A practical guide to table linen hire: tablecloth types and sizes, colour choices for different events, napkins, chair covers, cleaning standards, and ordering alongside crockery and glassware.
A practical guide to table linen hire: tablecloth types and sizes, colour choices for different events, napkins, chair covers, cleaning standards, and ordering alongside crockery and glassware.
Table linen sets the visual tone before a single plate is laid. The right cloth makes a dining area look considered; the wrong one works against everything else you have planned. Getting the order right means matching size, colour, and fabric to the event type, then tying it into the rest of the table setting.
The two most common fabrics in the hire market are house polyester and premium woven linen.
Polyester is practical and hard-wearing. It washes well at high temperatures, dries fast, and stays presentable through a full service. It is the standard choice for most buffets, corporate events, and outdoor functions.
Premium woven linen is heavier, drapes more elegantly, and reads as more formal across a room. At a wedding breakfast or black-tie dinner, the difference in fabric quality is visible. Expo Hire stocks both options across rectangular and circular tablecloth sizes.
Measure your tables before ordering. The drop length — the distance the cloth hangs below the tabletop — determines which size you need. A standard catering drop of 25–30cm suits most seated events. For buffet stations and top tables, a floor-length drop looks tidier and covers the table legs.
Standard 6ft banqueting tables take a 70cm x 230cm cloth. Round tables need a circular cloth sized to the table diameter plus twice the desired drop. If you are uncertain, the Expo Hire team can advise on sizing once you have the table dimensions.
White and ivory are the most versatile choices. Both work with almost any floral arrangement, centrepiece, or tableware colour. Ivory reads a touch warmer than white, which suits candlelit rooms.
For corporate events, charcoal, slate, or black tablecloths read as professional and align with most branded colour schemes. For less formal events, colour gives you more room to work with: dusty pink, sage, and navy are popular for parties and garden receptions.
Adding napkins in a complementary tone ties the table together without changing the cloth. A white cloth with sage napkins is a cleaner combination than trying to match every item exactly.
Order one napkin per guest, plus a small buffer for replacements. Cloth napkins are available in a range of colours to coordinate with your tablecloth choice. Folded napkins add a layer of presentation to each place setting. For cocktail receptions and canapé events, smaller cocktail napkins are available alongside the standard dinner size.
Browse the full napkin hire range to check colour availability before you commit to a tablecloth colour. Popular combinations book out during busy periods.
Chair cover hire completes the linen picture for formal events. A white chair cover over a standard banqueting chair transforms the look of a room without changing the chair itself. Sashes in a coordinating colour add a finishing detail that works well at weddings and corporate dinners.
Order one cover per chair. Match the cover and sash colour to the tablecloth and napkin combination for a cohesive result across the room.
Expo Hire launders all linen between bookings in commercial washing equipment. Items are inspected before dispatch, and any piece that shows staining or wear is removed from stock. The linen that arrives at your event has passed that check.
Return linen without washing it if needed. Expo Hire handles the laundering after collection.
A tablecloth is the starting point. Ordering crockery and glassware from the same supplier reduces coordination and means a single delivery covers the full setup. For seated events, a linen order alongside crockery, glassware, and cutlery arrives together and leaves together.
Real-time stock availability on the Expo Hire website shows what is in stock before you commit. For busy summer and Christmas periods, popular colours book out early, so confirm your linen as soon as the guest count is settled.
For most events, polyester is the practical choice. For formal dinners and weddings where fabric quality is visible across the room, premium linen makes a difference to how the table reads.
Chair cover hire is available alongside tablecloths and napkins in a single order.
Expo Hire launders all linen before dispatch and inspects every item for wear and staining before it leaves the warehouse.
Yes. Expo Hire collects linen after the event and handles laundering on return.
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