Office chair dimensions: standard sizes in cm

Typical dimensions at a glance

These ranges cover most task, mesh and gaming chairs sold for home offices. Big and tall chairs and compact chairs fall outside them.

Seat height

Seat height is measured from the floor to the top of the seat at its front edge. The range depends on the gas lift. Shorter people need a low minimum; taller people need a high maximum. A quick guide is your lower leg length: measure from the floor to the back of your knee while seated in your normal shoes. Your seat height should be close to that figure.

Our tall people guide lists chairs with higher ranges.

Seat width and depth

Seat width is the usable width between the arms or the edges. If arms are fixed, measure between them. Seat depth is from the front edge to the backrest. With your back against the backrest, there should be a gap of roughly two to four fingers between the seat front and the back of your knees.

Chairs with seat depth adjustment slide the seat forward and back, usually by 5 to 7 cm. That helps both taller and shorter users. Many listings give seat depth as a range in cm; compare it with your thigh length.

Overall size and floor space

The base is the widest point on many chairs, so the footprint is usually a circle about 65 cm across. When you sit, you also push the chair back, so allow more space behind the desk. Our space behind desk explainer gives typical clearances.

Check overall width with arms if the chair must slide under a desk between drawer units or legs, and overall height if it will sit under a window sill or shelf.

How much does an office chair weigh?

Most home office chairs weigh between about 12 and 25 kg assembled. Mesh chairs with plastic bases are at the lighter end; gaming chairs with steel frames, thick foam and metal bases are at the heavier end. Premium chairs with aluminium bases can be lighter than they look.

The weight matters for carrying the box up stairs, and for floor protection: a heavy chair plus you on small castors can mark soft floors. Our chair mat explainer covers when a mat helps.

How to measure your space and body

Measure before you shop. Write these down and compare them with each listing.

1. 1

   Lower leg length: floor to back of knee, seated, in shoes.

2. 2

   Thigh length: back of bottom to back of knee, seated.

3. 3

   Hip width: seated, at the widest point.

4. 4

   Desk height: floor to top of desk.

5. 5

   Width under desk: between legs or drawers.

6. 6

   Floor space behind desk: to the nearest wall or furniture.

Comparing chairs by size

Use your measurements to narrow the list, then check the adjustment points. Our ergonomic office chairs guide gives seat height and depth ranges where listings state them, and our heavy people guide covers wider seats.

Compare ergonomic office chairs →

Frequently asked questions

What is the standard office chair width? Most are about 60 to 70 cm wide including arms, with a seat around 45 to 52 cm wide.

How tall is a desk chair? Overall height is usually 95 to 130 cm, depending on back height, headrest and seat height setting.

How much does an office chair weigh? Typically 12 to 25 kg assembled. Check the listing for the exact figure.

What seat height do I need? Close to your lower leg length measured from the floor to the back of your knee in shoes.