How Do You Make Dining Table Taller?

Four Ways to Raise a Table

You can make a dining table taller by fitting furniture risers under the existing legs, adding threaded leg extenders, replacing the legs entirely with longer ones, or building a plinth for the whole table to sit on. Risers are the quickest option and add 5cm to 15cm. Replacement legs give the cleanest result and allow any height you choose.

Standard UK dining table height is 75cm. Counter height is around 90cm, and bar height is around 105cm to 110cm. Knowing which of those you are aiming for determines the method, because a 5cm lift and a 30cm lift are very different jobs.

Working Out the Height You Need

Measure from the floor to the underside of the tabletop or apron, then compare against your chair seat height. You want 25cm to 30cm between the seat and the underside of the table. Less than 25cm and thighs press against the frame; more than 30cm and the table feels too high relative to the seat.

Standard dining chairs sit at 45cm to 47cm, pairing with a 75cm table. Counter stools at 60cm to 65cm need a table around 90cm. Bar stools at 75cm to 80cm need a table at 105cm to 110cm.

If the problem is that people feel cramped, check the apron depth as well as the height. A table with a deep apron reduces usable clearance without changing the overall height, and raising the table is not the only fix: slimmer chairs or a different seat height may solve it.

Furniture Risers

Risers are cups or blocks that the existing legs sit inside. They come in wood, rubber, metal and heavy plastic, typically adding 5cm to 15cm.

They are the fastest solution, needing no tools and causing no permanent change. Fit them by tipping the table carefully with help, placing a riser under each leg, and lowering it back down.

The limitation is stability. Risers raise the centre of gravity without widening the base, and taller risers on a table that already has slim legs can introduce noticeable wobble. Stick to the lower end of the range on lightweight tables.

Check the riser cup matches your leg profile. Round cups do not hold square legs securely, and a leg that is not properly seated will slip out.

Look for risers with non slip pads on the underside, particularly on hard floors, and check the stated weight rating against a loaded table.

Threaded Leg Extenders

Extenders screw into the base of an existing leg, either into an existing threaded insert or into a new insert you fit yourself. They give a more integrated result than risers because the extension becomes part of the leg.

If your table has adjustable feet, unscrew one and check the thread size. Common sizes are M8 and M10. Extenders in matching threads screw straight in.

If there is no existing thread, you can drill and fit a threaded insert into the base of each leg. This requires a solid leg with enough material to take the insert, and the holes must be drilled straight or the table will lean.

Extenders typically add 5cm to 20cm. Beyond that, the leverage on the joint becomes a concern.

Replacing the Legs

New legs give the best result and the greatest range of adjustment. It is also the only method that changes the appearance of the table, which can be an advantage.

Check how the existing legs attach. Bolt on legs with a metal mounting plate are simple to swap: unbolt, position the new plate, mark, pre drill and bolt on. Legs joined into an apron with mortise and tenon joints are a much larger undertaking and often not worth attempting.

Measure the required leg length as your target table height minus the thickness of the top and any mounting plate. Getting this wrong by even a centimetre is obvious once the table is standing.

Hairpin legs are widely available in heights up to around 100cm, though very tall hairpins flex noticeably. Straight tapered timber legs and metal box section legs are more rigid at greater heights.

For a table going to counter or bar height, four legs alone may not give enough lateral stability. Adding a stretcher rail between the legs, or choosing a design with a built in cross brace, makes a substantial difference.

Building a Plinth

A plinth is a low platform that the entire table stands on, raising it uniformly. This suits tables with pedestal or trestle bases where individual leg risers will not work.

Build it from timber to the height you need, sized so it sits just inside the footprint of the table base. It should not be visible from a standing position. Fit non slip pads underneath and check it is level in both directions.

The advantage is that the table remains completely unmodified. The disadvantage is that the plinth needs to be reasonably substantial to look intentional rather than improvised, and it takes up floor space.

Stability Matters More Than Height

Whichever method you choose, a raised table is inherently less stable than it was. Raising the height increases leverage on every joint and moves the centre of gravity upwards.

Before and after, check every joint on the table. Tighten any loose bolts, and reglue any joints that show movement. A loose joint on a 75cm table becomes a genuine problem on a 95cm one.

Test the finished table by pushing firmly at one corner. Any noticeable rock means the base needs widening or bracing rather than simply accepting.

On carpet, add wider feet or pads to spread the load, since concentrated weight on a small foot sinks in and creates instability.

When Raising Is the Wrong Solution

If you need a genuine counter or bar height table, converting a 75cm dining table by adding 15cm to 30cm is rarely satisfactory. The proportions look stretched, the stability suffers, and the finished piece tends to look modified rather than designed.

A purpose built bar table is engineered for that height, with a base weighted and proportioned accordingly. Our modern bar tables UK sale range covers counter and bar heights properly designed for the job.

Similarly, if the reason for raising the table is that your chairs are too tall, changing the chairs is easier and cheaper than modifying the table. Our modern dining chairs UK sale range includes a full range of seat heights, and our modern bar stools UK sale selection covers counter and bar seating including gas lift designs with adjustable heights.

Gas lift stools are worth particular mention: they adapt to whatever height your table happens to be, which removes the problem entirely without touching the table.

Choosing the Right Approach

For a small adjustment of 5cm or less, risers or extenders are proportionate to the problem. For 5cm to 15cm on a table with bolt on legs, replacement legs give the best result. For a pedestal base, a plinth is usually the only workable option. For anything over 20cm, buying a table designed for that height will almost always produce a better outcome.

Whatever you choose, measure the clearance between seat and tabletop rather than the table height in isolation. That relationship is what actually determines comfort.

At Furniture in Fashion we stock dining tables, bar tables, chairs and stools in a wide range of heights and styles. We offer free delivery to most UK mainland postcodes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is standard dining table height in the UK?
Around 75cm from the floor to the tabletop, paired with chairs at a 45cm to 47cm seat height. Counter height is roughly 90cm and bar height is 105cm to 110cm.

How much clearance do I need between chair seat and table?
Between 25cm and 30cm. Less than that and legs press against the underside of the table; more and the table sits uncomfortably high relative to the seat.

Are furniture risers stable enough for a dining table?
For lifts of up to around 10cm on a table with a wide, solid base, yes. Taller risers on slim legged tables introduce wobble, and the weight rating should always be checked.

Can I raise a pedestal table with risers?
Not usually, since there are no individual legs to sit in cups. A plinth that the whole base stands on is the workable solution for pedestal designs.

Is it better to raise the table or change the chairs?
Changing the chairs is nearly always simpler, and gas lift stools adjust to any table height. Modify the table only when the table height itself is genuinely the problem.