To Everything There Is a Season
By: Steve Misha and Scott Mitchell
What are the advantages of theater seating? It is sleek, warm, comfortable, and, more importantly, both versatile and affordable. There are many reasons schools are turning their attention to theater seats. The thought of being a good steward with God's money is near the top of the list.
As the investment costs to build a new school auditorium are skyrocketing, building committees are searching for ways to cut costs and yet seat more people. Cost is one of the most important market factors in driving the demand for this new type of seating.
Most of the better theater seat companies offer elegant wood veneer, plastic laminate and upholstered backs.
In addressing the cost savings, several seat companies are effectively offering injection molded polypropylene backs. The injection molded plastic serves multiple purposes. It gives the music director the hard surface he desires for acoustic purposes. It also provides a stronger, more durable finish that extends the life of the chair. With the injection molded back, there are fewer worries about staining and damage.
For the same reason pew manufacturers put cap rails on the top of their pews, theater seat companies protect the top of their chairs with the injection molded backs. Fully upholstered seats tend to show wear on the top where the hands of people rub, causing the fabric to fray and discolor. The use of laminates and wood veneers on the seat backs and ends are options that help protect the seat, as well as provide a more traditional look.
Comfort is another advantage of auditorium-style seating. Only a few manufacturers go to the extra effort and focus on developing a seat that is built to last. The primary consideration in theater seat selection in terms of construction should be the one area that takes the most punishment over the life of the chair. That area is the seat itself. It has to be comfortable, yet it absorbs the most force. It can be exposed to food, drink, sharp objects, etc.
A properly designed seat should be able to handle the force placed upon it. High-quality seats will typically use five individual serpentine springs to spread the force over a wide area rather than having all the force pushed to the center. Without a solid suspension system, the deflection would be similar to sitting in a lawn chair, sagging in the middle or bottom, just as the cut foam/plywood base combination on most pews will do after a few short years. Without this suspension system, the foam may alter its shape over time, negatively affecting the comfort of the seat.
Companies offering advanced theater seat design developed a way to prevent the serpentine springs from cutting into the foam. These manufacturers will typically use a nylon "anti-chafing" barrier between the springs and the foam itself.
There are two types of foam: Open Cell foam, also known as "cut" or "slab" foam, and Closed Cell foam, also identified as Cold Molded foam. Remember in the past when you sat on a seat and could feel it bottoming out on the plywood below? That was cut foam, which feels very comfortable when new, but begins to lose its shape and resiliency in about two years. If you were to spill liquid on this type of foam, it would absorb into the open cells.
Cold molded foam, which is now used by many theater seat companies, has closed cell pockets, so spilled liquid would not be absorbed. When someone sits in a seat, the pressure increases, and the closed air pockets compress, adding support to the structure. Combined with the "give" of the serpentine spring suspension, seat comfort can be maintained for the life of the seat without the need for maintenance.
Another important design feature, especially in high-humidity locales, is to have air vents stamped in the seat pan to allow the foam to breathe, or dry out any moisture that may develop inside a seat pan.
Seats with an upholstered seat bottom are difficult to maintain. It is better to use a seat with either a metal or injection molded seat pan, which allows easy access to the seat itself. The injection molded design is quieter than metal, which can create a slight echo effect. The fabric can be attached to the inner seat using clips, hooks or preferably a zippered attachment.
Auditorium seating allows for greater design options. A gravity lift seat is the most reliable way to provide a larger passageway, with the more advanced return systems hidden inside the seat itself. A properly designed gravity lift seat will have no metal-to-metal contact and a lifetime warranty.
The other method used for seat lift is a spring return. While the gravity return takes about two rebounds to completely stop, the spring return will move immediately to the upright position without any recoil. However, springs are mechanical devices that wear and elongate over time, which can affect the position of the seat return and create noise. They require periodic maintenance, and this must be taken into consideration when determining true cost over the life of the product.
Auditorium seating is here to stay in schools, and it is growing at an exponential pace. However, when shopping for a theater seat, it is best to remember that not all companies offer the same choices. A school should interview a few manufacturers before making their seat selection. Choose a company that has a number of different styles and sizes, so you can select a seating solution that meets your needs.
If questions still exist, ask your theater seat representative to bring a sample and show you the features and benefits of their product. It's an excellent way to examine the aesthetic presence of the chair, feel the comfort and support of the cushions, as well as determine the long-range durability of the engineering. A double chair mockup will aid in providing a visual interpretation of how multiple shared seating configurations will look in the venue.
After listening to you express how you want your school to emerge and function, an experienced seating manufacturer can offer suggestions on such options as seating layout configurations, fabrics and even long-term, yet beautiful finish selections--everything to help you bring your dreams to reality.
Steve Misha is the Western worship sales manager and Scott Mitchell is the Eastern worship sales manager for Seating Concepts, www.seatingconcepts.com.
Product Roundup
Irwin Seating
Established in 1907 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Irwin Seating Company is one of the world's largest manufacturers of new and restored seating for stadiums, arenas, movie theatres, auditoriums, performing arts centers and lecture rooms. Irwin Seating Company offers a wide range of products tailored specifically to the needs of schools and universities. Shown here is the Model 41286 Citation, which features an impact resistant plastic back, durable seat and the Tru-Fold Tablet Arm.
www.irwinseating.com
Seating Concepts
Seating Concepts is a premier manufacturer of fixed theater and auditorium seating for sanctuaries, schools and worship auditoriums. In business for more than 80 years, the company is one of the largest theater seat manufacturers in the world, with sales in more than 50 countries. Seating Concepts offers a wide variety of models designed with elegance and style, and has the experience to handle the most complex custom designs. Experienced local representatives are well trained to answer questions.
www.SeatingConcepts.com
Track Seating
Track Seating offers a complete line of contoured back chairs, featuring full spring suspension seat comfort systems. The seats are available in 32-inch and 35-inch tall back heights, with custom back treatments to meet any need, including injection-molded plastic, wood veneer, plastic laminate and upholstery. Track Seating's unique 3-D laminate end panels allow schools to have the look of hand-carved wood at a small fraction of the cost. These panels can be customized to include scripture or religious symbols and possess the superior durability and easy maintenance of high pressure laminates.
www.trackseating.com
Sedia Systems C600
Efficient and innovative, the C600's seat and backrest closing system is especially compact, creating additional space between rows, enhancing comfort and freedom of movement while facilitating audience inflow and outflow. The C600 can be installed on flat or tiered floors and in straight or radius rows. Customization options include a wide range of upholstery colors and accessories, including tablet arms. Sedia Systems designs, manufactures and imports seating solutions for the education and contract market.
www.sediasystems.com
Auditorium Seating by Allied Equipment
The self-lifting seat mechanism from Allied Equipment provides up to 40 percent additional seating space. By making use of the additional seating, churches can reduce per-occupant construction costs. Auditorium seats can be installed in a radial fashion versus typical straight lines, allowing for improved sight lines from all seating areas. The value of auditorium seating is enormous when considering the important elements of seating capacity, cost, comfort, and layout.
www.alliedequipmentnj.com
SSE Prefabricated Stadium Seating Systems
In response to the growing demand for permanent tiered seating, more architects and contractors are looking to SSE for a fast, easy and cost-effective prefabricated stadium seating solution. SSE Engineers will design a system with steel and lightweight EPS Foam to serve as the platform for the seating. After installing prefabricated intermediate steps, concrete is poured directly on the structural foam base for the platforms and the steps in one operation. This approach typically saves weeks off the construction schedule and reduces overall labor cost by 20 to 25 percent.
www.ssesolutions.com
