We asked some of the top theater seating manufacturers to tell us about the questions asked most frequently by their customers regarding auditorium seating. Hopefully, their answers will help your church if you are considering installing this type of seating in your sanctuary.

Can I really afford theater-style seating? 
This is one of the questions Bruce Prock, executive director of sales and marketing for Bertolini, hears often. He says, “Theater-style seating, like pews, ranges from $80 to $120 per person. What makes theater-style seating more cost-effective is that pews are typically sold based on 18 inches a person, which about 70 to 80 percent of the actual space that a person takes up. This translates into either higher cost for equal seating or less seating for equal cost.  Churches that are looking for the benefits of individualized seating (better seating capacity) yet are limited on budget should consider stackable seating, which runs less than half the cost of either theater-style seating or pews.”

What are the different seat width sizes available?
Prock says, “The most commonly available are 20-inch, 21-inch, and 22-inch and they are usually all used together in a single installation in order to have smooth aisles with row ends lining up. Naturally, the more of the smaller the widths that are used in an installation, the more chairs one can fit. And, fit is important as churches tend to put in theater-style seating because of the additional 20 percent more seating over pews it provides. This is due to egress codes that allow theater-style seating rows to be longer because the seat retracts automatically when someone stands providing more egress between rows. The end result is the need for fewer aisles combined with row to row dimensions less than pews, which translates into more seats. This doesn't take in to account the additional seating gained by the very nature of individualized seating. Although people are allotted 18 inches of seating in pews, the reality is that with their Bible, bag and coat, and the desire for personal space, they often take up 24 inches, further reducing seating capacity. The individual nature of theater-style seating keeps people regulated to their space and guarantees consistency in seating capacity from week to week.”

Are theater seats available with or without arms and what options are available?
Bertolini’s Prock replies, “Most theater seats are available without arms for about the same as with arms. Churches considering theater-style seating would do well to have a mix of both, preferable in sections. This gives more preference flexibility to those who attend their services. Most options needed for a worship application are available in theater seats. Options to consider are fabrics, book pouches, card pockets, communion cup holders, cup holders, pew styled end panels, and seat and row identifiers, to name a few.”

What is a good back to back spacing and what layouts are typically available?
Frank Sumner, president of Preferred Seating, answers, “Good back-to-back spacing is 36 inches and the seat width should be 22 inches wide armrest to armrest. The common available layouts for seating arrangements are the radius, hexagon, conventional and continental seating arrangement.”

What is the most efficient and cost-effective method of providing tiered seating in church balconies? 
According to Frank Moson, president of Stadium Seating Enterprises, “You might want to consider a an innovative and relatively new product designed to provide a cost-effective, lightweight and time-saving alternative to traditional light-gage metal framing. The product is a prefabricated EPS Structural Foam and Steel composite stadium seating system. This product is made up of a very lightweight Extruded Polystyrene Foam as a structural fill material and 16-gage steel riser plates and connecting hardware to form the stadium seating platforms. The system is typically delivered to the project site 90 percent prefabricated with minor trimming required for the EPS and can be installed in days as opposed to weeks for the traditional method. Once put in place, a concrete topping slab is poured directly on the EPS with the steel riser plate serving as a form for each platform. EPS has been used for more than 25 years as a structural fill for road construction and as insulation in roof assemblies. It has proven itself to be extremely easy to work with and easy to install in any application.”

What should a church look for in a theater seating manufacturer?
Susan Link, marketing director for Sauder, says that the company should offer seating system consultants. “Seating system consultants serve as helpful problem-solvers vs. salespeople or manufacturers.” She also recommends going with a company that provides “manufacturing systems and product designs developed to provide the best seating value, a value which is not always apparent at first glance due to the embedded nature of some features and attributes.”

Product Roundup

Preferred Seating
Preferred Seating offers varied church seating solutions for worship seating at an affordable price.  Church seating should add elegance, be comfortable, quiet, and as dignified as the church setting itself. Preferred’s church seats include:

• Traditional pew combos
• Contemporary modular chairs
• Modern auditorium seats. 

For churches that prefer a more contemporary feel, they offer the Ultima and Stratus theatre seats. 
 www.preferred-seating.com

Jubilation by Seating Concepts
The Jubilation by Seating Concepts provides a traditional pew with a retractable tip up seat, meeting your congregation’s design and functional requirements. It was engineered with tradition in mind but includes modern ideas to maximize seating volume. Features include:

• Custom aisle standards
• Upholstered cushioned seats and backs
• Wood or upholstered outer backs. 

They also offer a wide range of stains, finishes, and fabrics from which to choose. 
www.seatingconcepts.com

Absecon Mills
Absecon Mills has introduced a new pattern designed specifically for sanctuary seating.  Deacon, which has an extended color line and Absecon’s renowned product warranty, is the latest offering from the fabric manufacturer that has set the standard for merging beauty and durability. Deacon:

• Withstands heavy seat usage
• Resists ‘pilling’
• Performs with acoustical compatibility to reduce peripheral noise

The blend of polyester and polyolefin provides outstanding strength and stain resistance without sacrificing softness or design.
www.absecon.com

Advantage from Bertolini
Bertolini Sanctuary Seating's Advantage Series is an innovative new seating line with luxurious features, including:

• Passive lumbar support
• Fully upholstered backs
• Bertolini’s exclusive non-lift chair seat.

The Advantage Series Fixed-Sit Chair will provide a professional elegance of theater style seating at half the cost of similar models. 
www.SanctuarySeating.com

Sauder Clarity
Sauder Clarity’s elegant beauty comes from its simple, sophisticated design and sleek profile.

• Its ergonomically correct contoured shape uses cold-molded, high-density foam.
• It was developed for optimal lumbar support which delivers comfort.
• A proprietary gravity-lift pivot mechanism and significantly fewer fasteners and attachments keep Clarity remarkably quiet

Also, there are no moving parts or springs to loosen or fail over time, which means Clarity’s seat consistently returns to its upright position for years of worry-free use.
www.sauderworship.com