Madie Wray
January 16, 2023
Furniture Leg Height Guide
Whether you’re an experienced furniture flipper, or a first-time DIYer, sometimes we all need a little help ordering the right size table legs for our projects. After all, there are so many different kinds of legs available on the market that it can be a little overwhelming. Hopefully we can take some of the guesswork out of the process!
If you’re wondering why we give a number range, rather than an exact measurement when recommending furniture legs, it’s because there’s no industry standard when it comes to furniture design. At the end of the day, it’s all down to personal preference and your specific furniture piece.
We’ve compiled information from across the legs, but also from personal experience! After all, we’ve been supplying furniture legs to manufacturers, small-time designers and carpenters for more than 75 years now, so we’ve got plenty of experience to pull from.
Table and Furniture Leg Size Guides
- Bar & Bench Legs
- Bed Legs
- Buffet Unit Legs
- Chair Legs
- Coffee Table Legs
- Dining Table Legs
- Lounge and Sofa Legs
- Overview/Conclusion
How tall should bar/bench legs be?
Bar/Bench legs for kitchen islands or entertaining tables should be between 90cm and 100cm. This is a comfortable standing height for most people and would allow plenty of room for bar stools. The average built-in kitchen bench is 90cm high, but freestanding tables tend to be a little taller than this.
You should be aiming for an overall height of approximately 105cm including the tabletop and frame.
How high should bed legs be?
If you’re looking to replace legs on your bed or a similar piece of furniture, you should look at purchasing legs between 10cm and 50cm in height (depending on the size of the frame/base). The only exceptions to this rule would be trundle beds, bunk beds and loft beds which may need taller legs to allow for the additional space beneath them.
When it comes to purchasing bed legs, you should ideally be looking to raise the height of your mattress to just below knee height. This simple calculation can help you work out your ideal leg height:
Knee height - height of mattress - height of frame = maximum bed leg height.
By keeping your bed around knee height, your legs will not dangle off the edge when entering/exiting the bed.
What size should buffet legs be?
Buffet legs should be at least 4.5cm in height, but are generally not taller than 50cm. With that being said, some buffet units sit directly on the ground so these measurements should be used as a guide only.
When it comes to purchasing bed legs, you should ideally be looking to raise the height of your mattress to just below knee height. This simple calculation can help you work out your ideal leg height:
Bun feet can also be used to raise the height of an existing buffet unit rather than installing entirely new legs.
How tall should chair legs be?
In order to fit comfortably underneath a dining table or desk, chair legs are usually between 40 and 50cm high. If your chair seat is particularly large/small this may need to be adjusted somewhat, however, in most circumstances these measurements are ideal.
Similar to bed legs, you do not want someone's legs to dangle off the edge of your chair when sitting comfortably, therefore you should be aiming for a seat height similar to an adult's knee height. This varies from person to person but is usually between 40cm and 62cm. You can read more about why this is important here, on cornerstone physio's website.
To find the perfect chair leg height for your stature, you can use the following equation:
Knee height - height of seat & frame = chair leg height.
How high should coffee table legs be?
Your coffee table should sit at a similar height to your couches, lounges and chairs, so therefore should have legs between 40cm and 50cm high. This is the most comfortable and practical height for anyone sitting within arms reach of the table, as they will not need to bend or stretch.
You can read more about why seat/lounge leg height is within this range here and here.Similar to other tables such as dining tables and bar tables, you need to allow enough clearance beneath a desk to comfortably fit a chair. This means that your table legs should be between 65mm and 75mm high depending on your preference, height and tabletop material.
Ideally, your overall desk height should be 72-80cm, with most desks being around 74cm tall. Taller individuals may wish to heighten their desks/tables so that their legs do not touch the tabletop. Similarly, smaller individuals may wish to lower the table height so that it is more comfortable to use.
What size should dining table legs be?
The average dining table is between 75 and 78cm high, meaning your dining table legs should be between 65 and 75cm high. Our standard range of dining table legs for instance are either 735mm or 750mm high, but can be trimmed down if desired.
There should be at least 70cm clearance beneath your tabletop to allow for a chair to fit comfortably beneath it. Otherwise, your customer/guests knees and legs may bump or rub against the underneath of your table.
How high should lounge/sofa/couch legs be?
Lounge legs are usually no taller than 50cm in height, as anything larger would result in an adult's legs dangling over the edge. Given that many lounges and couches sit directly on the floor, there is no minimum leg height- rather, it is dependent on the size of the frame.
The overall height of your couch seat should be similar to that of a chair, meaning it should be between 40 and 62cm.
You can use the following equation to work out the perfect leg size for your dimensions:
Your knee height - height of seat & frame = lounge leg height.
Conclusion
If you want to see all of the above information at a glance, we’ve compiled it all in a handy table (see below). Most of these measurements can be altered to suit your needs, however it’s important to remember that (especially in the case of chairs, lounges etc.) there are standards for a reason. Nobody wants to use a ladder to get in and out of bed in the morning…. unless they’re sleeping in a bunk bed of course!
| Furniture Type | Recommended Leg Height In cm | Recommended Leg Height in mm | Recommended Leg Height In Inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bar/Bench | 90cm to 100cm | 900mm to 1,000mm | 35” to 40” |
| Bed | 10cm to 50cm | 100mm to 500mm | 35” to 40” |
| Buffet | 4.5cm 50cm | 45mm to 500mm | 1.5” to 20” |
| Chair | 40cm 50cm | 400mm to 500mm | 15.5” to 20” |
| Coffee Table | 40cm 50cm | 400mm to 500mm | 15.5” to 20” |
| Desk | 65cm to 75cm | 650mm to 750mm | 26” to 30” |
| Dining Table | 65cm to 75cm | 650mm to 750mm | 26” to 30” |
| Lounge | 0cm to 50cm | 0mm to 500mm | 26” to 30” |
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