Outdoor Conversation Sets: Footprint, Seat Depth and Picks
Conversation set or sectional? Six outdoor lounge sets from $840 to $3,149, compared on printed footprint, seat depth and height, cushions, and drawbacks.
The set fills the patio so nobody can get past it, or the seat is so deep you cannot get up, or so upright nobody stays. The usual wrong fix is buying by the photo or the piece count, when the three sets below that print a seat depth run from 18.3 to 25.25 inches. So this guide starts with what a conversation set and a sectional each include, the measurements to tape on the ground and what the cushions need, then goes through six sets priced from $840 to $3,149, with who each one suits and what it gives up.
The short answer
| Pick | Best for | Seats and footprint (in) | Price (reference) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA REVSKÄR 3-Seat Conversation Set | The lowest price, with a coffee table and cushions included | 3 seats · 83⅛ x 51⅛ | $840 |
| IKEA VITTSKÄR Sectional, 3-Seat | A straight three-section sofa with printed seat depth and height | 3 seats · 94½ x 35 | $1,350 |
| Yardbird Luna Loveseat Set | A loveseat, two chairs and a table, with the full set size printed | Loveseat + 2 chairs · 129¼ x 69⅛ | $1,570 |
| POLYWOOD Cottage 4-Piece Deep Seating Set with Loveseat | Frames that POLYWOOD says can stay out uncovered all year | 4 seats · 145 x 76 minimum space | $2,495 |
| Yardbird Langdon Small Sectional Set | A corner sectional with a coffee table | 97 x 97 (page) | $2,985 |
| POLYWOOD EDGE Sectional 4-Piece Deep Seating Set with Loveseat | Modular pieces and a table; the page says seats 4 | 124 x 65 minimum space | $3,149 |
Conversation set or sectional?
Makers use the two names for different bundles (our reading). Here is what each page says it contains:
- IKEA REVSKÄR, a 3-seat conversation set: a sofa for 2, a coffee table and a chaise longue with an integrated side table.
- Yardbird’s loveseat and sofa sets: on its layout guide, a loveseat set is a loveseat, two lounge chairs and a coffee table, and a sofa set swaps the loveseat for a sofa. Its Eden Conversation Set is two chairs and a side table, so check the parts list before you compare prices.
- A sectional, in POLYWOOD’s guide, is two or more seating sections connected together, and an L-shape sectional is two sofas joined by a corner seat. Yardbird’s Langdon small sectional set is a left arm, a right arm, a 90 degree corner, an armless insert and a coffee table. IKEA’s VITTSKÄR sectional is three 1-seat sections and three backrests, with no table; IKEA lists a matching VITTSKÄR coffee table at $280 separately.
- The names do not always follow the layout. POLYWOOD’s EDGE Sectional 4-Piece lists modular left and right arm chairs, a club chair and a coffee table, and prints seating for 4.
So the practical difference is how you can arrange it (our reading). Separate chairs and a sofa can be turned and angled, and Yardbird’s guide shows an L-shape lounge that gets a sectional feel without one. It suggests a loveseat set if your patio is small or narrow, and a sofa set if you have room to stretch out. A fixed sectional is one run that fits a corner and cannot be rearranged as freely; the modular ones here (VITTSKÄR, EDGE, Langdon) can be reconfigured (our reading). For the size of the pieces, POLYWOOD’s guide lists a standard loveseat as 52 to 64 inches long and a sofa as 70 to 96, and says other makers may define standard differently.
Will it fit? Measure, tape, then add the walkway
Measure the length and width of the space, then tape the set’s footprint on the ground before you order, as POLYWOOD’s guide suggests with painter’s tape. The printed sizes are not the same kind of number, and they differ on whether the coffee table is in them. IKEA prints the REVSKÄR’s 83⅛ x 51⅛ and then the coffee table’s 27⅛ x 17¾ separately, so add the table (our reading). Luna’s total set size and POLYWOOD’s minimum space are for a pictured layout that includes the table (our reading). Langdon’s page lists a 97 x 74¾ set footprint apart from a coffee table 44½ wide and 25¾ deep (28½ in its dimensions panel), and its piece widths add to 97 and 70 (37 + 27 + 33 and 37 + 33), so that footprint looks like the sofa alone (our arithmetic). Tape Langdon at the 97 x 97 from its dimensions panel, the larger of its two sizes, which may already include the table (the page does not say). If the 97 x 74¾ is the sofa alone, the L leaves about 60 x 37¾ inside (97 less 37, 74¾ less 37; our arithmetic), which holds the 25¾ deep table at a 12 inch gap; at 28½ deep or a wider gap it sticks out by up to about 9 inches (our arithmetic), still inside the 97 x 97 you tape. A table outside the L needs about 113 to 121 inches of depth in all (our arithmetic). Tape what each page prints, and add the table where it is not in the number (our suggestion).
Then add the room around it. From Yardbird’s space-planning guide:
- 3 to 4 feet of walking space between furniture groupings, major pathways and large pieces, and 4 to 5 feet at entries and exits.
- 12 to 18 inches between a sofa and the coffee table, and 2 to 4 inches between a seat and a side table.
- 3.5 to 9 feet between seating groups so conversation feels natural.
POLYWOOD’s coffee-table guide gives 14 to 18 inches in front of seating, and 24 to 36 if you have rockers or gliders. It says the table should ideally sit 2 or 3 inches shorter than the armrest. For scale (our arithmetic), Luna’s 129¼ x 69⅛ inches plus 36 inches of walkway on all four sides is about 201 by 141 inches, so tape that rectangle if people will pass on every side. Against a wall, add only the open sides. A deep set needs more room: on one maker’s comparison, deep seating has a larger footprint than traditional furniture and suits expansive patios and decks. If your patio is small, start with our small patio ideas.
Seat depth, seat height and cushions
POLYWOOD’s loveseat-and-sofa guide gives one standard band, 20 to 24 inches of seat depth for loveseats and sofas alike. For comfort bands, one indoor sofa maker’s comfort guide puts depth in three bands: 19 to 20 inches for sitting upright, 21 to 23 for most sitting and light lounging, and 24 and up for curling up or reclining. Its seat heights are 15 to 16 inches (low, paired with deep seats), 17 to 19 (the standard range) and 19 and up (easier to get in and out of), and as a rule the deeper the seat, the lower it needs to be. That guide is for indoor sofas, so read it as a rough yardstick for outdoor cushions (our reading).
Printed seat depth depends on the cushions. IKEA’s VITTSKÄR sectional lists a seat depth of 31½ inches and a seat height of 14⅛ without cushions, and 25¼ and 18⅞ with its Frösön/Duvholmen cushions. POLYWOOD’s pages for the pieces in these two sets print 18.3 inches of seat depth for the Cottage loveseat and chair, and 19.8 to 20.6 for the EDGE pieces, below the 20 to 24 its guide gives as standard (our reading). Treat depths from different makers as approximate.
What the cushions need, from the pages:
- Included or not. POLYWOOD’s answer on a product page is that its sofas and sectionals come with cushions included. On IKEA’s VITTSKÄR pages the cushions are a choice: the sectional is $960 without them and $1,350 with, and the 3-seat conversation set is $1,320 and $1,710, so the cushions add $390 in both cases (our arithmetic). Check which variant the price belongs to.
- Fabric. Yardbird’s Luna page names Sunbrella, POLYWOOD’s pages say the cushions are hand-sewn from outdoor performance fabric that resists moisture, salt, sun, mold and mildew, and IKEA’s covers are 100% polyester, water repellent, removable and machine washable.
- Rain. If Yardbird’s cushions get wet, its care guide says to unzip them and prop them up to drain, and that drying typically takes 1 to 3 days in the sun.
- Winter. Yardbird says to bring cushions indoors where it freezes. POLYWOOD says its HDPE frames can stay out uncovered all year and suggests storing cushions dry in a tote or on a shelf in a garage or shed.
Frame materials and the full winter steps are in our patio furniture guide.
The sets compared
| Pick | Pieces and seats | Footprint printed (in) | Seat height / depth printed (in) | Frame and cushions | Price (reference) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEA REVSKÄR | Sofa for 2, chaise longue with side table, coffee table; 3 seats | 83⅛ x 51⅛ x 25⅝; table 27⅛ x 17¾ x 11 | Not printed | Steel, acacia table top; polyester covers, water repellent | $840 |
| IKEA VITTSKÄR sectional | Three 1-seat sections with backrests; 3 seats; no table | 94½ x 35 x 34⅝ | 18⅞ / 25¼ with cushions (14⅛ / 31½ without) | Steel with plastic rattan; polyester covers, machine washable | $1,350 |
| Yardbird Luna | Loveseat, 2 chairs, coffee table / bench | 129¼ x 69⅛ x 33 | Not printed | Aluminum; Sunbrella | $1,570 |
| POLYWOOD Cottage | Loveseat, chairs, coffee table; 4 seats | 145 x 33 x 76 (W x H x D, minimum space) | 16.5 / 18.3 (loveseat and chair) | HDPE lumber; performance fabric | $2,495 |
| Yardbird Langdon | Left arm, right arm, corner, armless insert, coffee table | 97 x 97 x 33¾ (page); 97 x 74¾ x 30¾ (description) | Not printed | Aluminum, HDPE wicker; Sunbrella | $2,985 |
| POLYWOOD EDGE | Modular left and right arm chairs, club chair, coffee table; page says seats 4 | 124 x 32 x 65 (W x H x D, minimum space) | 17.9 / 19.8 (modular arm chair); 17.9 / 20.6 (club chair) | HDPE lumber; performance fabric | $3,149 |
The picks, cheapest to dearest
This guide covers lounge seating only; for a table to eat at, see our outdoor dining sets for 6. These six are sets or sectionals with a coffee table or a seat run of their own.
IKEA REVSKÄR 3-Seat Conversation Set
For the lowest price, with the table and cushions included: the page lists a sofa for 2, a chaise longue with a side table and a coffee table, with seat and back cushions in the set. The cushion covers are water repellent, so you can shake off water from a light rain, and they are removable and machine washable. The frame is steel with an acacia table top.
Drawbacks: The page prints no seat depth or seat height, so you cannot check the sit against the bands above. The coffee table is small and low, 27⅛ x 17¾ x 11 inches. It seats 3.
IKEA VITTSKÄR Sectional, 3-Seat
For a sectional where the seat numbers are printed: 25¼ inches deep with cushions puts it in the 24 and up band that one indoor sofa maker gives for curling up (our reading), on an 18⅞ inch seat height. The page says you can combine sections to suit your space, and the frame is steel with plastic rattan. The covers are removable and machine washable.
Drawbacks: It is a straight run of three sections with no corner and no coffee table, and the table is a separate $280 item. The $1,350 includes the cushions; without them it is $960 and the seat is 31½ deep and 14⅛ high, so check which variant you are buying.
Yardbird Luna Loveseat Set
For a classic loveseat, two chairs and a table where the set size is printed, so you can tape the full 129¼ x 69⅛ inches. The page says the set seats a comfortable 5 or a snug 6 with the table used as a bench, and calls the small footprint a good fit for city spaces. The frame is aluminum with Sunbrella cushions, and the page lists fitted covers for keeping it outside year round.
Drawbacks: The page prints no seat depth or seat height. The coffee table, which doubles as a bench and ottoman, is 39¼ x 19¾ x 17 inches. The page lists the set as unavailable to ship to Minnesota or California.
POLYWOOD Cottage 4-Piece Deep Seating Set with Loveseat
For a full four-seat arrangement with a loveseat, chairs and a table, with cushions included and a frame POLYWOOD says can stay out uncovered all year. The loveseat is 52.5 inches wide with a 46 inch seat at 16.5 inches high, and the chair’s seat is 23 inches wide. Both seats are 16.5 inches high, lower than the EDGE’s 17.9 or the VITTSKÄR’s 18⅞ (our reading). The page lists a recommended minimum space based on its pictured layout.
Drawbacks: It needs the widest printed space of the six, 145 x 76 inches. Its 18.3 inch seat depth is the shallowest of the three sets that print one, under the 19 to 20 band an indoor maker gives for upright sitting (our reading). Other frame colors cost more, from $2,649 for black.
Yardbird Langdon Small Sectional Set
For a corner sectional that comes with its coffee table: a left arm, right arm, 90 degree corner and armless insert, with Sunbrella cushions on a rust-proof aluminum frame wrapped in HDPE wicker. The page lists a 350 lb capacity per seat and says the pieces clip together for stability. Yardbird’s page calls the Langdon collection its most popular.
Drawbacks: The same page prints two sizes: 97 x 97 x 33¾ in its dimensions panel and 97 x 74¾ x 30¾ as the 90 degree set footprint in the description, so tape the 97 x 97 and ask the maker whether it includes the table. No seat depth or height is printed, and the 45 degree corner version costs $3,240.
POLYWOOD EDGE Sectional 4-Piece Deep Seating Set with Loveseat
For modular pieces that you can connect or move apart: POLYWOOD’s deep seating comparison says the EDGE modular components connect with U-channel brackets to prevent shifting. The page lists the left and right arm chairs, a club chair and a coffee table, with seat heights of 17.9 inches, and a 124 x 65 inch minimum space, smaller than the Cottage’s 145 x 76 from the same maker. The frame is HDPE lumber.
Drawbacks: It costs the most of the six, and other frame colors are priced higher, from $3,349 for black. The modular chairs print a 19.8 inch seat depth, so it is not the deepest sit here. The page says it seats 4, while its four listed pieces include three seats (our reading); confirm with POLYWOOD before ordering.
Which one fits your patio?
Widths below are the printed ones, which are not all the same kind of number (see the fit section), so use them to shortlist and then tape the real thing (our suggestion).
- Under 83 inches of run: none of the six.
- 83 to under 97: the REVSKÄR (83⅛) or the VITTSKÄR sectional (94½, but only 35 deep).
- 97 to under 124: add the Langdon, if you can spare the 97 x 97 (taped as above).
- 124 and up: the EDGE (124 x 65), Luna (129¼ x 69⅛) and Cottage (145 x 76).
- You want to sink in: of the three sets that print a seat depth, the VITTSKÄR’s 25¼ is the deepest and the Cottage’s 18.3 the shallowest.
- A fire pit in the middle: the layout belongs in our fire pit ideas.
Where these numbers come from
Sizes, seat measurements, cushion details and prices (shown without a code) come from the IKEA, Yardbird and POLYWOOD product pages, read on 29 October 2026, with the layout and sizing figures from the makers’ guides linked above. The seat bands come from one indoor sofa maker’s comfort guide. The cushion price difference, the walkway rectangle and the width ranges are our arithmetic from those figures.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an outdoor conversation set and a sectional?
Makers use the two names for different bundles. On the pages read here, the conversation sets are separate pieces around a table (IKEA's REVSKÄR is a sofa for 2, a chaise longue with a side table and a coffee table), while a sectional is connected sections, which one maker describes as two or more seating sections joined together. Yardbird's guide says its loveseat or sofa sets can form an L-shape around the table without a full sectional.
How much space does an outdoor conversation set need?
Tape the printed footprint, add the coffee table where the page lists it separately (REVSKÄR); for Langdon, tape the larger 97 x 97 its page prints, then add walking room. The six sets here print between 83 and 145 inches of width, measured in different ways (IKEA and Yardbird print overall sizes, POLYWOOD a recommended minimum space). One maker's guide gives 3 to 4 feet of walking space between furniture groupings and 4 to 5 feet at entries and exits, and 12 to 18 inches from sofa to coffee table.
How deep should an outdoor sofa seat be?
One maker's loveseat-and-sofa guide gives 20 to 24 inches as standard seat depth; for comfort bands, one indoor sofa maker's guide puts 24 and up in the band for curling up. Of the pages here that print a seat depth with cushions, the figures run from 18.3 inches (POLYWOOD Cottage) to 25.25 (IKEA VITTSKÄR), and IKEA prints 31.5 for the same sectional without cushions, so compare like with like.
Can an outdoor conversation set stay outside in winter?
It depends on the maker. POLYWOOD says its HDPE lumber frames can stay out uncovered all year, and suggests storing cushions dry. Yardbird suggests removing cushions and storing them indoors where temperatures fall below freezing, and its Luna page lists fitted covers as letting that set live outside year round. The IKEA REVSKÄR and VITTSKÄR pages print no winter storage advice, so check IKEA's care instructions for the set.
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