When
selecting a conference room table, one of the first things you need to
determine is the size and seating capacity that is required. In order to do this, there are many factors
that need to be determined.
Most
conference room chairs will be 24"-30" in width. Typically a width of 30" per person is
recommended as a minimum. This is most
commonly used when the size of the room limits the size of the conference room
table that can be used. If you have
extra room to spare, 36" is very comfortable, and is an appropriate size
for boardroom use.
For
situations that require more space (if each employee is using their own laptop
computer, for example) a larger space of 42" may be preferable.
Shape and Seating
Capacity
The shape of
your conference table also determines the amount of seating space per person
that can be used.
Rectangular, Square, or Boat Shaped: These tend to be the most commonly used
conference table shapes, as they also provide the most space. To determine the seating capacity of these
table shapes, use the following simple formula:
Racetrack Shape:
This shape consists of a rectangular center with half circle ends. Because of this, you will not be able to fit
quite as many people. For this shape,
the following formula can be used:
Round Shape:
This shape is also popular, but can be somewhat inefficient when one is
concerned about space. It is also
important to make sure to not crowd the user's leg space. When determining the seating capacity, this
shape tends to have the easiest formula:
Keystone Shape:
This shape is used primarily for video conferencing, and therefore the
wide end part of the table is not typically used for seating. Because of this, it has one less person for
the seating capacity. The formula can be
used below:
U-Shaped, V-Shaped, and Other Unique
Shapes: Because these shapes can be very unique and
often depend on how the manufacturer constructs them, it is best to use the
manufacturer's guidelines to determine the seating capacity.
*If you still questions regarding the potential seating
capacity for a conference table, our friendly staff at Executive Desk Company will
be happy to help. You are able to
contact us anytime between the hours of 8am - 5pm PST, Monday - Friday.
