★ EVERYDAY · SIZE CHARTS · TABLE LINENS
A 48-inch round table with an 8-inch drop needs a 64-inch cloth. Pick your table shape and size, choose how far the cloth should hang, and get the exact cloth size — or look it up in the full chart below.
The rule is the same for every shape: the cloth hangs down on both sides, so the cloth size is the table size plus two drops. A round or square table needs one number; a rectangular table needs a length and a width, each grown by two drops.
The drop is how far the cloth hangs below the table's edge, and it is counted twice because the cloth hangs on both sides. A casual 6-inch drop just covers the edge and keeps the cloth out of laps; an everyday 8- to 10-inch drop is the usual family-table look; a formal 15-inch drop hangs to about chair-seat height and reads as dressed-up without pooling; a 30-inch floor-length drop reaches the floor on a standard-height table and is the banquet and wedding standard. Pick the drop first, then let the rule do the rest: cloth = table + 2 × drop. If the exact cloth size is not sold, buy the next size up rather than the next size down — a cloth that is a little long still drapes, while a cloth that is a little short pulls up and exposes the edge.
For a round table, measure straight across the middle: that diameter is the size. For a square table, measure one side. For a rectangular table, measure the long side and the short side separately, and grow each by two drops — a 60 by 40-inch table at a 10-inch drop needs 80 by 60 inches, not 80 by 80. Measure at the tabletop, not including any leaf you plan to remove, and if the table has a thick edge or a raised rim, measure over it the way the cloth will sit. Rectangular cloths are usually sold by length first, then width, so an 80 by 60-inch cloth is 80 inches long and 60 inches wide.
| Table | Drop | Cloth size |
|---|---|---|
| Round, 36 in | 6 in (casual) | 48 in round |
| Round, 36 in | 8 in (everyday) | 52 in round |
| Round, 42 in | 10 in (everyday) | 62 in round |
| Round, 48 in | 8 in (everyday) | 64 in round |
| Round, 48 in | 15 in (formal) | 78 in round |
| Round, 54 in | 10 in (everyday) | 74 in round |
| Round, 60 in | 8 in (everyday) | 76 in round |
| Round, 60 in | 15 in (formal) | 90 in round |
| Round, 60 in | 30 in (floor-length) | 120 in round |
| Square, 36 in | 6 in (casual) | 48 in square |
| Square, 36 in | 8 in (everyday) | 52 in square |
| Square, 42 in | 10 in (everyday) | 62 in square |
| Square, 48 in | 8 in (everyday) | 64 in square |
| Square, 48 in | 15 in (formal) | 78 in square |
| Rectangular, 48 × 30 in | 8 in (everyday) | 64 × 46 in |
| Rectangular, 60 × 40 in | 10 in (everyday) | 80 × 60 in |
| Rectangular, 72 × 36 in | 15 in (formal) | 102 × 66 in |
| Rectangular, 72 × 30 in | 30 in (floor-length) | 132 × 90 in |
| Rectangular, 96 × 48 in | 15 in (formal) | 126 × 78 in |
| Rectangular, 96 × 40 in | 10 in (everyday) | 116 × 60 in |
Every row follows cloth = table + 2 × drop on each dimension: for example, 48 + 2 × 8 = 64, and 60 + 2 × 10 = 80 with 40 + 2 × 10 = 60.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Round or square cloth | Table size + 2 × drop | 48 + 2 × 8 = 64 in at the defaults. |
| Rectangular cloth length | Table length + 2 × drop | 60 + 2 × 10 = 80 in for the 60 by 40-inch example. |
| Rectangular cloth width | Table width + 2 × drop | 40 + 2 × 10 = 60 in for the same example. |
| Why twice the drop | One drop on each side | The cloth hangs on both sides, so the drop is counted twice. |
The rule is exact geometry: cloth = table + 2 × drop, with no allowance added. Real cloths vary by maker, and some are cut a little generous or a little short, so if your computed size falls between sold sizes, buy up. A drop measured to the floor assumes a standard table height of about 30 inches; on a taller or shorter table, a 30-inch drop will not land exactly on the floor, so measure from the tabletop to the floor if floor-length is the goal. Thick table edges, leaves, and table pads all change the effective size, so measure the table as it will actually be dressed.
Bright Side Kit. "Tablecloth Size Chart: Round, Square & Rectangular Tables." https://brightoolbox.com/tablecloth-size-chart/ Accessed October 24, 2026.64 inches at an 8-inch everyday drop: 48 + 2 × 8 = 64. At a formal 15-inch drop the same table needs 78 inches.
Cloth size = table size + 2 × drop, because the cloth hangs down on both sides. For a rectangular table, apply the rule to the length and the width separately.
6 inches is casual, 8 to 10 inches is everyday, 15 inches is formal (about chair-seat height), and 30 inches is floor-length on a standard-height table.
At a 10-inch drop, 80 by 60 inches: 60 + 20 = 80 for the length and 40 + 20 = 60 for the width.
Buy up. A cloth that is a little long still drapes; a cloth that is a little short pulls up and exposes the table edge.
It depends on the width and the drop: a 72 by 30-inch table at a 30-inch floor-length drop needs 132 by 90 inches, and the same table at a 15-inch formal drop needs 102 by 60 inches.
Yes. The drop is the hang below the edge on one side, and the cloth has two sides, so the rule adds the drop twice.
Measure straight across the middle, through the centre: that diameter is the table size. Then add twice your chosen drop.