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 overhang, for sizes in which tablecloths are commonly sold today in the United States.

Tablecloth size	Maximum table size at various drops
Tablecloth size	6″ drop	9″ drop	15″ drop
Square tables (card tables)
52″ by 52″	40″ by 40″	34″ by 34″	22″ by 22″
Oblong and Oval 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 102″	48″ by 90″	42″ by 84″	30″ by 72″
60″ by 120″	48″ by 108″	42″ by 102″	30″ by 90″
60″ by 142″	48″ by 130″	42″ by 124″	30″ by 112″
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 96″	58″ by 84″	52″ by 78″	40″ by 66″
70″ by 114″	58″ by 102″	52″ by 96″	40″ by 84″
70″ by 126″	58″ by 114″	52″ by 108″	40″ by 96″
70″ by 144″	58″ by 132″	52″ by 126″	40″ by 114″
Round tables
60″ round	48″ diameter	42″ diameter	30″ diameter
70″ round	58″ diameter	52″ diameter	40″ diameter
90″ round	78″ diameter	72″ diameter	60″ diameter

The dimensions above apply only to tablecloths for dining. For example, a tablecloth used to provide a "modesty panel" for members of a panel seated at a table on a dais obviously needs a drop on one side that reaches almost to the floor.