What size tablecloth for a 6 foot table?

A standard 6 foot banquet table, the folding kind in every church hall, trade show and backyard party, measures 72 inches long, 30 inches wide and about 29 inches tall. The tablecloth size depends on one decision: how far down do you want the fabric to hang?

The drop math

Add the drop to all four sides of the tabletop:

• Floor length: 72 + 30 + 30 by 30 + 30 + 30, so a 90 × 132 in cloth reaches the floor all around
• Lap length (15 in drop): 60 × 102 in, the most common stock size sold as a "6 foot tablecloth"
• Short drop (about 8 in): a 46 × 88 in cloth covers the top with a modest overhang

Floor length is the formal and trade show choice, partly for looks and partly because it hides the boxes, bags and spare stock stashed under the table. Lap length is right for dinners, since guests sit at the table and a floor-length cloth ends up in their laps.

Loose cloth or fitted cover

A flat cloth drapes with soft corners and folds away flat. A fitted cover is sewn to the table's box shape (72 × 30 × 29) for squared corners that read as deliberate, and a stretch cover pulls tight over the feet for the modern spandex look. For home dinners, flat is fine. For a booth where the table wears your logo, fitted or stretch keeps the print flat and legible, which is the whole point of paying to print it.

One warning about "6 foot"

Check the actual table before ordering. Some rental "6 footers" are 30 inches wide, others 36; classroom tables run 18 or 24 inches deep. Ten minutes with a tape measure beats a cover that pools on the floor or floats above it.

Quick answer

90 × 132 in for floor length, 60 × 102 in for lap length, on a true 72 × 30 table. If the table is part of your booth, a printed custom table cover in a fitted or stretch cut does the branding and the draping in one piece.