An outdoor stool needs a stainless steel frame, so a chip in the paint does not rust, welded joints with nothing to work loose, and a seat that sheds water: teak slats or a solution-dyed olefin cushion. An indoor stool moved outside rusts at the welds within a season. Our outdoor bar stool guide compares the six we make.
What seating works at an outdoor kitchen?
Bar stools at the counter, so the cook has company, and a dining table a few steps away for the meal itself. The stools are the part that takes the weather hardest.
Which bar stool height for an outdoor counter?
Measure from the ground to the underside of the worktop, then subtract 23 to 26 cm. That leaves room for your thighs without putting the counter out of reach.
Outdoor kitchens are often built to their own height, on a brick or block base. If yours is, the three cushioned stools can be made to match; the teak stools come in 66 and 76 cm only. More in our bar stool height guide and on counter stools vs bar stools.
| Counter, to the underside | Seat height | Our outdoor stools |
|---|---|---|
| 89 to 92 cm | 66 cm | Saga, Per, Otto, Tora, Valter, Folke |
| 99 to 102 cm | 76 cm | Saga, Per, Otto, Tora, Valter, Folke |
| Any other height | Counter minus 23 to 26 cm | Tora, Valter, Folke at a custom height in Design Your Own |
How much overhang does an outdoor counter need for seating?
Plan 30 to 40 cm of worktop beyond the base on the seating side at counter height, and 25 to 30 cm at bar height. Do not go below 25 cm: with less, people sit sideways with their knees against the base.
Outdoors the base is often solid brick or block, so the overhang is the only room your knees get. Decide the overhang before the worktop is cut, and support it as your worktop supplier specifies. Our kitchen island overhang guide has the full table.
How far apart should outdoor bar stools be?
Allow about 60 cm per stool, centre to centre. A 180 cm counter seats three. What sets the spacing is the overall width of the stool, so measure across the armrests on Otto and Folke.
Behind the stools, leave at least 90 cm of clear ground, and 110 cm where the cook walks behind seated guests with a hot tray. The bar stool spacing guide explains the rule.
Teak or cushion, low back or arms?
Teak slats on Saga, Per and Otto drain straight through and need nothing brought in. Olefin cushions on Tora, Valter and Folke are softer for a long evening at the counter and last longest lifted in during long rain.
A low back rail (Saga, Tora) tucks fully under the worktop; a full back (Per, Valter) suits people who stay; arms (Otto, Folke) need the most width. All six are delivered assembled.
Which worktop survives outside?
One that does not absorb water, does not fade in sun and does not crack in frost. Ask any worktop supplier those three questions before you choose.
We do not sell worktops. The surface we use outdoors is sintered stone (Dekton), on our Diana garden table and Wilma garden bench: it does not absorb water, does not fade, takes frost and needs no sealing. A hot pan does not mark it, though a trivet is still kind. It is not marble. Our guide to stone garden tables compares it with concrete and ceramic.
Height, overhang, spacing, then the stools
- Seat heights
- 66 or 76 cm
- Custom height
- Tora, Valter, Folke
- Frame
- stainless steel
