Rocker-type chairs are growing increasingly popular as theater style seating. They bring a real level of rest and relaxation to the grown ups in attendance.
Welding — By Robots or By Hand
In the past, theater styled chairs built on steel standards occasionally failed because of inconsistent welds. Given the heavy-duty use that most auditorium chairs are subjected to, this problem often impacted maintenance costs.
Now, robots are being used in welding higher quality steel standards used in commercial seating. The robotic mig welding, as it is called, makes heavy gauge steel standards competitive with the super-rugged cast iron ones.
Paint — Sprayed on or Baked On
The finish on brand-new theatre styled chairs will look great at installation, regardless of how it was applied. However, as time goes on, surfaces that are merely spray-painted will show signs of wear. Scratches and scuff marks will quickly compromise the setting that you so carefully prepared for your customers.
Today, polyester powder coating is the answer for those that demand true long-term durability. Such coatings are electrostatically-applied and then baked on at about 200 degrees. The resulting hard surface is particularly scratch resistant. Facilities that use such theatre style seats often experience lower maintenance costs over the years.
Seat Bottoms — Retractable or Stationary
Seat bottoms that automatically retract offer one key advantage — they usually expand the space between rows to allow patrons easier access to their cinema seats. Ultimately, seating capacity can be expanded because rows can be placed a little closer together.
However, these foldable movie chairs require seat lift mechanisms that will stand the test of time. Again, all foldable seats function great at the outset. Lesser quality seats will often have springs that wear out, resulting in seat bottoms that snap back too fast. Worn out seat lift mechanisms also tend to get noisy.
The answer is to invest in seat bottoms that pivot on hardened steel shafts that in turn ride on lifetime bearings. The minor additional investment will pay off in happier customers and lower long-term maintenance costs.
Ask the right questions, and success in commercial seating selection will be yours.
