculate. You get Suggested height, Suggested depth, Suggested minimum width, Your height is inside the standard range, Difference from the suggestion, Change needed to reach the range, Depth comment, and every intermediate step stays visible under "How is this calculated?"
  6. 6 Change one number at a time to see what moves the result, that is usually the most useful thing a calculator can tell you.

Worked examples

Real numbers run through this calculator. Open any example to load it into the form above and change it.

A dining table at 30 inches

Checking a standard 30 inch dining table top.

You enter

What are you building?
1
Height of the person using it
68 in
A height you already have
30 in
A depth you already have
36 in

You get

Suggested height
30.00 in
Suggested depth
36.00 in
Suggested minimum width
36.00 in
Your height is inside the standard range
1
Difference from the suggestion
0.00 in
Change needed to reach the range
0.00 in
Depth comment
0

30 inches sits at the top of the 28 to 30 inch range.

Open this example in the calculator โ†’

A coffee table that is too low

A coffee table at 14 inches being checked against the standard range.

You enter

What are you building?
4
Height of the person using it
68 in
A height you already have
14 in
A depth you already have
20 in

You get

Suggested height
18.00 in
Suggested depth
20.00 in
Suggested minimum width
42.00 in
Your height is inside the standard range
0
Difference from the suggestion
-4.00 in
Change needed to reach the range
2.00 in
Depth comment
0

Below the 16 to 18 inch range, so it will feel low next to a sofa seat at 18 inches.

Open this example in the calculator โ†’

A bar stool for a 36 inch counter

A stool with a 30 inch seat being checked for a kitchen counter.

You enter

What are you building?
6
Height of the person using it
68 in
A height you already have
30 in
A depth you already have
0 in

You get

Suggested height
30.00 in
Suggested depth
16.00 in
Suggested minimum width
16.00 in
Your height is inside the standard range
1
Difference from the suggestion
0.00 in
Change needed to reach the range
0.00 in
Depth comment
0

A 30 inch seat suits a 42 inch bar, not a 36 inch counter, which wants 24 to 26.

Open this example in the calculator โ†’

Frequently asked questions

How high should a dining table be?
Between 28 and 30 inches is the standard range, and 30 inches is the most common commercial height. Pair it with a seat at 17 to 19 inches, which leaves 11 to 13 inches of clearance for legs and reach. If the table is 30 and the chair is 17, that is a well proportioned pairing for most adults.
How high should a desk be?
A desk surface of 28 to 30 inches suits most adults, and 29 to 30 is the usual choice for a writing or computer desk. The keyboard should sit at roughly elbow height when you are seated, which for most people means the desk top is level with the underside of their forearms as they sit comfortably. Adjustable height desks move this range entirely, and a standing desk is usually set at 38 to 42 inches depending on the user.
How high is a kitchen counter and what stool goes with it?
A kitchen counter is 36 inches high, which is set by the standard base cabinet rather than by ergonomics alone. Counter stools for a 36 inch counter have seats at 24 to 26 inches, not the 28 to 30 of a bar stool. A breakfast bar at 42 inches takes a bar stool at 28 to 30. The 10 to 12 inch clearance rule applies in all three cases.
How deep should a bookshelf or shelf be?
Twelve inches holds most hardbacks, which are up to about 9.5 inches tall and 6 inches deep, with room to spare. Ten inches is enough for paperbacks and standard fiction, and 14 inches suits art books and binders. Depth also decides stability: a tall bookcase much deeper than 12 inches starts to look like a cupboard, and one shallower than 10 inches will not take a standard box file.
How much table edge does one person need?
Allow 24 inches of width per person for a place setting, and 30 inches if there are serving dishes in the middle or the diners are large. A 36 inch square table seats four comfortably. A 72 inch by 36 inch table seats six with room, and eight if you accept 24 inches each. Measure the room as well as the table, because you need about 36 inches behind a chair to push it back and stand up.

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Terms used here

Short, plain-language definitions of the words this calculator uses.

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