Outdoor Bar Stool Buying Guide

On patio or porch, deck or poolside, there's no better way to luxuriate in the great outdoors than with the sturdy comfort of an outdoor bar stool. Yet just as nature always maintains a sense of proportion, it's important that your outdoor bar stools are not only durable and comfortable, but also the ideal size for your outdoor bar or pub table. Following these basic guidelines will help you find that golden bar stool ratio.

Measuring for Leg Room

A stool should provide a minimum of nine to 12 inches of space between its seat and a given table or counter top. Sounds easy enough, but the catch is that bars and counters are built to different height standards. Kitchen counters - or counter-height dining or patio tables - are usually 36 inches tall. Bars and bar-height tables are usually 42 inches tall. Before settling on a style for your outdoor seating, measure the height of your outdoor bar or table and compare it with the diagrams below.

Outdoor Counter Stools. Counter-height outdoor tables are between 35 and 37 inches tall. If your patio table is in this height range, look for outdoor counter stools with a seat height between 23 and 28 inches.	Outdoor Bar Stools. The height range of outdoor bars is 41 to 43 inches. If you have a home bar or outdoor pub table of this size, look for outdoor bar stools with a seat height between 29 and 32 inches.	Tall Outdoor Stools. Tall outdoor tables are those with a height range of 44 to 47 inches. If your table is this size, or if you just want a tall stool for open outdoor seating, look for stools that are between 33 and 36 inches tall.

Measuring for elbow room

When you're sitting out in the open air, the last thing you want is to feel crowded. To make sure that your outdoor counter stools are properly spaced, measure the length of your bar or table and divide the result by the number of inches in the hospitality industry's spacing standard. The usual standard is 28 inches, but you can allow between 26 and 30 inches from the center of one bar stool to the next. As the diagram on the right shows, an 84-inch bar divided by 28 inches equals space for three outdoor stools.

Shopping for Style

With bar measurements in hand, now comes the fun part: shopping! JustOutdoorBarStools.com carries hundreds of different outdoor counter stool and bar stool styles made from beautiful, durable materials such as wood, wrought iron, and weather-resistant aluminum. We also offer you a choice of stool design features such as swivel or non-swivel, with or without armrests or seat back, and upholstered or non-upholstered. All of this plus outdoor tables and outdoor bar sets makes JustOutdoorBarStools.com your ultimate destination for outdoor bar furniture.