Training Room and Seminar Table Layouts: How Many Tables You Need
By Foldable Tables and Chairs Kenya, Nairobi · Published
Quick answer: For lectures and exams, use classroom style: two people per 1.2m table, so 15 tables seat 30. For discussion, use a U-shape, which needs a few more tables for the same group. For meetings of up to about 20, join tables into one boardroom block. For group work, use cabaret style with clusters of tables. The foldable office and training tables page compares sizes.
The layout of a training room changes how people take part. Rows facing the front keep attention on the speaker. A U-shape gets people talking. Small clusters make group exercises easy. With folding tables, you can switch between them in a few minutes, so it is worth choosing the right one for each session.
Classroom Style
Tables in rows, all facing the front, with chairs on one side only. This seats the most people in a room and suits lectures, presentations and exams. Leave about 90cm between the back of one table and the front of the next row so people can get to their seats, and a centre or side aisle of at least 1 metre.
U-Shape
Tables arranged around three sides with the open end facing the screen or facilitator. Participants sit on the outside of the U and can see each other, which helps discussion. It uses more floor space and seats fewer people than classroom style, so it works best for groups of 10 to 30.
Boardroom Style
Tables pushed together into one large rectangle with chairs all round. Ideal for meetings, AGMs of small groups and strategy sessions of up to about 20 people. Line the tables up on a level floor and cover the joins with a long tablecloth for a neater look.
Cabaret Style
Small groups of tables spread around the room, with chairs on three sides so nobody has their back to the front. This is the best layout for workshops with group exercises, and it is easy to turn into lunch seating afterwards.
How Many Tables for Each Layout
| Participants | Classroom (1.2m, 2 per table) | U-shape (1.2m tables) | Boardroom (1.8m tables) | Cabaret (1.8m, 6 per cluster) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 5 | 7 to 8 | 3 | 2 |
| 20 | 10 | 12 to 14 | 5 to 6 | 4 |
| 30 | 15 | 16 to 18 | Not practical | 5 |
| 50 | 25 | Not practical | Not practical | 9 |
Add one or two extra tables for the facilitator, the projector and materials, and one more for tea and registration. Count one chair per participant plus a few spares.
Space Planning Rules of Thumb
- Classroom style: roughly 1.5 to 2 square metres per participant including aisles.
- U-shape and boardroom: roughly 2.5 to 3 square metres per participant, because the middle of the room is empty.
- Screen distance: keep the front row at least twice the screen width away from the screen.
- Power: place tables for laptop users near sockets, or run extension cables along walls rather than across walkways.
Equip Your Training Room
Our 1.2m foldable table is the standard 120cm by 60cm training table size, and all three sizes stand at the same 74cm desk height so they line up. Send your participant numbers on WhatsApp 0756161300 and we will suggest a set and send a quotation. Nairobi delivery takes about 3 hours.