Bar stools are the line where a small specification error becomes a site problem: 30 stools that sit 40 mm too low, arriving after the bar top is already fixed. The fix is boring and it works — decide the seat height from the counter before you choose the model, and put it in writing on the PO.
Seat height: the number that decides everything
The rule that holds up: seat height = counter underside minus 250–300 mm. That gives a comfortable thigh clearance without the stool disappearing under the counter.
| Application | Counter / bar height | Stool seat height |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen counter, café counter | 900–920 mm | 620–660 mm |
| High counter, poseur table | 1,000–1,050 mm | 720–740 mm |
| Bar top, cocktail bar | 1,050–1,100 mm | 740–760 mm |
If the bar top is not built yet, tell us the finished floor-to-top dimension at RFQ stage and we will lock the stool height to it. This is the single most useful piece of information you can send.
Indicative specification
| Parameter | Standard build | Contract build |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Ø25 mm powder-coated steel tube, 1.2 mm wall, footrest ring | 1.5 mm wall, welded footrest, 200 kg static load test |
| Base | 4-leg with footrest | 4-leg, sled, or round disc base with commercial gas lift |
| Swivel | Fixed height | Gas-lift swivel, class 3–4 cylinder, BIFMA X5.1 cycle tested |
| Seat foam | Moulded PU 32–35 kg/m³ | Moulded PU 38–45 kg/m³, high-resilience |
| Fabric | Polyester 30,000 Martindale | Contract polyester, bouclé, velvet, or wipe-clean vinyl |
| Fire performance | Optional | EN 1021-1/-2, UK 1988 Schedule 4 Part 1, BS 5852 crib 5 on request |
| HS code | 9401 71 (upholstered, metal frame) · 0% EU duty · HS code fixed per SKU at quotation | |
| EUDR | Out of scope — no wood components, written no-wood declaration per SKU | |
| MOQ | 100 pcs per SKU / fabric colourway · sample order 1–2 pcs | |
| FOB price band | $22–55 depending on height, base type, swivel and fire build | |
| Lead time | 35–45 days after deposit and signed PP sample | |
| Loading | 20GP ≈ 280–420 pcs · 40HQ ≈ 600–900 pcs · stackable +40–50% | |
The four builds that cover most projects
1. Fixed-height 4-leg stool, upholstered seat
Cheapest per unit and the most durable in high-turnover venues. Footrest is structural, not decorative — check the weld, because it is what breaks first in a busy bar.
2. Gas-lift swivel stool
For counters shared by people of different heights, and for retail displays. Insist on a commercial lift: office-grade cylinders fail under hospitality duty cycles, and the failure mode is a slow sink, which guests notice immediately. Budget +$6–9 per stool.
3. Stackable banquet stool
For event spaces and multi-use rooms. Stacks 4–6 high, wipe-clean surfaces, denser foam. The stacking gate adds tooling cost once, then pays for itself in container utilisation and storage.
4. Low counter stool (600–640 mm)
The café and co-working model — sits at a 900 mm counter, backless or low-back, often with a timber-look finish over a steel core. Looks like wood, declares as metal, stays out of EUDR.
What to put on the purchase order
Seat height in mm · seat diameter or width · base type · swivel yes/no and lift class · foam density · fabric reference and colourway · fire standard · stackability · loading quantity · HS code. Suppliers who resist listing the HS code on the PO are telling you something.
Send the counter height and the quantity — get a quote in 72 hours
FOB China and FOB Vietnam on one sheet, with the seat height locked to your counter, the fire standard you specified, and the exact container count.
Request a quote → Build the numbers yourself →