Table Runner Size Chart: Inches, cm and Pixels to Print

Most table runners are 13 to 14 inches wide. For the length, take the table and add 12 to 24 inches. A 6-foot table takes a 14 × 90 inch runner, which hangs 9 inches past each end.

If you are printing your own runner, you also need the file size: 14 × 90 inches is 2,100 × 13,500 pixels at 150 DPI. That sounds like a lot, but a runner is narrow enough that a small repeating tile can often cover it.

Table runner length chart

The rule: runner length = table length + 2 × drop. A 6 inch drop per end is the everyday look. A 12 inch drop reads more formal.

Ready-made runners are often sold at 36, 54, 72, 90, 108 and 120 inches, though lengths vary by brand. If you print your own, skip the rounding and use the exact number.

Round and square tables work the same way, using the diameter or side as the length:

Table runner width chart

Aim for about one third of the table's width. That leaves room for a place setting on each side.

Standard 30-inch banquet tables usually take a 12-inch runner. If you use placemats, measure them first: on a 36-inch table, two 12-inch mats and a 12-inch runner fill the width exactly, with no room to spare.

Pixels each runner needs

Fabric usually prints at 150 DPI, or 300 DPI for premium small runs and fine line work. Pixels needed = inches × DPI.

For a size not listed, the Print Size Calculator does the conversion. If your printer's file includes a hem, add it before you convert. A ½ inch hem adds 1 inch to each dimension, so 14 × 90 becomes 15 × 91 inches, or 2,250 × 13,650 px at 150 DPI.

Choosing the right size

• Seats at the table ends: keep the drop to 6 inches or less so the fabric stays out of laps.
• Formal dinners and events: use a 12 to 15 inch drop. It also sits well over a tablecloth with a 15 inch lap drop. The Tablecloth Size Calculator gives you the cloth size for that table.
• Floor to floor: a 6 ft banquet table needs 132 inches (72 + 2 × 30). Runners that long are mostly a display or trade-show choice.
• Coffee tables and sideboards: skip the drop. Stop 3 to 6 inches short of each end, so a 48-inch top takes a 36 to 42 inch runner.
• Round tables: one runner across the middle takes space from the plates at each end. Two crossed runners, or a centerpiece mat, often work better for six or more diners.
• Runners laid crosswise: on a 30-inch banquet table, one 12 × 48 inch runner per pair of seats hangs 9 inches on each side.

Why a runner is easier to print than a tablecloth

A floor-length cloth for a 6 ft table needs 13,500 × 19,800 px, or 267 megapixels. A 14 × 90 inch runner needs 28 megapixels at the same DPI. The two are close in one direction (13,500 px), but the runner's other side is only 2,100 px.

So a repeating pattern, rarely practical on a cloth that size, works well here. A 2,100 px seamless tile repeated about 6.4 times along the length covers a 14 × 90 inch runner at full 150 DPI. Many stock images and AI generations reach that tile size with little or no upscaling.

Getting your file to size

Pick the route that matches your design:

1. It's a repeating pattern: make the tile seamless with the Seamless Pattern Generator, then preview the repeat in the free Pattern Checker. Print it at a tile width equal to the runner width. Many fabric printers repeat a tile for you, so ask yours. Otherwise, lay out the full length in your design app.
2. It's one image that has to fill the strip: Print Resize rebuilds it at the exact centimetre size. It takes up to 240 cm per side, which covers every runner up to 90 inches (229 cm). For a narrow strip you can extend the pattern to fill the extra length or pad with a solid colour. Runners of 108 and 120 inches are over the limit.
3. It's already the right shape but short on pixels: AI Upscale adds real pixels up to 8K, about 8,192 px on the long edge.

8K is enough for shorter runners, but it falls short on the long ones:

People see a runner from about arm's length, so ask for a printed sample before you commit to anything under 150. The free DPI Checker shows what your current file gives at any size.

Changing the DPI tag alone won't help, because the tag doesn't add pixels. Why a 300 DPI image still prints blurry explains the difference.

FAQ

What is the standard size of a table runner?

Most are 13 to 14 inches wide and 72 or 90 inches long, or about 33 to 36 cm wide and 183 to 229 cm long. Widths generally run from 12 to 16 inches.

What size table runner for a 6-foot table?

14 × 90 inches gives a 9 inch drop at each end. Use 84 inches for a 6 inch drop, or 96 inches for a 12 inch drop.

What size table runner for an 8-foot table?

108 inches gives a 6 inch drop and 120 inches gives a 12 inch drop. A 12-inch width suits a standard 30-inch-wide banquet table; a wider dining table can take 14 inches or more.

How wide should a table runner be?

About one third of the table's width. That means 12 inches for a 36-inch table and 14 inches for a 42-inch table.

Should a table runner hang over the edge?

Usually, yes. A drop of 6 to 12 inches per end is the common range. Skip it when people sit at the table ends, or on coffee tables and sideboards.

Can you use a table runner on a round table?

Yes. Lay it across the diameter and add the drop at both ends, so a 48-inch round takes 60 to 72 inches. Keep it narrow, since it runs under the plates at each end.

How many pixels does a printed table runner need?

Inches × 150 DPI for standard fabric. A 14 × 90 inch runner is 2,100 × 13,500 px, and a 13 × 72 inch runner is 1,950 × 10,800 px.

From chart to file

Measure the table, choose your drop and find the runner's row. If you are printing a full image rather than a repeat, enter that size in Print Resize. It shows the credit cost before it runs. Dressing the whole table? The tablecloth size chart has the same numbers for the cloth underneath.