Journal · Buying guides · 5 min read
How to Choose a Teak Dining Table: Size, Finish and Chairs
How many it seats, the space to leave around it, the shape and base, the four teak finishes and the chairs that belong with it.
Start with the number of people: a 180 cm teak table seats six, 240 cm seats eight and 300 cm seats ten, and a 120 cm round table seats four. Then leave at least 90 cm between the table edge and the wall, choose a finish for the room's light, and pair the chairs.
A solid teak table is the piece a dining room is built around, so the order matters: size and clearance first, then shape and base, then the finish, then the chairs.
Size, Seating and Space
Allow about 60 cm of table edge for each person. Along a 180 cm table that is three a side, six in all; at 240 cm it is four a side; at 300 cm, five a side and room for ten. A 120 cm round table seats four close together.
Width matters too. A table 100 cm wide leaves room down the middle for serving dishes; at 90 cm, a narrow room keeps its walkway at the cost of a little table space.
Leave at least 90 cm between the table edge and the wall or the sideboard, so a chair can slide back and someone can pass behind it. On a main walkway, 100 to 120 cm keeps the room moving while people sit.
Measure the room, take off the clearance on every side, and what remains is the largest table that fits. A dining area 3.6 metres long and 3 metres wide leaves room for a 180 cm table seating six.
Shape and Base
A long rectangular table suits most dining rooms and seats the most people. A round table suits a square room or a small one: there are no corners to walk into, and everyone can talk across it.
Look at the base before the top. Four legs at the corners leave every side open. A trestle or pedestal base keeps the corners clear but puts a foot under the middle, so check where knees and chair legs will sit. A metal frame gives a lighter look under a solid teak top.
The Four Teak Finishes
Our teak comes in four finishes. Natural Teak is finely sanded in the wood's own golden brown, with the grain clear. Golden Brushed Teak is warmer and brighter, its grain softly raised. Saddle Brown Brushed is deeper and more neutral, and Mocha Brushed is the darkest, a cool brown with hints of charcoal.
Choose by the light. In a darker room, natural or golden keeps the table bright. In a room full of daylight, saddle brown or mocha grounds the space. Whichever you choose, light deepens teak a little over the years.
Chairs That Belong to the Table
Choose chairs in the same teak finish as the table, so the wood reads as one. Then choose the seat: leather wipes clean and softens with use, fabric brings colour and a softer touch, and woven rattan keeps a chair light to the eye.
Armchairs need more room. Allow about 60 cm of table edge for a side chair and a little more for a chair with arms, and check that the arms slide under the table top.
The Rug and the Light
A rug under the table should reach at least 60 cm beyond the table edge on every side, so the chairs stay on it when they are pulled back. For a 180 cm by 100 cm table, that means a rug of about 300 by 220 cm.
Hang a pendant about 70 to 80 cm above the table top, centred on the table rather than the room. A long table often takes two pendants or one linear light, so the light falls along its whole length and the grain shows at dinner.
Care for a Teak Dining Table
Daily care is a soft cloth. Wipe spills at once, put mats under hot dishes and wet glasses, and oil the top once or twice a year with a clear furniture oil. Keep the table out of direct sun so it deepens evenly.
Practical Questions
What size teak dining table seats six people?
A 180 cm table seats six, three on each side. Leave at least 90 cm around it, so the room needs to be about 360 cm long.
Is a teak dining table good for daily use?
Yes. Solid teak is dense and naturally oily, so it stays stable and takes daily wear, and its marks can be sanded and re-oiled.
Round or rectangular for a small dining room?
A 120 cm round table seats four and leaves no corners to walk into, which suits a small or square room. A 180 cm rectangle seats six against a wall.
Before You Choose
Bring your room's measurements and a photograph to the Glenmarie flagship in Shah Alam. Our design team will mark the table and the space around it on your plan, and you can sit at the teak tables in each finish before you decide.
Planning a Full Home?
We can help with layouts, materials and pieces that work together.
