tablecloths

At a formal dinner, the tablecloth is expected to overhang the table edge by 15 inches or more. An overhang of 9 inches is more practical and appropriate to everyday dinners, but when the “drop” shrinks to a few inches the table looks peculiar. The chart below shows how large a table can be, with three different depths of drop.

Rows in pink indicate sizes, often called “banquet sizes,” not usually sold at retail outlets like department stores but available at stores catering to restaurants. Unfortunately, they sometimes only sell by the dozen. Sources can be found by searching the internet.

Square tables

Rectangular tables

Oval tables

Round tables

Tablecloth size	Maximum table size at minimum drops, nearest whole inch
Tablecloth size	6″ drop	9″ drop	15″ drop
Square tables (card tables)
36″ by 36″	24″ by 24″	18″ by 18″	6″ by 6″
45″ by 45″	33″ by 33″	27″ by 27″	15″ by 15″
52″ by 52″	40″ by 40″	34″ by 34″	22″ by 22″
54″ by 54″	42″ by 42″	36″ by 36″	24″ by 24″
60″ by 60″	48″ by 48″	42″ by 42″	30″ by 30″
64″ by 64″	52″ by 52″	46″ by 46″	34″ by 34″
70″ by 70″	58″ by 58″	52″ by 52″	40″ by 40″
72″ by 72″	60″ by 60″	54″ by 54″	42″ by 42″
80″ by 80″	68″ by 68″	62″ by 62″	50″ by 50″
90″ by 90″	78″ by 78″	72″ by 72″	60″ by 60″
Rectangular Tables
52″ by 70″	40″ by 58″	34″ by 52″	22″ by 40″
60″ by 84″	48″ by 72″	42″ by 66″	30″ by 54″
60″ by 94″	48″ by 82″	42″ by 76″	30″ by 64″
60″ by 102″	48″ by 90″	42″ by 84″	30″ by 72″
60″ by 108″	48″ by 96″	42″ by 90″	30″ by 78″
60″ by 120″	48″ by 108″	42″ by 102″	30″ by 90″
60″ by 142″	48″ by 130″	42″ by 124″	30″ by 112″
60″ by 144″	48″ by 132″	42″ by 126″	30″ by 114″
70″ by 64″	58″ by 52″	52″ by 46″	40″ by 34″
70″ by 72″	58″ by 60″	52″ by 54″	40″ by 42″
70″ by 84″	58″ by 72″	52″ by 66″	40″ by 54″
70″ by 90″	58″ by 78″	52″ by 72″	40″ by 60″
70″ by 94″	58″ by 82″	52″ by 76″	40″ by 64″
70″ by 96″	58″ by 84″	52″ by 78″	40″ by 66″
70″ by 104″	58″ by 92″	52″ by 86″	40″ by 74″
70″ by 108″	58″ by 96″	52″ by 90″	40″ by 78″
70″ by 114″	58″ by 102″	52″ by 96″	40″ by 84″
70″ by 120″	58″ by 108″	52″ by 102″	40″ by 90″
70″ by 126″	58″ by 114″	52″ by 108″	40″ by 96″
70″ by 144″	58″ by 132″	52″ by 126″	40″ by 114″
90″ by 132″	78″ by 120″	72″ by 114″	60″ by 102″
90″ by 156″	78″ by 144″	72″ by 138″	60″ by 126″
Oval (Half-circle ends on long dimension)
52″ by 70″	40″ by 58″	34″ by 52″	22″ by 40″
54″ by 96″	42″ by 84″	36″ by 78″	24″ by 66″
54″ by 120″	42″ by 108″	36″ by 102″	24″ by 90″
60″ by 84″	48″ by 72″	42″ by 66″	30″ by 54″
60″ by 94″	48″ by 82″	42″ by 76″	30″ by 64″
60″ by 108″	48″ by 96″	42″ by 90″	30″ by 78″
60″ by 120″	48″ by 108″	42″ by 102″	30″ by 90″
60″ by 144″	48″ by 132″	42″ by 126″	30″ by 114″
70″ by 84″	58″ by 72″	52″ by 66″	40″ by 54″
70″ by 94″	58″ by 82″	52″ by 76″	40″ by 64″
70″ by 108″	58″ by 96″	52″ by 90″	40″ by 78″
70″ by 120″	58″ by 108″	52″ by 102″	40″ by 90″
70″ by 144″	58″ by 132″	52″ by 126″	40″ by 114″
90″ by 132″	78″ by 120″	72″ by 114″	60″ by 102″
90″ by 156″	78″ by 144″	72″ by 138″	60″ by 126″
Round tables
36″ round	24″ diameter	18″ diameter	6″ diameter
48″ round	36″ diameter	30″ diameter	18″ diameter
54″ round	42″ diameter	36″ diameter	24″ diameter
60″ round	48″ diameter	42″ diameter	30″ diameter
70″ round	58″ diameter	52″ diameter	40″ diameter
78″ round	66″ diameter	60″ diameter	48″ diameter
90″ round	78″ diameter	72″ diameter	60″ diameter
96″ round	84″ diameter	78″ diameter	66″ diameter
108″ round	96″ diameter	90″ diameter	78″ diameter
120″ round	108″ diameter	102″ diameter	90″ diameter
132″ round	120″ diameter	114″ diameter	102″ diameter

The dimensions above apply only to tablecloths for dining. For example, a tablecloth used to provide a “modesty panel” for persons seated at a table on a dais obviously needs a drop on one side that reaches almost to the floor, approximately 29 inches. If an ordinary rectangular tablecloth is used for this purpose, the corners will drag on the floor. Rectangular tablecloths can be specially cut with rounded corners for this use, but “table skirts,” not tablecloths, are used commercially.