Bar Stool Seat Height Guide: Counter vs Bar Height, in Inches and CM
The right bar stool seat height for your counter, in inches and centimeters: counter stools, bar stools, extra tall, and how many fit along your island.
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Bar stool seat height, the short answer
A counter stool seat is 24 to 26 inches high (61 to 66 cm), for a 36 inch kitchen counter. A bar stool seat is 28 to 32 inches (71 to 81 cm), for a 40 to 42 inch bar. Your counter is 36 inches? Buy counter stools, not bar stools.
The rule to remember: Measure from the floor to the top of your counter, take off 10 to 12 inches, and buy the stool whose seat height lands in that range.
For most kitchens, that's it. Already know you need counter stools? Here are the ten I'd buy, most sold as a pair. The rest of this page is for everything else: the in-between counters, the raised bars, how many stools fit along an island, and the number on a listing that sends stools back.
Bar stool height chart (inches and cm)
Stools come in three heights, each named after the surface it goes with. The names slip, though: plenty of stools listed as "bar stools" are really counter stools. Trust the seat height on the listing, not the name.
| Height | Counter or bar | Stool seat |
|---|---|---|
| Counter height | 34-36 in86-91 cm | 22-26 in56-66 cm |
| Bar height | 40-42 in102-107 cm | 28-32 in71-81 cm |
| Extra tall | 44-47 in112-119 cm | 32-37 in81-94 cm |
A bar is only 6 inches taller than a counter, and those 6 inches decide whether your legs slide under the top or press against it.
Counter height vs bar height: the seat height for your counter
What makes a stool comfortable is the gap between the seat and the top of the counter. Under 10 inches, your thighs press against the underside. Over 12, the counter sits at chest height and you eat like a kid at the grown-ups' table.
You'll see 9 inches quoted too. It only works with a thin countertop and slim legs, so I'd start at 10. Measure your counter, then find it here.
| Your counter | Seat height | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| 34 in86 cm | 22-24 in56-61 cm | Counter stool |
| 36 in91 cm | 24-26 in61-66 cm | Counter stool |
| 38 in97 cm | 26-28 in66-71 cm | 26 in counter or 28 in bar |
| 40 in102 cm | 28-30 in71-76 cm | Bar stool |
| 42 in107 cm | 30-32 in76-81 cm | 30-32 in bar or 32 in extra tall |
| 44 in112 cm | 32-34 in81-86 cm | 32 in bar or 32-34 in extra tall |
| 46 in117 cm | 34-36 in86-91 cm | Extra tall stool |
| 48 in122 cm | 36-38 in91-97 cm | Extra tall stool, 36-37 in |
A 38 inch counter falls between counter and bar height, and either stool works there: a 26 inch counter stool leaves you 12 inches, a 28 inch bar stool 10. If you can't decide, or you might move, an adjustable pair settles it.
Bar stool footrest height
Whatever the height, look for a footrest. Without one, your feet dangle and you end up hooking your heels on the legs. Aim for about 7 to 9 inches off the floor on a counter stool, and 10 to 12 on a bar stool.
Seat height or overall height: the number to read on a listing
Of everything on a listing, this is the line I'd read twice.
A stool with a back is often listed by its overall height: floor to the top of the back. That sits well above the seat. Read it as the seat height, and a counter stool passes for a bar stool.
So find the line that says seat height. On a backless stool the seat is the top, and the two numbers match. The adjustable pair just below shows the trap: its 36.5 to 44.5 inches are the top of the back, not where you sit.
Yaheetech Adjustable Swivel Bar Stools, Set of 2
A gas lift moves each seat up and down through about 8 inches, so one pair can be tuned to an in-between counter. Both stools swivel all the way around, so nobody has to climb off to talk to the room.
How many bar stools fit at your counter
Most stools are sold in pairs or sets of four, so count your seats before you pick a set, or you end up with a lonely fourth stool in the hallway.
| Counter length | Backless stools | With a back or swivel |
|---|---|---|
| 48 in122 cm | 2 | 1 |
| 60 in152 cm | 2 | 2 |
| 72 in183 cm | 3 | 2 |
| 96 in244 cm | 4 | 3 |
| 120 in305 cm | 5 | 4 |
Treat 24 inches per stool as the minimum. If you have the room, 26 to 30 feels better, and elbows don't meet over breakfast.
A 6-foot island (72 inches) takes three backless stools at 24 inches each, none hanging off a corner. Three is the awkward number: look for a model also sold alone, and buy a pair plus one.
Behind the stools, keep 36 inches of walkway, enough for someone to reach the fridge while you sit.
If people will linger at the island, not just grab a coffee, get a back. Backless stools look cleaner and tuck all the way under, but nobody stays on one past dessert. Once you know your height and your count, here are the cheap bar stools I'd buy, sorted by height, most of them sold as a pair or a set of four.
Stools with arms or a back: will they slide under?
Arms have to clear the underside of the counter, not the top. Measure from the floor to the underside of the overhang, then compare it with the arm height on the listing. If the arms are higher, the stools stay out in the room all day, right where people walk.
A back alone doesn't need to slide under. It just needs the wider spacing from the chart above.
Counter-height table, pub table or raised island: which stool?
A counter-height table takes counter stools. It stands at about 36 inches, like the counter, so it wants the same 24 to 26 inch seat. A pub table is usually bar height.
A regular dining table takes chairs, not stools. At 29 to 30 inches, it wants a seat of 17 to 19 inches, which is a dining chair. If that's your table, my budget dining chairs are sized for it.
An island with a raised ledge has two heights. If you sit at the raised part, measure the ledge, not the counter under it. A 42 inch ledge takes bar stools.
How to measure for bar stools
You need a tape measure and the spot where the stools will stand.
- Measure the counter height. From the floor to the top of the counter, right where the stools will go. If a rug goes under them, measure from the rug.
- Take off 10 to 12 inches. That range is your seat height. Find it in the chart above.
- Measure under the overhang, for stools with arms.
- Measure the length you'll sit along. Count about 24 inches per backless stool and 28 per stool with a back or a swivel.
- Read the seat height on the listing, not the overall height, and check it against your number.
FAQ
How tall should a bar stool be for a 36 inch counter?
A seat of 24 to 26 inches (61 to 66 cm). That is a counter stool, even when the listing calls it a bar stool.
How tall should a bar stool be for a 42 inch bar?
A seat of 30 to 32 inches (76 to 81 cm), sold as bar height. A 28 inch seat is made for a 40 inch bar. At 42, it leaves you 14 inches, and the counter ends up at chest height.
What is the difference between counter height and bar height?
About 6 inches. Counter height is 34 to 36 inches, with stool seats of 22 to 26. Bar height is 40 to 42 inches, with seats of 28 to 32. Most kitchen counters are counter height; bar height is for raised ledges and pub tables.
How much space should there be between the seat and the counter?
10 to 12 inches, from the top of the seat to the top of the counter. On a 36 inch counter, that means a 24 to 26 inch seat.
Can I use bar stools at a kitchen counter?
Not at a standard 36 inch counter. A 30 inch seat leaves you only 6 inches, so your thighs press against the underside. Bar stools need a counter of 40 inches or more.
How many stools fit at an 8 foot island?
Four backless stools, or three with backs or a swivel. Eight feet is 96 inches, so four backless stools fit at 24 inches each, with no room to spare.
Will stools with arms fit under my counter?
Only if the arms are lower than the underside of the counter. Measure under the overhang and compare it with the arm height on the listing.
The ranked roundupYou know your height. These are the ten stools I'd buy for a counter or a bar, from farmhouse wood to swivel seats, most sold as a pair.
See the bar stools
