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Tablecloth Size Guide

• February 02, 2021
• Recent News
• CTC Corp

Get the right size tablecloths the first time with our tablecloth sizing guide.

Table linens are essential tools of the restaurant trade and actually increase customer satisfaction. But does size actually matter when it comes to your tablecloths? The answer is yes! There are many things to consider before buying tablecloths for your restaurant. But of all the things that go into that checklist, the most important of them all is size. 

CTC’s Tablecloth Size Guide for Precision Table-Making

You can have colors that do or don’t match or mix and match patterns against any styling advice. None of that matters, however, as much as the size of the tablecloths. Go a size too small and it looks silly. It’s also bad for your tables. Get them way too large and you’re risking not only a design faux pas but also dangerous tripping accidents. That’s just courting disaster.

But how do you know what size to get? We’ve got some answers for you.

Types of Tables and Size Options

No good tablecloth size guide exists without basic information on standard table sizes and shapes:

• Round Tables. The common height for seat-in round tables is 30 inches. These are the most commonly available standard sizes (in diameter):

• • 30 inches
  • 36 inches
  • 48 inches
  • 60 inches
  • 72 inches

• Rectangular Tables. As with round tables, rectangular tables also come with the standard 30-inch height:

• •  6-feet or 72”x30”
  •  8-feet or 96”x30”

• Square Tables. The most common option for restaurants, most standard, and commercially available square tables also come up to 30 inches in height:

• • 30 inches
  • 36 inches
  • 42 inches
  • 60 inches

What Size Tablecloths Do I Need?

Whether you’re dressing up tables for your daily service, or are aiming for special event banquets, the right-sized tablecloths are of prime importance. They define the look of the tables. The length of the tablecloth drop – or how far down the sides of the table gets covered by the linen – can mean the difference between casual and formal dining. Additionally, table coverage hangs in the balance. You need enough linen to cover-up your tables and protect them from spills and stains.

How do you measure the size of the tablecloth based on these specifications? We have a simple formula you can keep handy:

Round and Square Tablecloth Size Guide

The first things to identify are (a) the size of your table and (b) the length of the drop. For example, you wish for your round tables to be covered halfway down their length. For a standard table with a 30-inch height, the halfway mark is at 15”. You take this number and multiply it by 2, before adding the diameter of your table. If your table measures 48 inches in diameter, the formula would be: 15” x 2 = 30. 30+48 = 78” round tablecloth. For draping tablecloths, you can adjust the size of the drop and follow the same formula to come up with the right-sized tablecloth for your restaurant.

Rectangular Tablecloth Size Guide

Finding the right size for a rectangular table is slightly more complicated than square or round tables because of the different measurements on the two sides of the table. But a modified version of the aforementioned formula can still be applied. First, identify the size of the drop. For example, you want the drop at a halfway mark of 15”. As usual, you take this number and multiply it by 2 (Note that this measurement formula will give you a uniform drop on all sides of the table). That gives you 30. You take this number and add it to the length, and then to the width. For a 72”x30” table, it would be (30+72”) and (30+30”), respectively. That gives you a 60”x102” tablecloth.

CTC Has the Tablecloths You’re Looking For

Contact CTC today! CTC is the Oklahoma restaurant linen service company with the best table linen options and the most incredible linen service around. Give us a call at (800) 926-5646 to learn more about your options and get information about our Oklahoma restaurant linen service.