Guides / Island seating
Bar stool vs counter stool height
Knee room and spacing from the NKBA kitchen planning guidelines. Stool sizes vary by brand.
Short answer
Counter stools have a seat 24 to 26 in off the floor. They go with a 36 in counter, which is most kitchen islands. Bar stools have a seat 28 to 30 in high, for a 42 in bar top. Measure your counter from the floor to the top to know which one you need.
Stool height by counter height
| Seat | Goes with | Seat height | Seat to counter top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counter stool | Counter, 36 in | 24 to 26 in | 10 to 12 in |
| Bar stool | Bar, 42 in | 28 to 30 in | 12 to 14 in |
| Dining chair | Table, 30 in | 18 to 19 in | 11 to 12 in |
Seat height is the floor to the top of the seat cushion. The gap is what your legs get between the seat and the counter.
Which counter do you have?
Run a tape from the floor to the top of the counter. About 36 in is counter height. About 42 in is bar height. Most islands are 36 in all the way across. A raised ledge on the back of an island sits at 42 in.
If your island has both, you pick one height for each side. One stool won't work at both.
What happens with the wrong one
A bar stool at a 36 in counter leaves 6 to 8 in for your legs. Your thighs hit the underside of the top. A counter stool at a 42 in bar leaves 16 to 18 in. You sit low and reach up to eat.
Stores mix up the two names, so trust the seat height over the label.
Knee room under the counter
Your knees need somewhere to go. NKBA wants 15 in of overhang at a 36 in counter and 12 in at a 42 in bar. At a 30 in table it's 18 in. Bar stools need less, since you sit taller and your legs hang down more.
Stone past about 10 in of overhang usually needs steel brackets or corbels. Ask your fabricator what they'll warranty.
How many stools fit
Give each seat 24 in of counter. Swivels and stools with arms want 28 to 30 in. Only count the stretch with knee room under it.
| Seating length | At 24 in each | At 28 in each |
|---|---|---|
| 48 in (4 ft) | 2 | 1 |
| 72 in (6 ft) | 3 | 2 |
| 96 in (8 ft) | 4 | 3 |
| 120 in (10 ft) | 5 | 4 |
Room behind the stools
Measure from the counter edge to the wall or counter behind the stools.
| Behind the stools | You need |
|---|---|
| Nobody walks behind | 32 in |
| People squeeze past now and then | 36 in |
| It's a walkway | 44 in |
Under 32 in, nobody can pull a stool out to sit down.
Before you buy
Check the seat height in the listing. The overall height counts the back, so it always reads taller than the seat. Then measure your own counter at the spot you'll sit.