Is returning the chairs not an option? I would not put a cushion on them as they are already upholstered and, quite honestly, putting a cushion on them looks like you're either trying to solve a problem or make them more comfortable.

They are not going to work together; neither of your solutions will work. If you cut the height on the table, the apron will hit the arms on the chairs; and if you somehow raise the chair legs, then the chairs cannot be tucked under the table. Keep what you like best and replace with what works.

I can cut the table height by 1.5" safely (I just measured!). Maybe that will be enough to make the height comfortable. I will try and get my bf to do that today...

I love them both and we just moved so and a new table or chairs is unfortunately not in the budget for awhile...

Use the chairs somewhere else and do not start cutting the legs down on the table it will not solve the problem. How high are the chairs anyway.?

Most dining tables are about 30 inches high. Chair height is generally 18 inches (from the floor to the seat). Allow 12 inches between the seat of your chair and your tabletop. Leave 7 inches between the chair arm and the bottom or apron of the table.

Its a beautiful table, was it expensive?? I wouldn't cut it & risk ruining it. Plus -- you may cut it & find the height still isn't right. If you can't return the chairs, sell them on a yard-sale site & use the $$ to purchase replacement chairs.

The chairs are about 17" from the floor to seat, and the dining table is 30" from floor to table top.

The distance from seat top to apron is 9.5" and from seat top to tabletop is 13".

It sounds pretty good but when we sit in the chairs we sink down an inch or two. This might be the problem??

I looked inside and they are hollow. II think if I can get 1-1.5" thick padding in front of the metal in there we wont sink as much.... or maybe fill in the back and add strapping behind? Hmm

The chairs were more expensive than the table!! Lol. Like the table itself cost less than 1 chair did! I lucked out on the table and got it for very cheap. I kind of want to try and make it work (stubborn, I know...) so I'm thinking I will try to shove some high density foam inside of the chairchairs behind the seat upholstery and see if that gives me the lift I need. Even an inch would help! The table would be very easy to lower we took the top off to move it in, then it would just be a matter of shaving an inch off all 4 wooden pieces...

I had a similar issue, had my handyman lower the table by 2” .... it worked perfectly. He removed the table top, cut the legs where they attach to the top, not the bottom of the legs, it that makes sense. It a lower height works I’d try it.

Are these chairs old? It sounds like you need new springs.

Yes the chairs are vintage, with zig-zag springs inside. What I thought of doing was putting more padding behind the springs (between the springs and the existing seat pads) to help keep the height.

I will try to get my boyfriend to lower the table top an inch or so today and see if that makes the difference. I hovered on the chair without putting my full weight down and it would be the right height if the chairs did not sink down so much when we sat on them. I am hoping that lowering the table top a little will solve the problem, since that seems to be the easiest solution and requires spending no extra money on things like padding or chair risers/casters, plus those solutions all seem much more time-consuming!

The table was the cheapest part so I would rather "mess" with that than the chairs, which are vintage and which were very time-consuming to paint!

I think just cutting these 4 arms/legs?

excuse my sloppy painting underneath :P I used an enamel/epoxy industrial cabinet paint and it was very, very tough to work with so I skimped on the underside. The finish is awesome though, super durable, scrubbable/very easy to clean. rock solid finish! Would recommend anyone with patience to use this type of paint on furniture (took about 5-6 coats and it is very difficult to get even coverage and a smooth finish since the paint is so thick. Would only recommend to extremely patient people! haha)

The easiest thing to do would be to have the chair seats fixed. I mean, there’s no going back once you start lopping off an inch or two from the table legs! Call some upholstery shops and get some estimates.

Btw, what products did you use to finish the table? I can be extremely patient if I know the outcome will be excellent. ;)

You know, since you’re obviously not DIY-averse, you could try replacing the springs yourself...

What about inserting a board to prevent sag?

This website shows how to attach webbing to the bottoms.

https://naturalupholstery.com/2014/12/upholstery-sprung-springs-webbing-repair/

The board is a good idea!! Maybe putting some padding on it as well so it isn't too hard. My boyfriend weighweighe about 80lbs more than I so I feel like he sinks much more. A board with padding might be just what we need for the chairs...

The paint is PPG Pitt-Tech 100% acrylic satin DTM Industrial Enamel. It contains VOCs and it it smells a bit. Best to do outside/in a garage or shop. It off-gases for several days I can still smell it and it has been 2 days since my last coat!

I'd see if you could put the board between the springs and the frame, that way you would still have the cushion of the springs, but not the sag. (does that make sense?)

How good a carpenter is boyfriend? Those legs will be very difficult to shorten evenly. The curvature of the wood and the pocket screws require an expert. And even if he did succeed, the table would be too short to use with any other chairs.

Don't alter a perfectly good table to make-up for deficient chairs.

The table was very cheap because it was scratched all over the top. I'm talking 15.00 cheap!

He isnt a carpenter but he installs hardwood flooring for a living and he is very, very particular about things being level (he must install the curtain rods and he must hang pictures around the house lol). He has a very good eye for that kind of thing. Also the table legs have individual height-adjusters built in so if it is a little off on one I can simply adjust that side!

Some of the screws arent even in "properly" as it is haha

Example:

Love those chairs! Love them with your table, a beautiful set. Good luck on solving your problem, hope you can by adding a board or more padding between the springs and cushion. Let us know.

Did not mean to insult boyfriend. Only warning that structure of table shown in picture would require higher skill level. (my ex never touched a single tool in our house, but that's another story.) Just thought that if you cared enough to do the multiple coats, etc. that it was worth more than a throw away piece.

In your original post, you mentioned adding casters to the chairs. If this chair can handle them, yours can!

Here are some resources for them:

Van Dyke’s Restorers

House of Antique Hardware

Haha I did not take it offensively! It's a valid question and if it was a very expensive table I might think twice about having him do it lol

I will get him to try and hope it works out! Will let you know!!!

Unfortunately, the chairs will continue sagging. It is not the end of the story.

I wouldn't say the chairs are "sagging" per se. Isnt the point of springs to provide a little bit of give when you sit? The chairs are very comfortable for the very reason that they arent solid and hard. It seems like they were designed this way. When I sit down I still feel support but the seat conforms to my body nicely and it does not feel like I am sitting on a board. I sink about an inch into the cushion at most. My bf probably sinks 2 inches but he also said that the chairs feel very comfortable. I sink about 2 inches into our couch and at least an inch into our living room chairs. It comparable the dining chairs (I am not sure these chairs were designed as dining chairs specifically - they were acquired second hand!) Either wayway- the height is perfect now and the chairs are very comfortable!

: )