Patio size guide: how much space for a table and chairs
Take the size of the table and add about 90 cm (3 ft) on every side where someone sits, so chairs can be pulled out and people can walk behind them. That gives roughly 3 × 3 m (10 × 10 ft) for four people and 3.6 × 3.6 m (12 × 12 ft) for six.
| Use | Minimum | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Bistro table for 2 | 2 × 2 m (6.5 × 6.5 ft) | 2.5 × 2.5 m (8 × 8 ft) |
| Table for 4 | 2.7 × 2.7 m (9 × 9 ft) | 3 × 3 m (10 × 10 ft) |
| Table for 6 | 3.3 × 3.3 m (11 × 11 ft) | 3.6 × 3.6 m (12 × 12 ft) |
| Table for 8 | 3.6 × 4.2 m (12 × 14 ft) | 4.2 × 4.2 m (14 × 14 ft) |
| Lounge set (sofa, two chairs, coffee table) | 3 × 3.5 m (10 × 11 ft) | 3.6 × 4 m (12 × 13 ft) |
| Two sun loungers | 2.4 × 2.4 m (8 × 8 ft) | 3 × 2.7 m (10 × 9 ft) |
| Fire pit with chairs around it | 3.6 m (12 ft) circle | 4.5 m (15 ft) circle |
The 90 cm rule
A seated person takes about 60 cm (2 ft) behind the table edge. Add another 30 cm (1 ft) so someone can squeeze past, or 60 cm more if people need to walk behind the chairs carrying plates. That is why the comfortable sizes are bigger than the furniture suggests.
Add up the zones
If the patio does more than one thing, size each part and add them together. Dining for six plus a grill area is about 3.6 × 5 m (12 × 16 ft). A grill needs roughly 1 × 2 m with at least 1 m (3 ft) of clear space around it and should never sit under a low roof or next to a door that is used all the time.
Mistakes that make patios too small
- Measuring only the table, not the chairs pulled out.
- Forgetting the door swing and the route from the kitchen to the table.
- Putting a step or a planter where chairs need to go.
- Building to the edge of the furniture, so chair legs drop off into gravel or lawn.
Shape and position
A square patio suits a round table; a rectangle suits a long one. Place it where you get sun at the time you actually sit outside, which for most people means the evening. If that is not next to the house, a path to a second seating area further down the garden is often better than a big patio in the shade.
See also: how wide a garden path should be and small backyard ideas with dimensions.