Recliners for tall people: seat depth, back height and legrest length on the chairs we carry

What size recliner for a 6-foot man, and for 6'4" and up?

For a six-foot man, I look for a seat depth of 22 inches or more and a seat height of 20 inches or more. The overall height should be 44 inches or more. That is my working rule from the Duncan floor. At six foot two and up, I'd start with the 23.5-inch seats and the chairs over 46 inches tall.

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) gives two tests in its chair guidance. Sitting back against the backrest, there should be no pressure at the back of the knees. The feet should rest on the floor or a footrest without pressure under the thighs. CCOHS also puts the best seat height at about one quarter of body height. That works out to 18 inches for a six-footer and 19 inches at six foot four.

That guidance is written for office chairs, so treat it as a floor, not a target. Recliner seats run higher, 20 to 22 inches on the chairs below, and a higher seat is easier to stand up from. What tall people miss most in an ordinary recliner is depth and length. The seat stops halfway down the thigh and the legrest ends at the calf.

Seat edge, chaise and legrest: where long legs lose support

The front edge of the seat is where a tall person feels a short chair first. When the seat is too shallow, the thigh hangs past the edge and the weight lands on a strip just above the knee. With your back against the backrest, the edge should stop a little short of the back of the knee. If there is a hand's width of gap or more, the seat is short for you, however soft it feels for the first minute.

The next gap is between the seat and the raised legrest. On a chaise seat the padding runs over the mechanism, so the calves never sit over a hollow. La-Z-Boy lists a chaise seat on the Redwood, Greyson and Neo. On a chair without one, a tall person's calves can land right on that gap.

How much heel overhang is acceptable?

Heels past the end of the legrest are fine as long as the whole calf is carried. The trouble starts when the end of the legrest lands mid-calf or right under the ankle tendon. That pressure point is what tall people mean when they say recliners hurt their legs. La-Z-Boy's fully extended length is the best clue before you sit, because it is the chair's whole length laid out:

• Ace wall recliner: 77 inches
• Redwood: 75.5 inches
• Randell: 75 inches
• Kodie: 69 inches
• Clayton lift chair: 68 inches
• Neo: 66 inches

That figure counts the back as well as the legrest, so it is a clue rather than a measure of your leg. Between two chairs with similar seats, though, the longer one usually means the longer legrest. The Neo has the deep seat but the short reach, which is why it sits lower on my list for very tall legs.

What if a listing gives no back height?

Back height inside the chair is the number most listings leave out, and it decides where the headrest meets your head. The overall height includes the base and the seat, so it overstates the back. A rough way round it is overall height minus seat height, which gives the back that stands above the cushion:

Cushions compress and backs lean, so take these as a ranking, not a fit. A two-inch difference is easy to feel at the head. The real check is to sit upright with your back against the cushion and feel where the top or the headrest lands. On a power headrest chair, run the headrest all the way up and down. A power headrest only helps if the back is tall enough to put it behind your head rather than your neck.

What a tall person's recliner comparison should check

Most comparisons list width, colour and price. For someone over six feet, these are the checks that decide the fit, in the order I'd make them:

1. Seat depth. 22 inches is the start for a six-footer; the 23 to 23.5-inch chairs are for longer thighs.
2. Back above the seat. Overall height minus seat height, if the back height is not printed.
3. Fully extended length. The longer the reach, the more of the calf the legrest carries.
4. Seat height. 20 to 22 inches keeps the knees from sitting above the hips.
5. Wall clearance. How far from the wall the chair must sit to recline fully.
6. Weight capacity and user height. Lift chairs print both, and a tall frame can mean a heavier one.
7. Door width. The narrowest door or turn on the way in against the chair's width and depth.

The deep-seat recliners in the full collection each carry most of these in their spec table. Where one is missing, call and we'll ask the maker.

When does a tall person actually need a lift recliner?

A tall person needs a lift recliner when getting out of a deep seat has become hard work. A deep seat puts the hips further back, which can make standing harder on the knees and arms. If a joint, balance or heart condition is part of that, ask your doctor or an occupational therapist what will help before you buy.

Two of the deepest chairs in the table above are lift chairs. They suit different tall bodies:

UltraComfort lift chairs come in sizes by user height. On our listings, the Large Rhodes and Marbella are rated for 5'7" to 6'3". The Rhodes Large has a 21-inch seat height and a 50-inch back, at $3,488. The Marbella Large has a 22-inch seat and a 46-inch back, from $2,999. The Polaris listing gives two ranges for its Large, so we use the lower top figure of 6'2" until UltraComfort confirms. More on how the lift works is in our guide to lift chair positions and fit.

Swivel recliners, wall clearance and the measurement that matters for delivery

A swivel recliner needs room to turn as well as room to recline. The Monarch power swivel glider is 29.5 inches wide and 36.5 inches deep, so its corners sweep a circle about 47 inches across. It also needs 27 inches from the wall to recline fully. Leave space on both sides, not only behind. Our swivel and glider recliner guide covers the trade-offs.

Tall chairs need more wall space than most people expect. La-Z-Boy puts the Redwood wall recliner about 7 inches from the wall and the Randell rocker at about 12 inches. The Large Rhodes lift chair needs 30 inches and the Large Marbella 26.

For delivery, the measurement that matters most is the narrowest door or hallway turn on the way in, against the chair's smallest dimension. The Redwood is 42 inches wide and 45 deep, so the door is measured against 42 inches. Some Ashley listings print a minimum doorway width, from 30 to 32 inches. Tell us about stairs and tight turns when you order. Delivery from Duncan is $150 across the Island with assembly included, some Gulf Islands can be served after a call, and pickup at Duncan is free.

Ordering a tall recliner when fit numbers are incomplete: returns and lead times

A tall person's recliner is often a special order, so the ordering terms matter more than usual. Most of what Merit sells from Duncan is ordered in the cover you choose, and a chair ordered that way carries a 24% deposit. Exchanges are encouraged up to 30 days, case by case. The full terms are on our returns page.

That is why the measurements come first, and why sitting in a chair before ordering it is worth a drive. Our Duncan pieces are display models, so call ahead to ask which deep-seat chairs are set up. Lead times, ready for pickup or delivery, run by maker:

• La-Z-Boy chairs: ask what is in stock; custom orders 8 to 10 weeks
• Best Home Furnishings: 8 to 10 weeks
• UltraComfort lift chairs through Harmony: 3 to 6 weeks

We finance. Ask us how.* A chair for a tall frame can be paid off over time with Fairstone®.

*On approved credit. Terms and conditions apply. An annual fee will be charged to your account as set out in the Retail Credit Agreement. See our Financing page for more details about our plans.