Guide to the Best Church Chairs

Editor’s Choice

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• Stackable for easy storage
• Includes bumper guards to protect the black powder-coated finish
• The frame can hold up to 500 lbs and is very durable.

Best Overall

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• The manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty on the non-moving metal parts and a 2-year warranty on the base and casters.
• Each chair has fixed floor glides.
• This product includes a full-length card pocket on the back.

Budget-Friendly

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• It comes with a rear book pouch
• The upholstery for each hair has 4 inches of foam
• Features a generously padded waterfall seat

If you are in a hurry and just want to find out the best church chairs, then I’d recommend the Flash Furniture HERCULES Series 2″ Church Chair as the best one.

There is nothing more distracting than sitting on an uncomfortable chair. A comfortable church chair can make or break the Sunday service or any church activity experience. Now that most churches use chairs instead of the traditional pew let’s discuss how to choose the best chair in the church. 

Here are the best Church Chairs we will be reviewing:

• Flash Furniture HERCULES 2″ Church Chair
• Flash Furniture 4 Pack HERCULES Trapezoidal Back Church Chair
• Flash Furniture 4 Pack HERCULES Crown Back Church Chair
• EMMA + OLIVER 18.”” W Gold Vein Frame Stacking Church Chair
• Advantage 20.”” Cinnamon Molded Foam Church Chair

What are Church Chairs?

You would likely sit on a church chair instead of the traditional pew if you attended Sunday service. Church chairs have long replaced pews mainly because they provide comfort and personal space for each member. Also, chairs are more flexible when it comes to arrangement and are easier to store.

Pews vs. Chairs

Pews are wooden seats or benches you see in traditional churches popularised back in the medieval period. Usually, these pews had carved bench ends, while others had a carvings of animal or foliage designs. Compared to pews, chairs allow you more freedom to move and arrange them however you want. Besides that, you also get a lot of options on the color of the fabric and the different attachments and add-ons you want for your chair.

Parts of a Church Chair

Type of Frame

There are many types of frames for church chairs to choose from. Wooden frames are strong, but they are heavy and thus can be challenging to move around. For a cheaper option, you can opt for plastic models. The downside to plastic frames is that they are prone to breaking and can quickly wear over time. 

The best type of frame for church chairs is metal. Many chairs now come in heavy-duty rolled steel that is lighter, easier to move around, and free from rust. 

Type of Fabric

Aside from choosing a heavy-duty frame, you should also look for heavy-duty fabric that has undergone tests to ensure that the fabric lasts long. Most manufacturers give you many options for the fabric, but the most popular pick is either Sherpa or Shire. These materials are durable and stain-resistant. They are easy to clean and are more affordable than other materials. Most importantly, they’re customizable because of the broad color palette. 

Quality of Foam

If you want the best church chairs, opt for manufacturers that give you the best foam quality for padding and cushioning. One of the reasons for choosing chairs instead of pews is comfort. The type of foam you should look for is virgin foam which should be high density and have a commercial-grade for quality. The foam should be laboratory-certified and free from dangerous chemicals such as formaldehyde. It should also be permitted to meet or exceed all appropriate state fire code standards. 

Type of Foundation used

The type of foundation you should look for is high-quality industrial-grade natural plywood, the most durable material. Other manufacturers would instead use composite materials such as quality Polymer foundations; this is also an excellent choice. Commercial plywood and quality Polymers provide stability and maximum support to the user’s back and last a long time.

Purpose of Using Church Chairs

The choice of seating in church is as important as the ambiance and cleanliness of an establishment. Sitting on a hard chair or a crowded pew is not ideal when attending a church service or event. Choosing the best church chairs means giving your members comfortable seating and experience throughout the service. Members will be able to listen and tune into the message more, with fewer distractions and discomfort. 

Benefits of Using Church Chairs

Increased comfort

Comfort is an essential part of the church experience. Churchgoers can focus more on the sermon when they are comfortable. They wouldn’t have to think about getting stiff backs, aching legs, and strained necks after the service. Comfort is the main reason why church chairs are preferred over pews. 

Church chairs provide personal space for each member

Unlike pews, using church chairs provides each member with personal space during service. So, even ifit’ss a crowded day, the members would not worry about not having any breathing room. Also, when someone has to stand and go to the comfort room, it would not be as distracting and inconvenient as they have to pass through the rows.

Environmentally sound

Most brands nowadays choose to use environmentally sound materials. This means that when they gather the materials, they do so without causing damage to the environment. Another practice manufacturers do is to source their materials to support vendors locally. This reduces transportation costs and helps them monitor the quality of each material closely.

Long-lasting

Because church chairs are made with high-quality and environmentally sourced materials, they have a long life span. Although chairs made with the best materials may cost more, you will need to replace them less often than cheap church chairs. 

Church chairs allow more flexible arrangements.

Compared to pews, church chairs allow you the flexibility to change arrangements however you like. The church can gather the members in small groups for prayer meetings or discussions before the service. Besides that, you can stack church chairs on top of each other and put them away together for storage. The church can use the vacant space to hold ministry projects such as youth team building, Bible study, and the like.

Things to Consider When Choosing the Best Church Chairs

Quality and Comfort

There is no doubt that church chairs are made from better-quality materials. Because of high-quality materials, church chairswouldn’tt need to replace the chairs often. Also, with individual chairs, members will be more comfortable when seated during services and events. As compared to pews, the space between each member is enough for them to move around and not cause a distraction for those around them.

Next, determine the thickness of the foam. Insist on virgin commercial foam and not reused foam. Reused foams have noticeable stains or writings on them.

Church chairs Style or Add-ons

Compared to pews, you have more freedom to customize your church chairs so that they would fit the ambiance of your sanctuary. Manufacturers are open to creating custom colors and using your desired fabrics for the chair itself; you can even have your church’s name embroidered on the fabric. But if you would like to stick to the standard and elegant style, church chairs usually come in dark colors such as purple, maroon, blue, and black. Darker-colored fabrics are easier to maintain and require less cleaning. 

If you want to take customizing your church chairs to another level, did you know you can add cup holders and wire racks underneath the chair as well? Although a cup holder is a bit unconventional, wire racks can help the members when they need to store away their bags during the service.

Frame warranty

When choosing the best church chairs, we must always check if the chairs come with a warranty. Each manufacturer has warranty offers that cover a different component of the chair. If you wish to purchase church chairs, look for brands that offer guarantees for the frames. Most brands provide at least a 25-year to a lifetime warranty on the whole structure. 

Size of Church Chairs

There are various sizes of church chairs available, which can also be customizable. But the most common chair widths are 20.5 to 21 inches. If you are undecided on the chair size, consider the number of members that usually attend per service and the sanctuary’s size. If you’re short of space, then a smaller chair width will do. But if you have no problem with the room, a larger chair size is more than acceptable.

Frame materials

If you have the budget, opt for a metal frame. There is no doubt that metal is the best material for church chair frames. A metal frame with powder coating lasts longer and is more durable than other frame materials. The powder coating also helps hide scuffs and scratches on the structure over time.

If you’re a little tight on budget, wooden or plastic frames are suitable as well. Wooden structures are strong but would be more challenging to move around because of their weight. At the same time, plastic frames are cheaper but can easily break compared to the two previous frame materials.

Type of fabric

Besides the frame, it is also wise to invest in suitable quality fabrics for your church chairs. The most popular fabric for church chairs is made from sherpa or shire. These materials are durable and are more stain-resistant than other fabrics used for chairs. Sherpa and Shire are also easier to clean without causing any damage to the fabric and foam. Aside from that, these two materials are more affordable, and you can customize the chair to your desired color.

Church chairs Safety Measures.

Aside from the comfort and convenience church chairs bring, we should also take the time to read the fine print and determine whether the chair we are hoping to purchase passed safety standards. The fabric used must be certified to have given the double rub wearability. It should also be laboratory-certified and free from formaldehyde emissions. As for the foam, it must be commercial-grade and laboratory-certified, free from formaldehyde and TDCPP (fire retardant) emissions. Both materials must be licensed to meet all appropriate state fire code standards.

Flash Furniture HERCULES 2″ Church Chair

The Flash Furniture HERCULES Series 2″ commercial-grade stacking church chair features A-frame legs with wooden accented armrests. Its silver veined frame with black cushion fabric contributes to its elegant and straightforward design. The Hercules series church chair has a 15 gauge steel metal frame capable of supporting up to 500 pounds. This 21-inch wide church chair can be easily assembled in ten minutes and includes all the necessary tools you’ll need. 

If you’re looking to give your sanctuary a fresh new look, this church chair will help you achieve that! These chairs are easy to clean using a vacuum or a lint roller to remove the dust. You can also stack up to eight of the chairs together for easy storage and moving around.

Pros:

• The manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty on the non-moving metal parts and a 2-year warranty on the base and casters.
• Each chair has fixed floor glides
• This product includes a full-length card pocket on the back
• Strong and durable
• Easy assembly
• You can choose among three colors (black, burgundy, grey)

Cons:

• Assembly is needed
• The metal frame does not come in a powder-coated finish

Flash Furniture 4 Pack HERCULES Trapezoidal Back Church Chair

Although this chair comes from the same series as the previous product, you can see a noticeable difference between the two. chair’s frame has a black powder-coated finish partnered with black vinyl upholstery. Its sleek and sophisticated design helps set the ambiance of the establishment. Although it lacks armrestsdoesn’tesn’t make it any less comfortable to sit on. This chair is shipped fully assembled, with less time and effort, and is ready to use immediately. 

The frame is made of 16 gauge steel with a powder finish, both sturdy and durable. And because you can stack up to ten chairs together, it is easy to transport and can be used for outdoor events.

Pros:

• Stackable for easy storage
• Includes bumper guards to protect the black powder-coated finish
• The frame can hold up to 500 lbs and is very durable
• The chair will be shipped fully assembled
• You can choose among three colors (black, burgundy, grey)

Cons:

• Some chairs may come with faulty stitching and pulling away from the seams
• Some may find that the cushion is too hard

Flash Furniture 4 Pack HERCULES Crown Back Church Chair

This series has a crown-bait design, so it’s a more traditional-looking chair than the previous design. Also, instead of a vinyl cushion, this chair has a burgundy cloth cushion with a gold veined frame instead of blacchairs. This chair’s frame is 16 gauge steel that can hold up to 500 lbs, with a gold powder-coated finish. 

This standout church chair can be used as-is and still commands attention. The chair is cushioned with 2.5″ thick CAL 117 fire retardant foam and is covered in durable upholstery for high usage. 

Double support braces reinforce the frame to give it great strength and durability. Bumper guards prevent scratches on the frame when stacked (up to 15 high), and non-marring floor glides protect your floor by sliding smoothly when you need to move the chair.

Like the previous product, this comes fully assembled, and you can stack the chairs up to ten at a time. You can use these chairs for events in both indoor and outdoor settings. 

Pros:

• Double support braces
• 2.5 thick seat cushion
• Includes floor protector plastic guides
• Elegant styling and sturdy design
• Shipped fully assembled and ready for use
• It comes in six different colors (black, burgundy, grey, blue, beige, and coffee)

Cons:

• Some chairs may come with bent leg/s
• The seat cushion flattens quickly over time

EM”A + OLIVER 18.5” Gold Vein Frame Stacking Church Chair

The Emma+Oliver gold vein church chair has a contemporary style and has two chairs with the thickest seat cushions. It provides superior seating comfort for the church members, so their attention stays on the sermon and not their watches. Its cushion has a thickness of four inches with a 4.25-inch waterfall edge. The manufacturers use 16 chair steel for the chair’s frame to hold up to 800 lbs. It has a gold vein powder-coated finish and has ganging clips, meaning you can attach the chairs.

This contemporary-style chair can be stacked and stored easily. The chairs can also be used for outdoor events. You have the freedom to arrange the chairs however you want, individually or attach them to pews.

Pros:

• It comes with a rear book pouch
• The upholstery for each hair has 4 inches of foam
• Features a generously padded waterfall seat
• The metal frame can hold up to 800 lbs
• It comes in six different colors (burgundy, beige, brown, grey, green, and navy blue)

Cons:

• This chair has no warranty
• Some chairs may come with missing screws

Advantage 20.5″ Cinnamon Molded Foam Church Chair

This church chair comes fully assembled and can be ganged together into a continuous pew. The upholstery has a four-inch-thick virgin polyurethane foam supported by a plywood base for seats and backs. Both the foam and fabric have been tested and approved for durability and fire safety. It has a 16 gauge powder-coated steel frame with plastic floor glides to prevent slipping. 

This chair has a standard 20.5-inch width, making it perThere’sr the sanctuary. There’s no assembly needed, plus you get a lifetime warranty on frame failure due to faulty welding and a 15-year warranty on the upholstery. 

Pros:

• The manufacturer provides a lifetime warranty on faulty frame assembly and a 15-year warranty on the upholstery.
• The metal frame is powder-coated with plastic floor glides to prevent scratches on the floor.
• The chair comes fully assembled
• Each chair has a book rack and a pocket at the back
• There are twelve different colors (cinnamon, black, black marble, blue, cobalt, fossil, grape, hunter green, java, maroon, mixed tan, and purple).

Cons:

• The color on the frame is darker than what is in the description.
• The manufacturer uses wooden screws instead of metal screws for the base.

Conclusion

Church chairs have long replaced uncomfortable pews. Although comfort is not what we first think of can’t we attend church, we can’t deny that a comfortable church chair helps us concentrate on the service.

The best church chair I’d recommend is the Flash Furniture HERCULES 21″ Church Chair. With its simple design, it’s sure to blend in and enhance the ambiance of the sanctuary. This standard 21-inch wide church chair can easily support up to 500 lbs, and you can assemble the chair in just ten minutes. Aside from the comfort and durability, cleaning this chair will be a breeze. You only need to use a vacuum or a lint roller for the dust and lint, and if there are spills, you can simply blot with a clean, dry cloth.