When it comes to choosing your new chairs there is a wide variety available across the industry. Commercial chair suppliers will put in front of you polypropylene chairs, timber chairs and upholstered chairs. These chairs all come with different pros and cons and can make a large difference in the style and atmosphere of your venue. The three chairs not only change the style of a venue, but also have different uses and practicality depending on the type of venue they are used in.
Style
All three types of chairs represent different styles and can dramatically change the atmosphere within your venue. If you have a restaurant, typically upholstered or timber chairs would be the chair of choice. Timber and upholstered chairs bring a sophistication to your venue and add in the classic class that restaurants usually boast. However, neither timber nor upholstered chairs should be used outdoors and for this reason, restaurants that have an outdoor area will use polypropylene chairs in these areas.
If your venue is a café or a bar, your chairs will reflect the style of your venue. Sophisticated and classy? Timber or upholstered. Funky and modern? Polypropylene. The style of your venue should guide the chairs that you decide to move with.
Use
The three types of chairs listed above each have their own uses. While all three can be used throughout an indoor space, we wouldn’t recommend using timber or upholstered chairs in an outdoor setting.
If your furniture is fully outdoors under the sun or rain, you may want to consider using polypropylene chairs. Timber chairs or upholstered chairs will become easily damaged in the sun and rain. Timber cracks in the heat and the upholstery will deteriorate and fall away from the chair. These types of chairs are designed to be used in indoor settings.
Possibly the best option for your outdoor chairs would be polypropylene. However, even within polypropylene products, there are differences in what is sold across the industry. You want to ensure that the polypropylene is injected with glass fibres to make it strong. You will also want to make sure your polypropylene chairs are UV stable as chairs that aren’t UV stable will fade and crack in the harsh Australian sun.
If your venue is a venue often visited by families with children, you may want to choose chairs that can be easily and quickly cleaned off as children can leave furniture dirty and sticky. Polypropylene is a great option for this, as it can be hosed down outside or quickly wiped over with a wet cloth inside.
Cost
Depending on the timber used, timber chairs can range anywhere from $90 to $500. The most common and preferred hardwood that is used for chairs is European Beechwood. European beech is strong, inexpensive and has been used for furniture since the 1800s. European Beechwood is slow growing tree with a short grain. This makes the timber strong and stable. Alternatively, Rubberwood or Chinese Oak can be used. These timbers are fast growing and therefore ideal for mass-production of furniture. However, these timbers aren’t as strong and therefore product chairs of lesser quality.
Upholstered chairs are bound to turn heads and bring in the classic comfort of soft upholstery. However, they are also more towards the higher end of the scale of pricing. Priced anywhere between $90 and $1000 a chair, these chairs are the most diverse in pricing. The reason for this lies in the framing of the chair. Some chairs are framed with steel, others with timber. Not only do the materials vary the pricing, but the craftsmanship does as well. Popular chairs that are rolled off a factory line tend towards the lower end of the scale, while chairs crafted individually tend to hitch the price up.
The base of the cost ladder would be made up of the polypropylene chairs. Polypropylene chairs are wildly popular among café owners for more than one reason. These chairs are strong, look fantastic, comfortable, easy to clean and cost effective. Ranging from anywhere between $50 to $250 a chair, polypropylene chairs tend to be less diverse in their pricing, and yet more diverse in the styles and colours on offer.
Conclusion: yes all chairs are different, but one is not better than the other. It entirely depends on your intended use of the chair and the look and style that you are going for in your venue. Ask yourself these questions. Are you wanting indoor or outdoor chairs? Or are you wanting a mixture of both? What style are you looking for – shabby chic, elegant sophistication or modern & funky? What sort of atmosphere are you looking to create in your venue? If you’re unsure or looking for some more pointers, reach to a member of our team. We’d love to help you out on your design journey!