The confusion, the wasted time and headaches must stop when it comes to pub height and counter height furniture shopping! My wife and I caused ourselves a boat load of aggravation not long ago when we purchased a pub height table set online. It was not the fault of the online vendor, it was our fault. We thought we knew what we were doing and, as it turns out, we didn't. With just a bit of research we could have saved ourselves the headache and the time. I felt foolish for not doing some simple homework so now I'm telling you…

The term “Pub Height,” when discussing furniture, is often used to describe a furniture item (be it chair, stool or table) that is taller than the normal height of a typical kitchen table. When looking into purchasing furniture the inaccurate use and misunderstanding of this term can lead to costly mistakes and a big headache.

First let's go over the terminology that is used in the business. When discussing the heights of tables and chairs the terms “seat height” and “table height' are used. Seat height is the measurement from the floor to the top of the seat of a barstool or chair. Table height is the measurement from the floor to the top of the table. This is important to note when shopping for tables especially as some tables can be quite a bit thicker than others. Something to keep in mind!

There are actually three different height classifications of tables, chairs and stools that are all often referred to as “pub height.” The first is called Counter Height which has a seat height range of 24 to 26 inches and typically will work well with table heights of 35 to 37 inches tall. The name Counter Height is taken from the typical height of a standard kitchen counter (roughly 36 inches).

The second height classification is called Pub Height or Bar Height. The seat height in this class is typically somewhere between 29 and 31 inches and goes well with table heights in the 41 to 43 inch range.

The third classification is called, not to creatively, Extra Tall. You've probably seen Extra Tall tables and chairs maybe at your favorite bar or event hall. This height range is sometimes called Commercial Height depending on the area. An Extra Tall stool or chair will have a seat height of 33 to 35 inches and should work well with tables measuring from 44 to 46 inches.

You may have noticed from the above numbers that there is an easy way to remember what heights work with what. If you allow for roughly 12 inches between the seat height and the table height you should be in pretty good shape. Be sure to take into consideration an unusually thick table top. If you are dealing with a heavy wooden table a few inches thick keep it in mind when measuring seat heights and choosing chairs.

Hopefully this little article will save you at least some time and maybe some money or the hassle next time you're shopping for furniture!