Glossary of Common Church Chair Terms

Are you in the market for church chairs? Shopping for commercial furniture, especially upholstered and stackable church chairs, can be daunting due to the array of specialized terms and features available. Just a glance at church furnishing websites can spark questions like, what is chair ganging? And what are stack buttons on a chair? Understanding common chair terms and jargon can help you make an informed decision about church furniture purchases.

Terms to Know

Bench Ends

Supportive structures at the ends of church benches, bench ends provide stability and aesthetics to the overall design. Bench ends can be carved or embellished and are often decorated at weddings with flowers or ribbons.

Chair Width

Chair comfort is influenced heavily by chair width, particularly when chairs are placed in tight rows. Wider chairs give more personal space and a greater feeling of ease and comfort. Chair width is the measurement of a chair seat from one side to the other.

Choir Chairs

Chairs that are designed for use by choir members during church services or performances are known as choir chairs. To promote the comfort of the performers, choir chairs often feature cushions and ergonomic back support.

Church Benches

Also known as pews, church benches are traditionally made from wood and have long, smooth boards for seating several people per bench. They have wooden bench ends or support posts, which are often permanently attached to the floor. Church benches can be built with or without a backrest and are generally regarded as uncomfortable seating options. They were once cheaper than individual chairs (in the days when everything was made by hand), but benches are now more expensive since church benches must be custom-built to fit the space.

Church Chairs

Chairs designed for church congregation areas are known as church chairs. Ideally, church chairs can be stacked and moved around to allow flexibility in sanctuaries and multi-purpose areas. Plush foam-padded seats and backrests encourage comfort and attention during services.

Closed-Frame

If a chair has a closed-frame design, the metal chair frame isn’t visible on the upper portion of the chair. The Bertolini Impressions and Millennia Chairs have a closed frame design, which means that the metal frame is enclosed within the cushions and upholstery. Contrast these closed-frame designs with the Essentials Chair, which has an open-frame design.

Cold-Rolled Steel

Bertolini chair frames are made of precision welded 1010 cold-rolled steel tubing. Cold-rolled steel is ideal for furniture; it’s stronger and has a smoother finish than hot-rolled steel. Cold-rolled steel has essentially gone through the entire hot rolling process plus a cold rolling process. This makes it stronger and gives it a snag-free surface that’s ideal for powder coat adhesion.

Cold-Cured Foam

This type of foam doesn’t require heat to set. It is mixed and poured into a mold, which is vacuum sealed to create a perfect cushion every time. The result is a premium, highly resilient foam that is water resistant and gives just the right amount while remaining highly supportive, year after year.

Contoured Backrest

This type of back support on a church chair is ergonomically shaped to match the form of the human body, with a protruding area that meets up with the small of the back. It will provide optimal support and comfort for extended sitting periods.

Custom Fabric

Personalized upholstery options allow churches to complement their decor with chairs in their choice of colors, textures, and patterns. Impressions Bertolini chairs can be made in over 50 fabrics.

Eco-Friendly

Furniture made from sustainable materials or manufacturing processes, promoting environmental conservation efforts.

Floor Glides

Protective attachments on chair legs that prevent damage to flooring surfaces and ease movement of stackable church chairs.

Frame Material

The underlying structure of a chair, ranging from metal to wood, influencing durability and aesthetics.

Ganging

Chair ganging clips are connecting mechanisms that link chairs together in rows. Also known as chair ganging devices or brackets, these clips are located on the sides of the chair. They slip or clip together, making perfect, evenly-spaced rows of chairs. In addition to their aesthetic advantages, chair ganging also creates a safer environment in large conferences, preventing people from scooting back or knocking chairs over, which could cause a tripping hazard.

Mandrel Bending

This precise method of bending steel involves placing a rod inside a steel tube before bending it to prevent puckering, breakage, and wrinkling. Many church chair manufacturers construct their frames using crush bending, which is a quicker technique that weakens the frame and leaves an unattractive indentation. In contrast, Bertolini chair frames are shaped from steel tube using mandrel bending, which results in a superior chair frame that maintains the full integrity of the steel tubing.

MDI Foam

MDI foam is a healthier alternative to TDI foam, which is considered toxic to humans and gives off a strong, unpleasant odor. MDI is short for Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate; MDI foam lasts longer, doesn’t contribute to poor air quality, and sets more quickly into a solid form when molded.

Open Frame

An open frame chair design features a partially exposed metal chair frame, such as the Bertolini Essentials Church Chair. From the back view, the Essentials Chair frame is visible outlining the backrest. All other Bertolini Church Chairs have closed frames.

Pew Chairs

Another word for church chairs, pew chairs are often placed in rows to resemble traditional church pews. Pew chairs offer more flexibility and comfort.

Powder Coating

Protective and decorative finishing technique applied to metal church chairs to enhance durability and visual appeal.

Sanctuary Seating

Any type of chairs or benches made for the congregation of a church is known as sanctuary seating. The best chairs for a church sanctuary are usually comfortable and visually pleasing. Cathedral chairs (also known as Cathedra, presider’s chairs, priest’s chairs, or Bishop’s Chairs) are not considered sanctuary seating because they are not designed for the general congregation.

Stack Buttons

Usually made of rubber or plastic, stack buttons are tiny round knobs located on the sides of chair legs. If you’ve ever tried to stack chairs without these ingenious features, you might have seen stacks of chairs fall over or chairs scratching the legs of other chairs. Stack buttons fix these common problems. They help align chair stacks perfectly for the most secure storage. They also prevent chair legs from touching each other, preventing scratches, dents, and damage to the finish and upholstery.

Static Load Test

Church furniture must be durable and support varied weight loads. To ensure chairs are durable enough for commercial use, check to see what their static load test rating is. Bertolini church chairs are static load tested to 800 pounds (362.8 kg).

Warranty

A reputable manufacturer will offer a product warranty, which is a guarantee offered by the manufacturer covering defects or damages. Bertolini offers industry-leading warranties on all church chairs: a structural frame warranty of 25 years and an upholstery warranty of 5 years.

Waterfall Edge

This comfortable chair seat edge has a gentle slope at the front edge, promoting comfort and leg circulation in extended sitting periods. By contrast, a crisp, 90-degree chair edge can diminish circulation to the legs and feet and cause feelings of numbness, tingling, and aching.

Worship Chairs

A popular term for church chairs, worship chairs are individual (and usually padded) chairs used in a worship environment. Unlike church pews, worship chairs are not permanently attached to the floor, so they can be moved around, stacked, or rearranged for different needs.

Ready to Learn More?

Navigating the world of commercial furniture terms, particularly those related to upholstered and stackable church chairs, can indeed be challenging. By understanding these common church chair terms, you can confidently select furniture that meets your church’s specific needs for comfort, durability, and style.