Bar Stool Height Guide for Australian Benchtops

For a standard Australian kitchen bench of about 90cm, choose a bar stool with a seat height of about 60 to 65cm; for a bar table or high bench of 105 to 110cm, choose a seat height of about 75 to 81cm. That leaves the 25 to 30cm of leg room most people need. This EasyMart Australia guide covers measuring, gas lift vs fixed, spacing and stools for each height. It goes deeper on stools than our office break room and cafe furniture buying guide.

Quick answer

• Kitchen bench, about 90cm: seat height about 60 to 65cm, often sold as "counter stools".
• Bar table or high bench, about 105 to 110cm: seat height about 75 to 81cm, sold as "bar stools".
• Leg room: aim for 25 to 30cm between the top of the seat and the underside of the bench.
• Spacing: allow about 60cm of bench per stool, measured centre to centre; more for swivel stools with backs or arms.
• Mixed heights: a gas lift stool covers more than one surface; a fixed stool is sturdier and simpler to clean.

How high is a standard bar stool in Australia?

There are two common "standard" heights, and most buying mistakes come from mixing them up. Counter stools have a seat around 60 to 65cm and suit kitchen benches and island benches of about 85 to 90cm. Bar stools have a seat around 75 to 81cm and suit bar tables, high leaners and dry bars of about 100 to 110cm. Standard dining and cafe tables of 72 to 76cm need a chair of about 45cm, not a stool.

How do you measure bar stool height?

Measure two things, both from the floor, with a tape held vertical.

1. Measure the underside of the bench, not the top. A thick stone benchtop or an apron rail under a bar table can take several centimetres off your leg room. Measure to the lowest point your thighs could hit.
2. Check the stool's seat height, not its overall height. Listings often give overall height, which includes the backrest. The Rapidline Aries, for example, is 853mm overall but has a 760mm seat. On a backless stool the two figures are close.
3. Subtract. Underside of bench minus seat height should land between about 25 and 30cm. Below 25cm, knees hit the bench. Above about 33cm, the bench sits too high and people perch rather than sit.

Worked example: the Rapidline High Bar Table is 1050mm high. With an Aries stool at 760mm, the gap is about 29cm, inside the target range. The Rapidline Circular Dry Bar Table is 1085mm high, so the same stool leaves about 32cm, fine for short breaks at a leaner.

Should I buy gas lift or fixed height bar stools?

Gas lift stools suit homes and offices where people of different heights share one bench, or where one stool type has to work at both a kitchen bench and a bar table. The Artiss Jorn gas lift stools adjust from 69 to 82cm, are rated to 150kg and sit on a 41cm base, listed at $140 for two. The Rapidline backless counter and bar stool has a 400mm round PU seat adjusting from 650 to 870mm, a 3 year warranty and a listed price of $154.

Fixed height stools have no mechanism to wear, usually stack or line up neatly, and are easier to wipe down. They suit cafes and break rooms where every bench is the same height. The Rapidline Pixel bar stool has a fixed 730mm seat on a sled base with a foot rail, a 110kg rating and a 5 year warranty at $179.

On a fixed stool, check for a foot rail or ring so legs are supported at bar height.

How far apart should bar stools be?

Allow about 60cm of bench per stool, measured from the centre of one seat to the centre of the next. This matches the 60cm of table edge per person used in our hub guide. Stool width tells you how much elbow room is left:

• The Rapidline Aries is 455mm wide, leaving about 15cm between stools at 60cm centres.
• The Rapidline Pixel is 480mm wide overall, leaving about 12cm.
• Swivel stools with backs or armrests need extra room to turn, so allow more than 60cm.

Also leave about 15 to 20cm between the outer stools and the end of the bench or a wall, so the last person is not squeezed. To work out how many stools fit, divide the usable bench length by 60cm and round down. A 1.8m bench seats three along one side; the 1800 x 900mm Rapidline High Bar Table seats six with stools on both long sides.

Which bar stools suit a 90cm kitchen bench?

For a 90cm bench, look for a seat of about 60 to 65cm:

• Artiss beech wood backless stools: 61cm high, solid beech, split level footrest, from $95 for two.
• Artiss Camden Nordic stools: 65cm seat, powder coated steel frame, 150kg rating, $191 for four.
• Artiss Colby swivel stools: 65cm seat, curved backrest, 150kg rating, $200 for two.

Which bar stools suit a 105 to 110cm bar table?

For a bar table or dry bar, look for a seat of about 75 to 81cm. The Pixel and Eros, at 725 to 730mm, sit at the lower end and suit tables nearer 100 to 105cm. These are the commercial options with stated warranties:

For outdoor bar tables, the aluminium Gardeon outdoor bar stools are 82cm high and rated to 150kg, and pair with Gardeon tables set at 110cm. See our outdoor cafe furniture guide for more.

Not sure whether a cafe or busy staff kitchen needs commercial stools? Our guide to commercial vs residential bar stools compares frames, finishes and warranties.

Where can I buy bar stools in Australia?

Browse the full bar stools collection and matching bar tables. EasyMart Australia delivers Australia wide and offers Afterpay at checkout. Click and Collect is available on Rapidline, OLP and Statewide products, which includes the Rapidline stools and tables above; Artiss, OLG and Gardeon products are delivered only. For a cafe, bar or office fit-out, send your stool count and bench heights through the wholesale hospitality furniture page for a quote.

What height bar stool do I need for a 90cm bench?|||A seat height of about 60 to 65cm. Measure to the underside of the benchtop and keep 25 to 30cm of leg room between the seat and the bench.@@@What is the difference between a counter stool and a bar stool?|||Seat height. Counter stools sit about 60 to 65cm high for 85 to 90cm benches. Bar stools sit about 75 to 81cm high for 100 to 110cm bar tables.@@@Do you measure bar stool height to the seat or the top of the back?|||To the top of the seat. Overall height includes the backrest and is not useful for matching a bench. The Rapidline Aries is 853mm overall but has a 760mm seat.@@@How many bar stools fit at a 1.8m bench?|||Three along one side at about 60cm per stool. Swivel stools with backs or arms need more room, so two or three is safer.@@@Are adjustable bar stools a good idea for a cafe?|||They help if your benches are different heights. Where every bench is the same, fixed height commercial stools such as the Rapidline Pixel or Aries are simpler to maintain and line up neatly.@@@ ```