Table Size Guide

The most common return in seasonal linen is a cloth that turned out an inch short, and it is entirely avoidable: every size follows from two measurements of your table plus one decision about how far the fabric should hang.

Tablecloths: length plus twice the drop

Measure the table's length and width, then add twice your chosen drop to each. The drop is how far the cloth hangs over the edge:

• 6 inches. Casual, keeps the cloth clear of laps and chair arms.
• 8 inches. The everyday default, and what most stocked sizes assume.
• 12 inches. Formal, reaches roughly to seated knee height.

So a 72 by 40 inch table with an 8-inch drop wants about 88 by 56 inches of cloth. The calculator on the home page does this arithmetic for you.

Runners: length plus overhang

A runner should overhang each end by about six inches, so add roughly twelve inches to the table length. Standard runner width is 13 to 14 inches, which is sized to leave room for place settings on both sides. On a round table, a runner is usually replaced by a centre square or nothing at all.

Which material for which spot

Material	Best for	Watch out
Printed polyester	Indoor tables with children or food; wipes clean and folds without creasing	Not flame-resistant; keep clear of open candles
Burlap and linen-look	Rustic autumn tables and mantels	Sheds a little at first; spot-clean rather than machine wash
Plastic table cover	Outdoor parties and classroom craft tables	Single-use in practice; tears at the corners
Outdoor flag fabric	Garden and porch flags, double-sided prints	Fades in strong sun over a season or two

A rule that saves a table

Round up. A cloth an inch long drapes; a cloth an inch short looks like a mistake from every seat. The same goes for runners: an extra inch of overhang reads as intentional.

Ready to shop? The year index lists every occasion, and each shelf shows the pieces already sorted.