Answering the question “how much does a chair weigh” is essential for those looking to buy one, especially for people that travel a lot. A chair weighs anywhere from 8 lbs to 99 lbs, depending on its material, size, and purpose. As you can expect, portable chairs are heavier than more permanently placed ones.
In picking a chair, should you opt for heavier ones? What makes a chair heavy? Continue reading to find the answer to these questions and learn all there is about the weights of chairs.
What Affects The Weight Of The Chairs?
A chair’s weight is affected by two major factors: its size and the materials used to make it.
The bigger something is, the heavier it usually gets. The same goes for chairs and other furniture. Couches, reclining chairs, and lounge chairs weigh a lot more than folding chairs and office chairs.
A chair’s size greatly affects its weight. However, the materials used in making it have a more significant effect.
Let’s take a metal folding chair and a camping chair, for example. Despite being broader and bulkier, a camping chair is still lighter than a folding chair made entirely out of metal
Nevertheless, metal chairs are not always the heaviest. Aluminum alloy chairs are compact, durable, and significantly lighter than most wooden chairs in the market.
Bamboo and rattan wicker chairs are eco-friendly and strong, but their weights vary depending on the amount of material used. Chairs made of plastic are also lightweight, even if they have metal frames.
How Much Do Chairs Weigh?
Portable chairs are made lighter than other chairs since making them heavier will cause encumbrance. The average weight of a folding chair is 8 lbs if it’s made of plastic, 8.4 lbs if it’s wooden, and 10.4 lbs if it’s metal. A camping chair weighs 8.5 lbs on average, with the lightest weight at around 2 lbs.
Office chairs are heavier since they require no transportation and need to withstand long hours of use. A standard office chair weighs anywhere from 20 to 55 lbs. Bigger and taller office chairs could weigh from 40 to 60 lbs.
Regular dining chairs average 13 lbs. Padded dining chairs have similar, if not the same, weight compared to unpadded ones.
A rocking chair, regardless of material, averages 24 lbs. A typical lounge chair weighs 33 lbs. Both of these chairs use more material than the previous ones, so they are significantly heavier.
A reclining chair is a very comfortable chair that has multiple mechanisms inside it, so it is understandably heavy. It weighs around 99 lbs.
In comparison, a standard sofa only weighs around 85 lbs. An armchair found in most homes weighs anywhere from 50 to 75 lbs.
Why Is It Important To Know Your Chair’s Weight?
There are numerous reasons why you should know your chair’s weight, especially if you are thinking of buying a new one. However, we can reduce them to two primary considerations: safety and cost.
Safety and purpose
Knowing your chair’s weight helps you choose the safest one for your purpose. In selecting a chair, safety and ergonomic seating are of utmost priority. You won’t want to use heavy chairs if you are an event organizer since the mere act of setting them up will leave you exhausted.
If you tend to go camping or hiking often, carrying a heavy camping chair will cause you to have a bad, non-ergonomic posture which might even cause injury in the long run.
For camping trips, aluminum chairs are best since they combine durability and lightness. Aluminum is used for most transportable chairs, including foldable chairs.
On the other hand, if you need a chair that’s permanently placed outside your home, consider heavier ones. Wrought iron chairs are significantly more robust and are perfect for outdoor seating. Iron chairs can withstand a lot of wear and tear and won’t break suddenly despite being exposed to nature.
A chair’s weight is also related to its strength. A good rule of thumb is that the heavier a chair is, the more weight it can carry.
Considering a chair’s weight capacity is essential for people on the heavier side. Underestimating the durability of your furniture and using them for extended periods may lead to accidental falls and injury.
Cost
You should consider the weight of a chair if you are on a budget. Heavy metal and intricate wooden chairs are usually more labor-intensive, which makes them more expensive.
Of course, weight is not the only factor affecting the costs of your chair. The materials used, the popularity of the creator and the size also affect the price.
Conclusion
Knowing the answer to “how much does a chair weigh” seems trivial but is necessary. A chair’s weight is just as important as its weight, durability, and cost. Quite frankly, these factors are closely related, and you should consider all of them in getting a new chair.
Knowing the weight of your furniture helps you pick the perfect one for the job, which ensures that you will sit safe, comfortably, and ergonomically for years to come.