The church seating that you choose can have a huge impact on both the experience of your congregation and their perception of your place of worship more broadly. Indeed, the Church of England has started to acknowledge this as well. They’ve argued that comfortable seating can encourage people to attend services more frequently, and makes them more likely to be regular congregation members.
So, whilst the importance of it is clear, what are the main elements of ideal church seating? Comfort is of course key for minimising distractions and allowing people to focus on the service. Flexibility and accessibility are also essential features, as they make the experience more inviting to church-goers, whilst also allowing you to adjust seating layouts. Lastly, durability is vital; churches need seating that can be used daily for many years, providing excellent value for a congregation.
With these factors in mind, here are the three best types of church seating, complete with their own strengths and drawbacks:
Pews
A long-time staple of the church, these have always been effective at accommodating large numbers for a service as well as for creating a communal feel for a congregation. This traditional seating option can also add beauty to a church, and rate highly when it comes to long-term use, however, they do have issues. This is clear when it comes to comfort and accessibility; their fixed design and hard, wooden features can be a major turn off for some church-goers. As well as that will look out of place in modern church designs. Thus, they definitely offer a mixed bag when it comes to searching for the best church seating.
Tiered Seating
New build places of worship, alongside many churches that have looked to modernise in recent years, sometimes decide against pew seating. Instead, many opt for Lecture Hall Style Seating or Auditorium Style Seating.
Tiered seating typically maximises space just as well as church pews, whilst offering extra comfort and greater accessibility (some also have a Retractable Design for added space when not in use). As a result, these can keep a congregation happier and more focused, often serving as a highly durable church seating option. But tiered seating does tend to required taller rooms, while SIS Global Seating aims to accommodate almost all structures, there are limitations to consider.
Stackable Chairs
Thankfully, if flexibility is your priority then stackable chairs can be an excellent church seating solution. This an affordable option that usually offers similar comfort benefits to tiered seating and, if rotated between positions, can be just as durable as traditional pews. Yet these can sometimes take up a bit more space depending on size, thus limiting your congregation capacity more than other seating choices. This trade-off is compensated by the ability to change seating layouts, which can be used to increase focus during services.
Meanwhile, if creating additional space interests you more than layout freedom, then a good alternative to this could be Loose Seating. This offers similar practicality to stackable chairs, with a structure more similar to modern tiered seating.
Which Church Seating should I go for?
To decide which church seating type is best for you, consider the key factors that we’ve discussed, and make sure to keep in mind your budget, as well as a style that you think, would best suit your congregation.
Remember, Specialists In Seating have a wide range of options for you as well, which you can Find More Information Here. If you’re still unsure about what seating option would be best for your church, you’re also more than welcome to Contact Us for Help!
