How Wide Should a Dining Table Bench Be?

A dining bench looks like a simple piece of furniture, yet its dimensions have to be more precise than a chair because there is no back to correct a poor sitting position. This guide gives the depth, length and height that work in real dining rooms, and explains why bench length should always fall short of the table it serves. It covers how much width each person needs, the situations where a bench genuinely outperforms chairs, and why most households are better off combining a bench on one side with chairs on the other. There is practical guidance on the construction details that keep a longer bench solid, what to check on storage benches with lifting seats, and how to style a bare timber bench so it sits comfortably alongside upholstered seating. Follow the dimensions given and a bench becomes the most space efficient seating a dining room can have....