What size tablecloth do I need? A UK size guide

To work out what size tablecloth you need, measure your table top and add twice the drop you want, the drop being how far the cloth hangs over each edge. For everyday use that drop is 20 to 30 cm, so in practice you add 40 to 60 cm to both the length and the width of the table. A table of 180 x 90 cm, which seats six, needs a cloth of about 220 to 240 cm by 130 to 150 cm.

What the drop is, and how long it should be

The drop is the part of the tablecloth that hangs down over the edge of the table. It decides how the table looks more than anything else, and getting it wrong is the most common tablecloth mistake: too short and the cloth looks like it has shrunk, too long and it sits in everyone's lap.

For an everyday or casual table, a drop of 20 to 30 cm looks right. The cloth covers the table edge and the top of the frame without bunching up in anyone's lap. Around 25 cm is a good target if you are not sure.

For a formal dinner, such as Christmas, you can go a little longer, to 30 to 40 cm. The extra length looks more generous and hangs in deeper folds, especially in linen. Much beyond 40 cm and the cloth starts to bunch on laps.

Floor length cloths, with a drop equal to the height of the table, which is about 75 cm on most UK dining tables, are for buffet tables, display tables and occasions where nobody sits close to the edge.

How to measure your table

Use a tape measure across the top of the table only, not including any overhang from a cloth already on it. Measure in centimetres and round to the nearest centimetre.

Rectangular tables

Measure the length and the width. Add twice your drop to each. For a 25 cm drop on a 160 x 90 cm table, that is 160 + 50 = 210 cm long and 90 + 50 = 140 cm wide, so you are looking for a cloth of about 140 x 210 cm. A little more or less is fine: a cloth within 10 cm of your ideal will look right.

Square tables

Measure one side and add twice the drop. A 90 cm square table, the usual size for four, needs a cloth of about 130 to 150 cm square.

Round tables

Measure the diameter, straight across the middle at the widest point. Add twice the drop to get the diameter of the cloth you need. A 100 cm round table with a 25 cm drop needs a 150 cm round cloth.

You can also put a square cloth on a round table. The sides will hang at your chosen drop while the four corners fall lower, which gives a relaxed, layered look many people prefer. Choose the square so that its side equals the table's diameter plus twice the drop.

Oval tables

Measure the length and the width at the widest points, then add twice the drop to each, exactly as for a rectangle. An oval cloth will follow the shape of the table evenly. A rectangular cloth works too: the drop along the sides and ends will be what you planned, and the corners of the cloth will hang a little lower where the table curves away.

Extending tables

Measure the table at the size you use it most. If you only extend it at Christmas, it is often worth having a second, longer cloth for those days rather than a cloth that hangs to the floor at the ends for the rest of the year.

Tablecloth size chart for UK dining tables

The chart below gives typical table sizes for each number of guests and the cloth that gives a 25 cm drop, which is the table plus 50 cm each way. Tables vary, so treat these as a starting point and measure your own.

For a formal 35 cm drop, add 70 cm to each measurement instead of 50 cm. For a shorter, neater 20 cm drop, add 40 cm.

Choosing the width

Most tablecloths sold in the UK come in a small number of standard widths, typically 130 to 150 cm, with a choice of lengths. That means the width is usually decided for you, and the drop along the sides will be a little shorter or longer than at the ends.

That is fine. On a 90 cm wide table, a 140 cm cloth gives a 25 cm drop on each side. On a wider 100 cm table, the same cloth gives 20 cm, which still covers the edge neatly and keeps the cloth well clear of laps. Prioritise getting the length right, because the ends are where a short cloth shows most.

Matching our tablecloths to your table

All three of our tablecloths come in standard widths with a choice of lengths, so the guide above translates directly.

The Echizen linen tablecloth is 100% linen in a plain weave with simple hemmed edges, in natural, ivory, light grey, sage or terracotta. It is 135 cm wide, in 135 x 135, 135 x 180, 135 x 220, 135 x 260 and 135 x 300 cm. The square suits a 90 cm square or round table, the 180 cm length a table for four of about 120 cm, the 220 cm length a table for six of 160 to 180 cm, and the longer sizes tables for eight to ten. Linen can shrink a little on its first wash, so if you are between two lengths, take the longer one.

The Tsubame cotton linen tablecloth is a textured cotton and linen blend with a woven stripe band down the centre and tassels on all four edges, in oatmeal, blue grey or dove grey. It is 140 cm wide, in lengths of 180, 220, 260 and 300 cm. On a typical 180 x 90 cm table for six, the 140 x 220 cm size gives a 25 cm drop at the sides and 20 cm at the ends.

The Iiyama check tablecloth is a cotton linen blend woven with a raised grid, so the check shows as texture rather than print, with a tasselled hem. It comes in oat or stone grey, in 90 x 140, 140 x 140, 140 x 180, 140 x 220 and 140 x 260 cm. The 140 x 140 cm size suits a 90 cm round or square table, and the small 90 x 140 cm size works on a little two seater kitchen table or laid over a larger plain cloth as a topper.

If you want to dress the table further, a runner over the cloth adds a second layer. Our table runner size guide covers lengths and widths, and our Christmas table setting ideas show how to put it all together. For care, see how to wash and care for linen.

Frequently asked questions

How much bigger than the table should a tablecloth be?

For everyday use, 40 to 60 cm bigger in both length and width, which gives a drop of 20 to 30 cm on every side. For a formal dinner you can go up to about 80 cm bigger, for a drop of up to 40 cm.

What size tablecloth do I need for a table that seats 6?

A typical UK table for six is about 180 x 90 cm, so you need a cloth of around 140 x 230 cm for a 25 cm drop. A 220 cm long cloth gives a slightly shorter drop at the ends, and a 260 cm cloth a longer, more formal one.

What size tablecloth do I need for a round table?

Measure the diameter of the table and add twice the drop. A 120 cm round table for six needs a cloth about 170 cm across for a 25 cm drop, or you can use a square cloth of the same size and let the corners fall lower.

What is the standard drop for a tablecloth?

Around 25 cm is the usual drop for everyday dining, with 20 to 30 cm all looking right. Formal tables often use 30 to 40 cm, and buffet or display tables go all the way to the floor.