Four quick questions
Your room, a credenza or not, how many people meet, and how much space you want around the table. We do the math and show every number.
How the calculator works
Every rule and where it comes from
1. Start with the room
Leave space on every side of the table. We measure it from the edge of the table to the wall or to whatever sticks into the room. Three settings, in the order you see them above:
- Tight, 36 inches each side. Chairs pull out and people can sidestep, but nobody walks behind a seated person. Use it for a small room that only needs to hold the people at the table.
- Comfortable, 48 inches each side. A pulled-out chair takes about 24 inches. Another 24 inches lets someone pass behind a seated person. This is the number most planning guides use, and it is our default.
- Roomy, 60 inches each side. A pulled-out chair plus a 36 inch walking path behind it, the widest path you can give people who walk behind seated guests all meeting long.
The longest table your room takes is the room length minus the space on both ends. The widest is the room width minus the space on both sides. A credenza on the long wall takes 24 inches more off the width, because the chairs on that side now stop at the credenza instead of the wall. If nothing fits that way, the calculator tries the credenza on the short end wall, where it comes off the length, and says so in the answer.
2. Then check the headcount
Each person needs a stretch of table edge. Two spacings matter:
- Laptop room, 30 inches per person. Space for a laptop, papers and elbows. This is how our tables should feel in a working meeting, and we count one seat at each end of the table.
- Shoulder to shoulder, 24 inches per person. Chairs side by side along the long sides, nobody at the ends. This is the most people a table can hold for a short meeting or a vote.
So a table holds more people shoulder to shoulder than with laptop room. The calculator shows both, and names the next size up if you want laptop room for everyone.
| Table | Top width | Laptop room (30 in) | Shoulder to shoulder (24 in) | Room needed at 48 in each side |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ft (96 in) | 42 or 48 in | 8 | 8 | 16 ft x 12 ft |
| 10 ft (120 in) | 48 in | 10 | 10 | 18 ft x 12 ft |
| 12 ft (144 in) | 48 to 60 in | 10 | 12 | 20 ft x 12 to 13 ft |
| 16 ft (192 in) | 54 in | 14 | 16 | 24 ft x 12 ft 6 in |
| 20 ft (240 in) | 60 in | 18 | 20 | 28 ft x 13 ft |
| 42 in square | 42 in | 4 | 4 | 11 ft 6 in x 11 ft 6 in |
| 42 in round | 42 in | 4 | 5 | 11 ft 6 in x 11 ft 6 in |
| 48 in round | 48 in | 5 | 6 | 12 ft x 12 ft |
3. Which one is the limit?
Whichever gives the shorter table. In most offices the room is the limit and the headcount fits with room to spare. When the headcount is the limit, you have a choice: the table that holds your number shoulder to shoulder, or the next size up with laptop room for everyone. If nothing fits with the space you picked, the calculator drops to the next tighter setting and tells you at the top of the answer.
4. Things the calculator does not know
- Doors. If a door swings into the room, add its width to the space on that wall.
- Delivery. An 8 foot top arrives in one piece, 96 inches by 42 or 48. Check it can get through the door and any turns. Tops from 10 to 16 feet arrive in two sections, and the 20 foot top in three; the grain will not line up at the seam.
- Screens. If the room is built around a screen, leave the end nearest the screen open. Our two video tables are shaped for that.
- Sizes between ours. We build tops from 6 to 20 feet long and 36 to 60 inches wide to order. Ask about a custom size. Custom sizes are final sale.
How big should a conference room be?
Start with the number of people. Each row shows how big the room needs to be, measured wall to wall, for the table we would pick for that group. The three columns give three amounts of space between the table edge and the wall:
- Tight, 3 ft. Chairs pull out, but nobody can walk behind a seated person.
- Comfortable, 4 ft. A pulled-out chair plus room to walk behind it. Most rooms use this.
- Roomy, 5 ft. A wide walking path behind every chair.
Conference room size by number of people, room length x width. Swipe sideways to see every column.
| People | Tight (3 ft) | Comfortable (4 ft) | Roomy (5 ft) | Table |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 9 ft 6 in x 9 ft 6 in | 11 ft 6 in x 11 ft 6 in | 13 ft 6 in x 13 ft 6 in | 42 in round |
| 6 | 14 ft x 9 ft 6 in | 16 ft x 11 ft 6 in | 18 ft x 13 ft 6 in | 8 ft x 42 in |
| 8 | 14 ft x 9 ft 6 in | 16 ft x 11 ft 6 in | 18 ft x 13 ft 6 in | 8 ft x 42 in |
| 10 | 16 ft x 10 ft | 18 ft x 12 ft | 20 ft x 14 ft | 10 ft x 48 in |
| 12 | 18 ft x 11 ft | 20 ft x 13 ft | 22 ft x 15 ft | 12 ft x 60 in |
| 14 | 22 ft x 10 ft 6 in | 24 ft x 12 ft 6 in | 26 ft x 14 ft 6 in | 16 ft x 54 in |
| 16 | 22 ft x 10 ft 6 in | 24 ft x 12 ft 6 in | 26 ft x 14 ft 6 in | 16 ft x 54 in |
| 18 | 26 ft x 13 ft | 28 ft x 15 ft | 30 ft x 17 ft | 20 ft x 60 in with credenza |
| 20 | 26 ft x 13 ft | 28 ft x 15 ft | 30 ft x 17 ft | 20 ft x 60 in with credenza |
So a room for 10 people should be about 18 ft x 12 ft, and a room for 12 about 20 ft x 13 ft. Our 20 ft table comes as a set with a credenza, so the rooms for 18 and 20 people include 2 ft for it.
Want table sizes by headcount instead? Our conference table seating guide covers 4 to 12 people.
What size conference table fits my room?
If you already have the room, here is the largest of our tables that fits with 4 ft of space on every side, and how many people it seats. The first number is with laptop room; the second is shoulder to shoulder.
The largest table that fits each room. Swipe sideways to see every column.
| Room | Largest table | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| 10 x 10 ft | 48 in round (3 ft of space) | 5 to 6 |
| 12 x 10 ft | 48 in round (3 ft of space) | 5 to 6 |
| 12 x 12 ft | 48 in round | 5 to 6 |
| 14 x 12 ft | 48 in round | 5 to 6 |
| 16 x 12 ft | 8 ft x 48 in | 8 |
| 16 x 14 ft | 8 ft x 48 in | 8 |
| 18 x 14 ft | 10 ft x 48 in | 10 |
| 20 x 14 ft | 12 ft x 48 in | 10 to 12 |
| 20 x 15 ft | 12 ft x 48 in | 10 to 12 |
| 20 x 16 ft | 12 ft x 48 in | 10 to 12 |
| 20 x 20 ft | 12 ft x 48 in | 10 to 12 |
| 24 x 16 ft | 16 ft x 54 in | 14 to 16 |
| 24 x 18 ft | 16 ft x 54 in | 14 to 16 |
| 30 x 20 ft | 20 ft x 60 in with credenza | 18 to 20 |
In the 10 x 10 ft and 12 x 10 ft rooms, nothing fits with 4 ft of space, so the table shown needs the tight setting.
Your room is not on the list, or it has a credenza, a door or a column in the way? Put your own numbers into the calculator at the top of this page.
Meeting room and conference room size questions
What is the ideal size for a conference room?
It depends on how many people meet in it. With 4 ft of space around the table, a room for 6 to 8 people is about 16 ft x 11 ft 6 in, a room for 10 is about 18 ft x 12 ft, and a room for 14 to 16 is about 24 ft x 12 ft 6 in. The first table on this page has every size from 4 to 20 people.
What is the minimum size for a small meeting room?
About 9 ft 6 in x 9 ft 6 in for 4 people around a 42 in round table, with 3 ft between the table edge and each wall. That is tight: people can pull their chairs out, but no one can walk behind them. With 4 ft of space the same room grows to 11 ft 6 in x 11 ft 6 in.
How big should a conference room be for 12 people?
About 20 ft x 13 ft, with 4 ft of space around a 12 ft x 60 in table. The smallest that works is about 18 ft x 11 ft, and a roomy boardroom is about 22 ft x 15 ft.
How many people can fit in a 20 x 20 room?
Seated around a conference table, 10 to 12. The largest of our tables that fits is a 12 ft x 48 in table, with 4 ft of space on every side. Rows of chairs facing a screen hold more people, but that is a training room, not a conference room.
How much space do you need around a conference table?
At least 3 ft from the table edge to the wall, so chairs can pull out. 4 ft is better: a pulled-out chair takes about 2 ft, and the rest lets someone walk behind it. 5 ft gives a wide path behind every chair. This is planning guidance for a comfortable room, not a building code check.
Will a credenza fit in my conference room?
A credenza is a low cabinet along one wall, for storage, coffee or the video gear. Ours are 2 ft deep, so a credenza on a long wall takes 2 ft off the room's width. The calculator at the top of this page checks this for you, and if the credenza does not fit on a long wall, it tries the short wall.