Everything You Should Know About Banquet Chair Size

When you are planning an event, you know you need tables and chairs. You probably even know how many chairs you need. What you may be struggling with is the best banquet chair size for the event you are planning. If so, you are not alone. Banquet chair dimensions can change the entire fit of your event furnishings in space. Making sure you’ve ordered the right chair sizes for a banquet won’t guarantee your event will be a success, but will guarantee all your guests are comfortable.

 

 

Banquet Chair Seat Widths

There are multiple banquet chair dimensions. Some have higher seats, some lower, some have higher backs, some lower. One measurement that is essential when planning the layout of your event is the width of the banquet chair seat. You can pick your tables, and determine how many people you want to fit on each side. Pair the wrong banquet chair size with that table, though, and your six per side may feel like a squeeze. A chair that is 16 inches in width, for instance will be a smoother fit if you are trying to squeeze a lot of people into a limited space than a chair that is 18.5 inches in width.

 

As a general rule, everyone should be provided approximately two feet of table space for a comfortable fit. If you have an eight-foot table, for instance, you can fit four people on each side. While banquet chairs for sale are designed with this in mind, and small enough to fit easily into that two-foot-per-person clearance, smaller chairs provide more space between parties. Larger chairs, however, can provide a more comfortable seat, especially when accommodating a big and tall audience.

Seat Width by Event Audience and Event Type

One of the most important factors in selecting your banquet chair dimensions is your audience. If you are holding a banquet for high school students, with only student attendees, narrower chairs may provide room enough for comfort, while mostly adult guests may be more comfortable with more space.

 

The purpose of the event also matters. If people will be sitting all night, such as at an awards ceremony, larger seats can be more comfortable. If guests are more likely to be up and moving around, such as at a wedding, smaller seats may be sufficient, and may actually leave more space in the room.

 

 

Banquet Chair Depths

While banquet chair width is important, it’s possible no measurement is more vital to banquet furnishing success than the chair depth. You’ve almost certainly been to events where you have to sit across from other people. While you may occasionally struggle to get out of your chair because your neighbor has moved too close, the real battle is with the person sitting across from and behind you. There is little you can do when sharing under-table space to keep your guests from occasional kicks to each other’s shins. (At least, when it comes to chairs. A wide enough table will help with that.) If your chairs are too deep from front to back, though, you may not be able to push them under the table completely when they are not in use, which can be a problem if you plan to move things aside to make room to dance or otherwise frolic about the event. The deeper the chairs, the more space you will also need between tables, so guests can pull the chairs out to get into their seats.

Matching Banquet Chair Size to Banquet Table Depth

As a general rule, your guests need a depth of 18 inches for their place settings. Most of the time, a 30-inch wide table that provides this depth to guests on each side will also prove sufficient for leg space. Whatever size table you choose, pair it well with your banquet chair size. Chairs that have 18-inch depths will be able to be partially pushed in under a 30-inch-wide table while directly across from each other, providing wide open walkways between tables in most scenarios.

 

 

Banquet Chair Back Heights

While width may be the most important of the banquet chair dimensions, it is certainly not the only banquet chair measurement to consider when choosing the seating for your event. Chair backs also vary in size and provide different looks for your event. Shorter backs look more casual, while tall-backed chairs have an air of majesty. While dimensions of the chair back may not be as essential to guest comfort, the banquet chair size can make a big difference if you are going for a particular look for your event.

 

Getting the right size banquet chairs to fit with your banquet tables takes you a long way toward strategic event planning.