Dining table seating clearances

[pringlmm]

Hello,

I'm building a trestle table as a dining table. I'm not using any leaves. I have a question about seating clearances. I have a book that says one needs 24" seat center to seat center to acommodate elbows while eating. This would really push the table size as I'm going to accomodate three per side and two at the ends. I was hoping that I could get away with 22". Given that the seating of 8 would be for holidays with family, I thought the occassional bumping of elbows would be of no harm.

The chairs themselves are 19.5" wide at their widest point.

Any thoughts?

Matt

[CW]

Sit down and hold a 24" piece of something in front of you for visualization. Damn tight, isn't it. Go ahead and use 22 if you want. A bit worse but, once you go past a certain point, it doesn't matter.

[Swingman]

.pdf has readable measurements. This one seats 8 comfortably: 2 on the ends, 3 on each side ... it works in actual practice verified by numerous parties and family gathering the last couple of years.

Let me know if you have any questions.

[Phisherman]

For a rectangular table with one person on each end and three people on two sides (seating 8 total), the guideline is that you will need a table at least 7 feet long and 3'3" wide. That's for average-size adults and allows for some area in the middle for serving dishes/plates which are common with holiday meals.

[pringlmm]

How do you get 3 chairs between the legs of the base (42" on the print)? I see in the pictures that two places have been set along that side.

My plan calls for a table top of 90" x 42" which in itself is plenty but the legs of the base were originally 58" apart which doesn't leave enough room for three chairs between them.

Matt

Sw>

[Swingman]

A trestle table doesn't necessarily need room between the "base" for chairs if the side overhang is sufficient. If you don't have access to a well designed trestle table, take steps to find one you can sit at.

[cselby]

24" is likely a minimum for polite friendly company. Relatives don't exactly fit this profile. A lot of them should be seated on the curb outside, eating out of paper bags. ( we're taking about adults) On the other hand if you do in fact like them, then give them the 24".

Like a prior post, lay out 4 sticks (4 strips of masking tape) 24 OC on your current table and get 3 adults to sit between them to get the feel of good spacing.

Pete

[pringlmm]

Thanks Pete,

My wife and I have set the table for dinner at 22" OC.

Matt

[e-mail] wrote:

[Leon]

A lot of good advice here but try placing your chars at the spacing you have indicated and or want and test the fit with people setting in the chairs You do not need a table for this test.

Some people have a preference of sleeping in a King sized bet some are happy with a Queen.

[Swingman]

You bet ... theory is fine, but there is nothing like a "practicality" test. You should definitely take into account anticipated "mass of the ass" in your planning.

And some, who have never designed and built a table in their lives, will tell you how to do it from a formula in a book.

That said, if you have the room, and considering all the fat asses in the country these days, bigger is always better when it comes to seating. ;)

[Lee Michaels]

"Swingman" wrote

Something that the airlines have not figured out yet.

[Lew Hodgett]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

It is amazing how close this subject is to finishing out the interior of a boat.

IMHO, There is absolutely no substitute for building mock-ups.

BTW, the "mass of the ass" factor is something even the automobile companies are starting to accept.

Lots of people like corvette automobiles.

Me, I can't even fit in one, so for me, it becomes a cute toy for somebody else.

[Swingman]

Tell me about it. But maybe they're smarter than we think?

My 6' 205 lb frame sat next to a 5' 6" 250 pound girl on a Continental Express flight from Little Rock to Houston last Friday evening ... one of those small "regional" jets, where there are two seats on side of the aisle, and one on the other.

Although it was a bit cozier than I would have preferred and I prefer thinner women, she didn't sweat and smelled pretty good, so we managed just fine thanks to our complementary body geometry:

... my shoulders are way bigger than my ass, vice versa for her.

I was a bit worried before boarding however, because there was one guy in line who was obviously going to take up two entire seats and I figured it would be just my luck one of them would be mine.

I was feeling lucky after that ... until the $60 cab ride home from the airport.

[B A R R Y]

Sure they have...

A bigger number of seats in the same space is better for the airline.

[Tim Taylor]

Beats the hell out of 158 bucks to get your truck out of the parking garage after a 7 day stay that was only supposed to be 2!

[J T]

Sun, Aug 20, 2006, 5:51am (EDT-3) [e-mail] waves and says Hello, I'm building a trestle table I have a book that says one needs

24" seat center to seat center to acommodate elbows while eating. This would really push the table size as I'm going to accomodate three per side and two at the ends. I was hoping that I could get away with 22".

Your table, you can make it any damn size you want to.

I've attended family gatherings/dinners when I was a kid, and it was elbow to elbow. Separate table(s) for the smaller kids. The adult table, I'd say we were about at your 22". Uncomfortable as all Hell. You had to hold one arm kinda back, to make room for your neighbor's arm. Using a knife and a fork at the same time was damn near impossible. Hell, my shoulders are right at 22". Your book's 24" would only be marginally better. I would say 30" woud do, but 36" would be one Hell of a lot better. Unless that is you only plan on inviting people once. Me, if I found out I'd have to do my eating in that crowded conditions I'd probably only show up once.

But, as I said, your table, make it any size you want. Me, I'd consider either a larger table, or more than one table.

JOAT Justice was invented by the innocent. Mercy and lawyers were invented by the guilty.