Counter Heights for Bar Stools

Bar stools are designed to fit a bar countertop that is set almost a foot higher than a typical table but lower than the average bar. Therefore, a counter needs a stool with a higher seat than the average chair but not as high as a bar stool. If you want to build a counter to match a regular bar stool, you'll need to raise the height quite a bit. Does this Spark an idea?

Normal Counter Heights

A normal counter height is between 34 and 36 inches. This includes kitchen and bathroom counters. Normally, only kitchen counters have bar stools to seat people along an overhanging portion of the kitchen counter. For the typical kitchen counter bar, bar stools must conform to the 36-inch height, lower than the height of a home bar. Using a regular bar stool with an overhang counter will not work because the stool is too high.

Bar Heights

A bar height is 42 inches from the floor, which is as much as 8 inches higher than a kitchen counter. So, if you decide to build a counter for a normal, standard bar stool, you are in a sense just building a bar at 42 inches high. Some people choose to install a bar height overhang on top of a kitchen island to accommodate bar stools. The overhang is 42 inches tall. This is not a typical bar but more of an extension of a countertop. Any standard bar stool fits this type of set up.

Counter Stool Heights

Another option is to use counter stools for a counter-height overhang in the kitchen. The counter stool generally ranges in height from 24 to 26 inches. This gives the user 10 inches of space underneath the counter for her legs and her body rests in a comfortable position right above the counter. If you use stools higher than this, the user's legs will not fit under the counter and they will feel too tall for the counter.

Bar Stool Heights

To raise the user high enough to eat at the bar, a bar stool is at least 30 inches tall and sometimes as much as 32 inches tall. This leaves between 12 and 10 inches of space under the bar for the user's legs and positions them just right for eating and drinking. If you install the bar height overhang, a bar stool of this height is a necessity. It is also wise not to lower the height very much because you will not be able to find the right sized stool.