Count the edge, not the chairs: dining tables that honestly seat six

A 150 cm dining table seats four. A 180 cm table seats six. A 210 cm table seats six with room to spare.

All three numbers come from one rule: each person needs about 60 cm of table edge. Ignore the chairs in the listing photo. Count the edge.

For a rental or a holiday house, match the table to the beds. If the house sleeps six, the table should seat six.

The rule: 60 cm of edge each

Give each person about 60 cm along the table edge and 40 cm of depth. That is one place. At 50 cm a place is tight. At 70 cm it is generous.

To count a rectangular table, divide its length by 60 and round down. That is the number of places down one long side. Double it for the two long sides, and leave the ends empty. A 150 cm table seats two a side, four in all. A 180 cm table seats three a side, six in all. Four size charts agree on six. A 210 cm table also seats three a side, and each person gets 70 cm.

Width matters too. Two places facing each other need 80 cm across the table. Look for a table 80 cm wide or more.

Six at a 150 cm table is tight

If a listing calls a 150 cm table a six-seater, it gets there in one of two ways. Both are tight.

One way is 50 cm a place. At 50 cm, a 150 cm table seats three a side, six in all. A 180 cm table still seats six, because four a side needs 200 cm. A 210 cm table seats eight.

The other way is a person at each end. Each place is 40 cm deep, so on a 150 cm table the end places crowd the corner places.

Leave 90 cm to get out

Leave at least 90 cm between the table edge and the nearest wall or furniture. People need that room to pull out a chair and stand up. A 180 × 90 cm table needs a clear floor of at least 360 × 270 cm. Measure the room before you choose the length.

Triple J's tables, counted

Here are seven fixed-length tables from Triple J, counted at 60 cm a place. All of them are 90 to 110 cm wide. Prices are as listed on 17 October 2026.

The Fiore has a marble-look sintered stone top on black powder-coated steel legs. It costs $321 at 150 cm and $339 at 180 cm: $18 buys two more places.

The Cresswell is solid acacia in a brushed khaki finish. It costs $411 at 180 cm and $477 at 210 cm. The extra $66 turns six comfortable places into six generous ones, or eight tight ones. Pick 180 cm or 210 cm on its product page.

The Ella is solid acacia in brushed black. The Reverbend is acacia with a sandblasted finish. Its names are honest: the 6 Seater is 180 cm and the 8 Seater is 240 cm.

Extension tables: count them closed and open

On a Tuesday it is the two of you. At Christmas it is the whole family. An extension table seats both. Count it twice: closed and open.

The Loxley is an oval table in oak veneer on pedestal legs. It is 90 cm wide and opens from 160 cm to 200 cm, for $1,236. The maker says it seats four closed and six open, and the rule agrees.

The Morris is solid recycled elm, and no two are the same. Its one butterfly leaf extends from the middle. The smaller size is 80 cm wide and opens from 160 cm to 200 cm, for $1,634. It seats four closed and six open. The larger size opens from 200 cm to 250 cm, for $2,178. It seats six closed and eight open.

Round tables: 120 cm seats six

Count a round table by its edge too. The edge is the width across times 3.14. Divide that by 60 and round down.

The Tiffany is 120 cm across, so its edge is about 377 cm. That seats six, at 63 cm each. It is oak and costs $990.

The Moni is 130 cm across, with about 408 cm of edge. It also seats six, at 68 cm each. It is messmate and costs $844, less than the Tiffany.

One size chart pairs a 120 cm round table with a family of four. The edge count wins: at 63 cm each, six people have more than the 60 cm a place needs.

Before you order

Triple J delivers Australia-wide. A removalist brings the table and texts you the day before. Regional areas can get pallet delivery, which lowers the freight. Ask for professional assembly too, and the table is ready to use as soon as it arrives.

Triple J sends most orders within 3 to 10 days when the table is in stock. Its terms call delivery times estimates and aim for 5 weeks from the order. For a table you need by Christmas, order 5 weeks ahead.

You can cancel an order within 2 working days. After that, a 15% fee applies. Measure first.

The showroom is at 590 Hume Hwy, Yagoona NSW 2199, if you want to see a table before you buy. Take a tape measure.

The checklist

Tick these on any listing page.

1. Length: divide by 60, round down, double it. That is the honest count.
2. Width: 80 cm or more, so each side gets 40 cm of depth.
3. Extension: count it closed and open.
4. Round: the width across times 3.14, divided by 60, rounded down.
5. Floor: the table plus 90 cm on every side fits your room.

For a rental: the 180 cm Fiore at $339, the cheapest table here that seats six.

For a holiday house: the larger Morris at $2,178. It seats six most days and eight at Christmas.

Count the edge, not the chairs.