Bar Stools

This page covers bar height specifically — stools with a 29–30" seat height, made to sit at a standard 42" bar top. If your run is a 36" counter or kitchen island, you want counter stools instead; if you are still deciding, start with the full commercial stool range.

Measure the bar, not the stool

Measure from the finished floor to the underside of the bar top, and leave 10–12" between that and the seat. A thick stone or butcher block top can eat 2" of that clearance on its own, which is how a correctly ordered stool ends up feeling too tall. Allow roughly 24" of bar run per stool.

Backless, low back or full back at bar height

At 30", backless stools tuck completely under the bar. That keeps the aisle behind them clear, keeps sightlines to the back bar open, and lets you fit more seats on a run — which is why high-volume bars default to them. Low-back stools add support without blocking the room. Full-back and swivel stools are for bars that also serve full meals, hotel lobby bars and casinos, where guests sit for an hour or more.

Swivel and ADA

A swivel is genuinely useful at bar height because getting onto a 30" seat sideways is awkward. It does add a mechanism to maintain. For accessibility, plan a section of bar at 34" maximum with knee clearance beneath, and seat it with lower stools rather than trying to adapt the 30" run.

Footrests take the abuse

Every bar stool is kicked at the footrest, every service. On wood frames specify a brushed stainless or brass footrest cover — a cheap, replaceable part that keeps the stool looking new. On metal frames look for a welded ring rather than a bolted one. Check glides at every deep clean; a missing glide gouges tile and wood floors fast.

Frame and seat

Steel for indoor bars that take a beating, aluminum for rooftops, pool decks and coastal patios, solid hardwood where the bar is the focal point of the room. Wood and metal seats clean fastest; upholstered seats should be commercial vinyl or faux leather rated 75,000–100,000 double rubs and meeting CAL TB 117-2013, because whatever is on the bar rag ends up on the seat. Browse by material: metal stools, wood stools, upholstered stools, outdoor stools.

Matching the dining room

Most bar stools here have a matching dining chair. See coordinating chair and stool sets so the bar and the dining floor read as one room. Pair with bar-height table bases and table tops.

Lead times and ordering

Standard production is 14–20 weeks, with 8–10 week rush available on most frames. Quick ship in-stock stools leave in 2–3 business days. Minimum order is 4 pieces. Tested to hold up to 400 lbs, with a 3-year frame warranty.

How do I get pricing? Contact your local sales rep or a project manager or administrator in our office and we will quote your list, including freight.