Please Remain Seated
Comfort and Affordability Are Crucial When Shopping for Theater Seats, Stackable Chairs and Pews

By RaeAnn Slaybaugh

As church leaders, no doubt you can deliver great sermons, run tight financial ships and organize amazing outreaches — but buying chairs probably isn’t within your realm of expertise. Though your options seem limitless, choosing the best chairs for your facility boils down to three things: the space’s intended uses, your church’s budget, and “ergonomics” — the science of improving the design and function of tools and other objects people use everyday.

Though ergonomic data is sparse for church-specific seating, designers of office chairs, automobile and stadium seating have spent millions of dollars conducting just such research. All kinds of industries and businesses (not to mention the people sitting in their seats) have reaped the benefits:

• In recent years, major ballparks in Boston and Detroit have built new stadiums showcasing wider seats — something that topped everyone’s wish list. The old 14- and 15-inch-wide models were replaced with 18- and 19-inch versions to accommodate fans’ own (ahem) “wider seats.”
• Airlines are taking it one step further, as evidenced by Boeing, which boasts its new 777 will feature 18.5-inch-wide coach seats vs. the 747’s 17-inch models. Granted, they had to build bigger planes to accommodate them, but it remains a step in the right direction.
• On the road, as SUVs get more and more massive, so do their seats. Even New York subway cars have swapped their scoop-style seats for benches.

But How Has All This Affected You?

Even though churches can do little about Americans getting larger, they have benefited in the form of supremely comfortable theater seating. Whereas people spend less time sitting during worship services in an average week than at their desks, baseball games or in their cars, many of the same comfort principles apply, beginning with...

Lumbar, or lower back, support. Lumbar support is achieved with gentle curves in a chair’s backrest. This prevents flattening of the lumbar spine, which most people experience when seated. Theater seats sometimes let users adjust the size and, occasionally, the firmness of the lumbar support curve in the backrest to accommodate different body shapes and comfort levels. Also, chair backs often are designed to be large enough to support both the mid and upper back.

Tilt. While adequate lumbar support is important component comfort, no pastor wants to put his or her worshippers to sleep. That’s why it’s important to know that experts use a fairly relaxed definition of “comfort” when designing their chairs: the lack of discomfort. In this vein, they recommend a less-than-upright back, pointing out that a slight recline actually places the least amount of pressure on the spine. Specifically, a 10- to 15-degree recline is considered best because it’s not steep enough to induce sleepiness and not so rigid that people will leave your sanctuary complaining.

Width. Experts agree that your seats should be wide enough to accommodate 95 percent of your worshippers, with at least one inch of space on either side of their hips and thighs — but exactly how wide is wide enough?

Whereas building code requires architects to design sanctuaries to allow 18 inches per person, when you consider that the average coach-class airplane seat offers only 17 inches of width — and almost everyone feels cramped when their flight is full — 20 to 26 inches per worshipper is a much more comfortable estimate.

Stackables Offer Built-In Functionality

No doubt about it, theater seats are comfortable. But if the idea of lugging each 130-pound chair out of your multi-use sanctuary after Sunday services to prepare for a banquet later that night doesn’t sound very appealing, you might want to go stackable. Generally, these types of seats are much more lightweight and easily stored.

As an added bonus, stackable chairs often can be ganged together for stability and then easily removed if you need extra room for people to walk or stand. Aside from this functionality, many architects consider these seats the least expensive option, averaging between $25 and $80 apiece depending on the quality of materials.

Speaking of materials, foam is one area you don’t want scrimp on, even when it comes to stackable chairs. Lesser-quality foam usually means a less expensive chair, but the savings are hardly worth it; the denser the foam, the longer the chair will last. Whereas very soft foam might be comfortable for a few minutes, it can begin to trap heat after an hour or so if it lacks density.

Pondering Pews?

When shopping for pews, opting for higher-density foam is just as important. The experts at Sauder Worship Furniture say 80 percent of pews sold today at least have upholstered seats, and when foam breaks down — as it all does — sitting in them can be miserable.

Also look beneath the foam at the pew’s contours. Some manufacturers shape their seats to conform to the human body to add strength and increase comfort since this approach disperses body weight more evenly. Plus, when the foam breaks down, this is what worshippers will be sitting on, so it should be comfortable. Additionally, look for “waterfall,” or rounded, edges so the backs of people’s knees don’t rest on sharp corners.

Though pews are more expensive than stackable chairs — starting at about $80 each — ergonomic research indicates they are more than adequately comfortable for most worshippers. Do, however, plan to incorporate a few adaptable seating areas throughout your sanctuary for people with back, neck or hip problems.

The choice is up to you. Whether you go with modern theater style seating, stackable chairs or old-fashioned yet functional pews, the key is that your worshippers and your budget be as comfortable as possible.

Now, go take your seats.