Table and chair hire is the part of an event that decides whether guests can sit, eat and talk comfortably. Hire companies in South Africa supply round tables, long trestles, cocktail tables, plastic and wooden chairs, banquet chairs and chiavari chairs, usually with delivery and collection. Tell us the date, how many guests are sitting, whether it is a sit-down meal or a standing function and where it takes place, and hire companies near you will quote directly. You can add linen and covers in the same request.
Table sizes and how many seats they give
Table shape decides how many guests fit and how easy it is to talk across the table:
- Round tables: a 1.5 m table seats 8, a 1.8 m table seats 10 and a 2.1 m table seats 12. Ten at a 1.8 m table is the usual choice for weddings and dinners.
- Trestle tables: 1.8 m by 0.75 m, seating 6 to 8 on benches or chairs. Good for church lunches, school events and buffet lines.
- Banquet or long tables: 2.4 m or longer, seating 8 to 10 a side for a feast or family-style meal.
- Cocktail tables: about 1.1 m high and 0.8 m wide, with no seats, for standing functions. Plan one for every 6 to 8 guests.
Allow roughly 1.5 to 1.8 m2 per seated guest once chairs and walkways are counted. Ask for the sizes on your quote, not just "tables".
Choosing chairs
Chairs fall into a few groups, and the price climbs with each step. Plastic and folding chairs are the cheapest and suit school events, funerals and community lunches. Padded banquet chairs are better for a three-hour dinner. Chiavari chairs in white, gold, wood or black are the wedding favourite, and you can add cushion pads for comfort. Tiffany and cross-back wooden chairs suit rustic farm and wine estate weddings. Sit on a sample if you can: a chair that looks good but is hard after two hours will be noticed. For a ceremony and a reception, ask whether the same chairs can be moved, since carrying 150 chairs takes a crew and about 45 minutes.
Linen, covers and the finishing touches
Most hire companies quote tablecloths, overlays, runners, napkins, chair covers and sashes as a separate line. Check that the cloth drops to the floor or at least 30 cm over the edge, that the colour matches your decor, and who handles stains and burns, since some companies charge a replacement fee. Stretch covers for cocktail tables are quick to fit and usually cost less than full cloths. If you hire crockery and glasses too, see event equipment hire and send one request for the lot.
Delivery, ground and what affects the price
Prices are charged per item per event, with delivery by distance and a charge for setting up tables and chairs in your layout. Grass, gravel and paving each take a different amount of time to lay out, and uneven ground means wobbly tables, so mention the surface. Ask about stairs, lifts and the distance from the truck to the venue. Book early for Saturdays in spring and December, since chiavari chairs go first. If the function is outdoors, you may also need a tent over the tables, and your quote should say whether chairs are dried and checked after rain.
What to include in your request
- Date, venue and ground surface (lawn, paving, hall)
- Number of guests seated and standing
- Table shapes and sizes you prefer
- Chair type and colour, with or without covers
- Linen, delivery access and who sets up the layout
Table and Chair Hire for different events
- Weddings and traditional ceremonies: round tables seating ten, chiavari chairs, a head table and a gift and cake table
- Corporate functions and year-end parties: banquet seating for dinners and cocktail tables for networking and launches
- Conferences, launches and expos: classroom or theatre rows, round tables for breakaways and registration tables
- Birthdays and private parties: a family-style long table or round tables for a 21st or a 50th at home
- Kids' parties and baby showers: low tables and small chairs for children plus adult seating for parents
- School events and matric dances: trestles and chairs for fun days, prize-givings and matric dance dinners
- Funerals, church and cultural gatherings: hundreds of chairs and trestles for funerals, unveilings and church lunches
- Festivals, markets and sports days: benches, picnic tables and high tables for food courts and seating areas
Frequently asked questions
How much does table and chair hire cost?
How many tables and chairs do I need for 100 guests?
Can I collect the furniture myself?
What happens if furniture is damaged or lost?
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