Conference Table Size Calculator & Room Planner
Enter your room size and the number of people who need a seat, then pick a layout: one boardroom table, a U-shape, a hollow square or classroom rows. The planner works out the table sizes, checks that they fit with enough space to pull out chairs and walk behind them, suggests a screen size for the farthest seat, and draws a scale plan you can download, print or send to your team.
How to use the conference room planner
- Measure the room. Wall to wall, then subtract anything that stands in the floor space, such as a credenza, a screen stand or a radiator.
- Choose the layout and enter the headcount. For a boardroom table, choose where people sit: sides only keeps both ends free, and many rooms keep one end free for a screen and seat the person leading the meeting at the other. A U-shape and a hollow square seat people on the outside only; classroom rows face the screen.
- Pick the space per person. 30 inches (76 cm) of table edge suits a working meeting. Use 36 inches (91 cm) for wide executive chairs and long sessions.
- Choose the table shape or depth, and the clearance. The plan turns red if the room is too small, and the planner tells you how much you are short and how many people the room can take in that layout.
Every number updates as you type. Use "Copy link to this plan" to share the exact layout, or "Download plan" for a PNG you can drop into a proposal.
Conference table sizes at a glance
These sizes assume people sit along the two long sides with 30 inches (76 cm) each and nobody at the ends. The room size allows 44 inches (112 cm) from each long edge of the table to the wall, enough to pull out a chair and walk behind seated people, plus a 36 inch (91 cm) walkway at each end.
| People | Table size | Room needed |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 7 ft 6 in × 3 ft 6 in (229 × 107 cm) | 13 ft 6 in × 10 ft 10 in (4.1 × 3.3 m) |
| 8 | 10 ft × 4 ft (305 × 122 cm) | 16 ft × 11 ft 4 in (4.9 × 3.5 m) |
| 10 | 12 ft 6 in × 4 ft (381 × 122 cm) | 18 ft 6 in × 11 ft 4 in (5.6 × 3.5 m) |
| 12 | 15 ft × 4 ft 6 in (457 × 137 cm) | 21 ft × 11 ft 10 in (6.4 × 3.6 m) |
| 14 | 17 ft 6 in × 4 ft 6 in (533 × 137 cm) | 23 ft 6 in × 11 ft 10 in (7.2 × 3.6 m) |
| 16 | 20 ft × 4 ft 6 in (610 × 137 cm) | 26 ft × 11 ft 10 in (7.9 × 3.6 m) |
| 20 | 25 ft × 5 ft (762 × 152 cm) | 31 ft × 12 ft 4 in (9.4 × 3.8 m) |
Seating one person at each end shortens the table: 10 people fit at a 10 ft × 4 ft table (4 per side plus both ends), and 12 people at 12 ft 6 in × 4 ft. For the full reasoning, read our conference table size guide.
How much space do you need around a conference table?
Clearance is measured from the edge of the table to the wall, so it already includes the chair someone is sitting in. The planner uses the distances in the NKBA planning guidelines:
- 32 in (81 cm): people can pull out a chair and sit, but nobody can pass behind them.
- 36 in (91 cm): someone can edge past a seated person.
- 44 in (112 cm): people can walk behind seated colleagues. A good default for most meeting rooms.
- 60 in (152 cm): room for a wheelchair to pass behind seats, or a 24 in chair zone plus the 36 in walking route set by section 403.5.1 of the 2010 ADA Standards.
To sanity-check the whole room, the University of Montana's space guidelines allow 20 to 25 square feet per station in a general conference room. The planner shows where your room falls against that range.
Boardroom, U-shape, hollow square or classroom?
- Boardroom: one table with everyone around it. The best layout for decisions and video calls, up to about 20 people.
- U-shape: tables on three sides with chairs on the outside and the open end toward the screen. Good for training and discussions where a presenter walks into the middle. Pacific Lutheran University's room setup guide suggests it for groups under 40. The planner keeps at least 36 inches (91 cm) open inside the U and 72 inches (183 cm) between the open end and the screen wall, inside the 48 to 84 inch presentation space Dimensions.com gives.
- Hollow square: a closed ring of tables with chairs on the outside, so everyone faces everyone. Works best for round-table discussions with fewer than about 25 people.
- Classroom: rows of tables facing the screen with chairs on one side. The planner leaves 3 feet between rows and 8 feet of aisle in total once a row has 8 chairs, following Missouri State University's classroom guidelines, with 36 inch aisles at both ends, a 48 inch center aisle and no more than 5 tables between aisles, as in the Palais des congrès de Montréal set-up standards.
What size screen does a conference room need?
Screen size depends on the farthest seat. The common rule is that the farthest viewer sits no more than 6 times the picture height away for presentations and no more than 4 times for spreadsheets and small text (Epson; the AVIXA DISCAS standard uses the same viewing ratio). A 16:9 picture is about 49% as tall as its diagonal (Boxlight). Rounded up to common TV sizes:
| Farthest seat | Presentations | Spreadsheets and small text |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft (3.0 m) | 43 in | 65 in |
| 12 ft (3.7 m) | 50 in | 75 in |
| 15 ft (4.6 m) | 65 in | 98 in |
| 18 ft (5.5 m) | 75 in | Over 98 in: projector or a second screen |
| 20 ft (6.1 m) | 85 in | Over 98 in |
| 24 ft (7.3 m) | 98 in | Over 98 in |
The planner measures the farthest seat on your plan and shows both sizes.
Which conference table shape suits your room?
- Rectangle: the most seats for the floor space, and the easiest shape to fit power and data along the center line.
- Boat shape: wider in the middle and narrower at the ends, so people along the sides can see each other and the screen. Worth considering from about 12 people.
- Racetrack: rounded ends soften a long table and make it easier to walk around in a tight room.
- Round: good for four to eight people in a square room. Large rounds push people far apart, so the planner suggests a different shape above 8 ft across.
Made to the size your room needs
Onyx Resin makes every conference table to order in walnut, olive or poplar with epoxy resin, so the length and width come from your plan rather than a fixed size list. We can build in power and data, and shape the top as a rectangle, boat, racetrack or round, or make a U-shape or a set of matching tables for a training room. Send your plan from the planner with the "Get a quote" button, or browse our conference tables. Every design in our dining table collection can also be made at conference size, with the same wood, resin color and base options.
The planner is a planning guide, not a building-code check. Measure your chairs before you order: wide executive chairs with arms can need more than 30 inches each.