The bar stool has become an important element in many restaurants and the trend only seems to be growing. So how does one choose a bar stool that is right for their application? What features are important, what style of bar stool is best for a specific application, how many chairs are needed to fill a certain amount of space, is there care and maintenance required? These are the questions many restaurant owners ask themselves when trying to purchase bar stools for their restaurant

The classic bar stool is more a product of function than of style but a wide selection of wooden bar stools and metal bar stools are highly functional as well as stylish. Classic bar stools with a metal base, swivel seat and no seat back were primarily designed as functional bar seating with little consideration to style. However many of today’s wooden bar stool and metal bar stool are stylish piece of furniture in their own right that also fulfill the function of the classic bar stool. The swivel seat is an excellent feature on many bar stools, especially if they will be used in a tight space where having the customer sit and swivel into place will be much easier than trying to pull out a bar stool then shuffle it back into place once they are seated. Seat backs are also a good feature to consider as they are more comfortable to sit in for longer periods than a backless bar stool.

When trying to choose a style of bar stool look to the rest of the dining area for inspiration. Many manufactures offer the same style of furniture in both a bar stool and chair version, so coordinating the two in a new restaurant or during a remodeling project can be quite simple. If there comes a need to replace a bar stool during the restaurants design cycle because the old bar stools have become worn, then the best choice would be to match the new bar stool to the ones being replaced or trying to match the overall style present in the dining area to the new bar stools.

A common question people ask when looking to purchase a bar stool is; how many do I need? Just as restaurant owners avoid crowding their dinning room the same logic holds true for the bar area. Having too many bar stools crowded together can cause an uncomfortable experience for patrons. Luckily there is an industry standard for bar stool placement which is 26 to 30 inches distance as measured from the center of each bar stool. This provides enough room for dinners to eat and socialize without feeling as if they are sitting on top of each other. With this measurement in mind, a bar or restaurant owner can measure their allotted bar space and then determine how many bar stools they will need.

A bar stool can be a large investment, taking proper care of wood bar stools can greatly increase their life, be sure to read the manufacturer’s care instructions for in-depth information. Cleaning them on a regular basis with furniture polish will help protect them from wear and tear. Plus there are a few additional items to be aware of that can help extent the life of your wood bar stool. Clean spills immediately, this can be difficult in a busy bar environment but an upholstered bar stool can quickly become ruined if liquor or other items stain the seat area. The faster the spill is cleaned up, the less time the spill has to soak into the fabric. Try and avoid placing bar stools two close to the walls or other furniture items. Bar stools can easily cause damage to other furniture from rubbing back and forth on it or it can become damaged itself. Finally, try and encourage customers to not lean back on two legs. Not only can this be a injury claim waiting to happen if the customer falls, it also puts a large strain on the back pair of legs and the bar stool back which can cause either area to break under the strain.

Wooden bar stools, as with all wood furniture, should not be placed in a situation where it is subjected to extreme dry or humid conditions. Wooden bar stools are a living piece of furniture which will dissipate or absorb moisture depending on the environment conditions. As the bar stool absorbs moisture from the air around it in a humid environment it will swell just as it will shrink when exposed to an extremely dry environment. This is a natural cycle for all wood furniture but when taken to extremes it can cause the wood to crack, weaken, or split over time.

If you have additional questions regarding bar stools, feel free to contact us via phone at 800-797-3788 or click the picture of the customer service representative at the top left corner of each page of the site to launch a live chat.