Chair and table hire works best when you book both from the same firm: the chairs match the tables, one truck brings everything and one driver counts it in and out. Whether it is 80 guests at a 21st in the yard, 200 at a church anniversary or 400 at a wedding reception, start with the guest count and the layout, and the numbers follow. Tell us once and we pass your request to independent hire firms near you, who quote you directly. The request is free, with no obligation.
Table and chair hire: what a set usually means
Most firms hire chairs and tables per item, and many offer a set price for one table with its chairs. The common combinations are:
- Round tables of 1.5 m (8 to 10 seats) or 1.8 m (10 to 12 seats) with Tiffany chairs or banquet chairs for weddings and dinners
- Trestle tables of 1.8 m (6 to 8 seats) with plastic chairs for funerals, church lunches and long family tables
- Folding chairs with folding tables where space or transport is tight
Working out how many you need
Divide the guests by the seats per table and round up, then add about 5% spare chairs for late arrivals, the band and the photographer. For 150 guests at rounds of 10 you need 15 tables and about 158 chairs. Add a top table, a gift table, a cake table and a buffet: trestles of 1.8 m are the usual choice. Seated at rounds with room to serve, allow roughly 1.2 to 1.5 m² of floor per guest, so check the hall or tent is big enough before you settle on rounds.
Delivery, set-up and the count
Chairs usually arrive stacked and wrapped, and tables folded. Placing them is often extra, so say if you want the firm to set out the room and dress the tables with tablecloths. Count everything with the driver, note any chips or wobbly legs on the delivery note and sign it. Stack the chairs back the same way for collection. A refundable deposit is common, and missing or broken items are charged. On grass, trestles can sink on soft ground after rain, so ask for boards under the legs.
What affects the price and what to ask
The price depends on the chair style, the table type, the number, the hire period (a day or a weekend), the transport distance and whether set-up and linen are included. Ask each firm:
- Is there a set price for a table with its chairs?
- Is transport and set-up included, and is there a charge for stairs?
- How much is the deposit and when is it refunded?
For a full room with lounge pieces and decor, see event furniture hire.
What to include in your request
- Number of guests and the date
- Round or trestle tables, and the chair style
- Venue address, indoors or outdoors
- Whether you want set-up and linen
- Stairs, long carries or after-hours times
Table and Chair Hire for different events
- Families and home celebrations: trestles and plastic chairs in the yard for a 21st, a lobola or a family braai
- Weddings and engagements: dressed rounds of 10 with Tiffany chairs and a long top table for the couple
- Funerals, memorials and unveilings: plastic chairs and a few trestles at the family home, delivered before the weekend
- Companies, conferences and functions: rounds and banquet chairs for a year-end function or an awards dinner
- Churches and faith gatherings: extra chairs and long tables for a church anniversary lunch or a revival
- Schools, colleges and universities: rounds and chairs in the school hall for a prize-giving or a matric farewell
- Municipalities, clubs and communities: rows of chairs and trestles for a stokvel meeting, an imbizo or a club dinner
- Venues, caterers, decorators and planners: extra rounds and chairs for caterers and decorators on a busy wedding weekend
Frequently asked questions
How much does chair and table hire cost?
How many tables and chairs do I need for 100 guests?
How far ahead should I book tables and chairs?
Do you deliver the tables and chairs yourselves?
Table and Chair Hire by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg