Are you looking to buy auditorium seating or cinema chairs for your project, but not sure where to start because there are so many choices and they’re pretty expensive? It’s crucial to understand the different types, functions, and suitable applications before you place an order. You might also be wondering whether to prioritize your budget or the product’s features.

As a Chinese supplier with 17 years of experience in the auditorium seating industry, we are happy to share our accumulated knowledge and product expertise to answer your questions. We hope that after reading this article, you will feel confident and well-equipped to make an informed decision about your purchase.

1.   Types of Auditorium Seating

Basically, auditorium seating just means chairs for people to sit on. The product itself is not overly complex—it’s a simple combination of legs, a seat cushion, and a backrest. We can categorize auditorium seating into two main types based on their primary use: chairs for auditoriums and chairs for cinemas.

1.1  Chairs for Auditoriums

If you’re reading this article with purchasing in mind, the first step is to determine whether you need the “ Auditorium Seating Types and Materials Guide ” or the “ Theatre Seating Selection and Layout Guide ” While these two types of seating may look similar in appearance, they differ slightly in terms of functionality.

The most notable feature of this type of auditorium seating is the addition of a writing tablet on the armrest. When needed, the tablet can be pulled out for writing, and when not in use, it can be folded back to save space.A writing tablet can also be attached to the back of the chair in front, similar to the tray table on an airplane, for the person in the row behind to use. This rear-mounted tablet is also foldable, as space-saving is a key design consideration.

The writing tablet’s support brackets come in various materials, including iron and aluminum alloy. The main difference lies in the material, quality, and price, but the function remains the same.

These chairs are ideal for school multimedia classrooms, tiered lecture halls, academic report halls, and conference rooms in government offices or large corporations.

1.2  Chairs for Cinemas

Cinema chairs do not require a writing tablet. Instead, each armrest is equipped with a cup holder for drinks or popcorn, allowing users to enjoy snacks while watching a movie.

These chairs are mostly suitable for entertainment venues like movie theaters, broadcasting studios, and dance halls.

1.21  Commercial Cinema Chairs

Because commercial cinemas need so many seats, buying them at home-theater quality would be way too expensive. That’s why regular cinema seats focus more on function and basic comfort. These chairs typically feature an iron frame, molded foam, and a fabric cover, with a slight recline function as an optional feature.A popcorn cup holder is standard on the front of the chair’s armrest.

1.22  Home Theater Chairs

For private home use, where the number of seats is small and they are used by family members, people are often willing to invest in higher-quality seating. These chairs often feature a metal frame, high-density foam, and a leather cover. They can be customized with adjustable, reclining, lie-flat, or rocking functions. Different materials and functions affect the price, with a single home theater chair often costing around five times more than a commercial cinema chair.

2.  Materials and Styles of Auditorium Seating

Auditorium seating types and Materials are categorized according to the leg materials and the cover shells. The leg frames can be made of cold-rolled steel, wood, or aluminum alloy, while the shells are typically either plastic or plywood with a painted finish.

2.1  Steel Legs​

This is the most traditional and widely used material on the market. Cold-rolled steel is known for its durability, strength, and affordability. Using this material for the chair legs ensures excellent load-bearing capacity and a sturdy, long-lasting product. For clients who prioritize cost-effectiveness, this is the top choice.

After cold-rolled steel is pressed into shape, we use electric welding to join the legs and frame. The rough parts are then polished, and an anti-rust coating is applied. Our standard paint color is black, but we can customize other colors upon request. Light gray is also a popular choice among our clients.

2.11  Fixed Legs

Fixed legs are installed by drilling holes into the concrete floor with an impact drill and securing the chair legs with expansion screws. Once installed, the chairs cannot be moved. This method is incredibly stable, with a load-bearing capacity of over 100 kg. However, it requires a professional installer. We can also provide video installation guides to help your workers with the process.

2.12  Movable Legs

These legs do not require expansion screws. During manufacturing, we enlarge the base of the legs to increase stability. After installation, the chairs can be moved freely. However, keep in mind that our chairs are connected in rows. If your seating row exceeds five chairs, the combined weight can make the entire unit difficult to move.

2.2  Aluminum Alloy Legs

The main advantage of aluminum alloy is that it does not rust, so no painting is needed, allowing it to retain its original metallic color. However, we can also apply a paint finish if the client prefers. Aluminum alloy legs are typically made from molds, and we offer a wide range of styles, including several proprietary designs, to meet the needs of clients seeking unique options. Since the cost of aluminum alloy is higher than cold-rolled steel, chairs with aluminum legs are also more expensive.

2.3  Wooden Legs​

Wooden legs are a newer addition to the market and have received excellent feedback. They are made from multi-layered solid wood that is pressure-molded, veneered, and painted. The paint color can be customized to your specifications. Our standard colors include walnut, rosewood, beech, and natural wood. If you have a specific color in mind, you can provide us with a small color sample, and we can achieve a color match of up to 98%. The cost of auditorium seating with wooden legs is comparable to that with aluminum alloy legs, placing it in the premium category, ideal for clients looking for a high-end product.

2.4  Choosing by Design Style

Our auditorium seating legs come in two design styles: single-leg and double-leg. They have no functional difference and are made to cater to different aesthetic preferences.

2.41  Single-Leg Auditorium Seating

A single-leg auditorium chair is supported by just one base, giving it a clean, simple look. The leg tube often has holes to connect with other things like power outlets or vents. Because it’s tricky to make and needs high-quality craftsmanship, it usually costs a bit more, and you need to be careful about the floor when installing it.

2.42  Two-Leg Auditorium Seating

Double-leg auditorium chairs usually have the arms welded to the legs, making a simple and elegant design. They look nice, are stable and sturdy, and the structure is straightforward and practical. The price mostly depends on the material: steel is more affordable, while aluminum alloy costs a bit more.

2.5  Seat Shell Material and Price

Our auditorium seating seat cushions and backrests are made from molded foam. A shell is needed to cover the outside of the foam, providing both support and a finished look. We offer two types of shells: PP plastic and multi-layered painted wood.

2.51  PP Plastic Shell

This plastic shell is formed by a machine, offering a short production cycle and a cost-effective price. For an order of 200-300 seats, choosing a plastic shell typically shortens the production time to just 7 days, whereas using a multi-layered wood board would take at least 15 days.

2.52  Plywood Board

After being cut and molded, the plywood is painted for decoration. The color is customizable. Because multiple rounds of painting and drying are required, the lead time is slightly longer than for plastic shells. For 200–300 pieces, it usually takes about 15 days.

2.6  Upholstery Fabric for Auditorium Seating

Our auditorium seating seat cushions and backrests can be upholstered in either fabric or leather.

2.61  Fabric

We generally recommend a fabric that matches the quality level of the selected chair. For example, if a client chooses a premium chair with aluminum legs and a painted wood shell, we would not recommend a low-end fabric to save costs.

2.62  Leather

Our auditorium seating products can be upholstered in PU leather, microfiber leather, or genuine leather. Due to the high cost of genuine leather, we generally don’t recommend it, but if the client has a high budget, it is certainly an option.

2.7  Additional Accessories

You can also add extra accessories to your chairs, such as seat number plates, book nets, cup holders, or upgrade the writing tablet. These are considered add-ons and will be priced according to your specific requirements.

3.  How to Calculate the Number of Chairs Needed

You now have a basic understanding of auditorium seating products. The next step is to figure out how many chairs you need for your venue, especially if it has steps, a curved layout, or requires space for wheelchair seating.

3.1  Get a CAD Drawing of Your Venue

A CAD drawing for an engineering project can prevent many installation problems caused by inaccurate measurements. If you don’t have a designer to create one, you can send us photos or videos of the venue, along with its length and width. If there are pillars, please also provide the distance from the pillars to the surrounding walls. Measurements should be in millimeters (mm) to minimize errors.

3.2  Does Your Venue Have Steps?

If there are steps, we recommend that the step height does not exceed 150mm. If it is taller than 150mm, a rear-mounted writing tablet cannot be used because the height difference between rows would be too great for a person in the back row to comfortably use the tablet.

3.3  Is Your Venue Curved?

Unless specified otherwise, our auditorium seating connecting parts are designed for straight rows. If your venue has a curved layout, you must inform us before placing your order to avoid installation issues due to incorrect parts.

3.4  Is There Underfloor Heating?

If your venue has underfloor heating, you absolutely cannot use chairs with fixed legs that require drilling into the floor, as this will damage the heating system. In this case, you must choose chairs with movable legs. However, if your venue is large and you need to connect more than ten seats in a row, the total weight will make the chairs very difficult to move, even with movable legs.

3.5  Reserve Passageways

The typical width of an aisle is around 1000mm. You can make it wider if you prefer, but we do not recommend making it narrower than 900mm to ensure people can walk comfortably. Additionally, the recommended distance between rows, measured from the back of the front chair to the back of the chair behind it, is at least 900mm, with 1000mm being an ideal distance.

3.6  Seat Calculation

Once you’ve accounted for the aisles, you can calculate the number of chairs. Take our YA-01 model as an example: its center-to-center distance is 590mm, which means the distance between the center points of two adjacent seats in a row is 590mm. The width of our armrest leg is 80mm.

The formula for calculating the number of seats is :
(Total length available for chairs – 80mm) / 590mm = Number of seats.

For example, if the available length for chairs is 3050mm, the number of seats would be (3050mm – 80mm) / 590mm = 5.03. This means you can order 5 seats.

The calculation might seem a bit complex, but you don’t need to master it. Just understand the basics, and we can handle the rest. Simply contact us with your venue’s CAD drawing, and we will provide a free seat calculation, a seating layout plan, and product recommendations tailored to your needs.

4.  Customization options

Many customers wonder How To Customize Our Auditorium Seats And What The Ordering Process Involves . We can confidently say that our auditorium seats are fully customizable, but there are certain limits. Here’s what you can and cannot customize.

4.1  Fabric and Leather Customization

We can provide you with a fabric color swatch book. If you prefer leather, let us know whether you want PU, microfiber, or genuine leather, and we can provide the corresponding swatches.

4.2  Wood Color Customization

You can certainly customize the color of the wood. For auditorium seating that includes wooden components like armrests, armrest surfaces, writing tablets, and outer shells, the color can be produced according to your specifications.

4.3  Logo Customization

If you want your logo embroidered on the chair backrest, we can do that. After receiving your deposit, we will create a sample for your approval before mass production begins. Please note that logo embroidery is an external service performed by an embroidery factory, not our own. This is an extra service and will incur an additional charge, which depends on the complexity of your logo, typically around $2 per logo.

4.4  Seat Number Plate Customization

This is another optional add-on. The cost is not high and varies based on the style, ranging from $0.5 to $3.

4.5  Fire-Resistant Treatment

Fire-resistant treatment is an additional service with an extra fee. You must specify whether you need a British, American, or Chinese standard before placing the order. It is impossible to add fire retardant treatment after the products have been fully manufactured.

4.6  Cannot Fully Customize Style

All our customizable styles are based on the designs we already have in our factory. It is almost impossible for us to produce a completely new design you created yourself or from another factory. This is because the legs and foam for auditorium seating are made using molds. Creating new molds for your unique design is extremely expensive, and clients are usually unwilling to bear this cost. As a manufacturer, we will not cover the development fee ourselves. Therefore, if a client requests a completely new custom style, we will likely have to decline the request.

5.  How to Place an Order

We sincerely appreciate your trust and support. We welcome friends from all over the world to visit our factory in Foshan, Guangdong, China. Seeing our production capabilities will give you more confidence in placing your order with us. You might want to know the Our Ordering and Exporting Process . Here’s a brief overview:

1. Signing the Contract ： We will put all the agreed-upon product specifications and terms into a contract. The contract becomes effective once both parties have signed and stamped it and the deposit has been paid.
2. Paying the 30% Deposit ： We do not use online payment services because the transaction fees for large engineering orders are too high. If you are still unsure about our reliability, we recommend a factory visit first to confirm we are a trustworthy business and not an internet scammer. This will give you greater peace of mind.
3. Production Starts According to the Contract ： Once the deposit is received, we will immediately begin production. Please note that once production has started, we do not accept any modifications or refunds. If the style, color, or quantity of your products is not yet finalized, please let us know so we can wait for your final confirmation before scheduling production.
4. Inspection Notification ：You are welcome to come and inspect the products yourself, but we understand this is often not practical for international clients. You can rest assured that our products undergo three quality inspections, from raw material sourcing to production completion. Once everything is ready, we can randomly assemble a sample chair and send you photos or videos for your final inspection, ensuring your procurement experience is worry-free.
5. Final Payment and Shipping ： After your inspection is complete and you are satisfied, you can arrange the final 70% payment. You can then organize the pick-up, container loading, and international logistics. You can use your preferred freight forwarder, or if you are not familiar with this process, we can recommend experienced forwarders for you to contact. We can also handle the international logistics on your behalf, though you will be responsible for all associated costs.

6.  Installation Services

Our auditorium chairs are not complicated to install. However, fixed-leg auditorium seating requires precise measurements before installation to avoid drilling incorrect holes in the floor. We can provide customers with Detailed Installation Guides , or we can send technicians to your country to carry out the installation.

6.1  We Provide Installation Videos, and You Hire Local Installers

This is the most cost-effective option. You can find local workers, and we will send you the installation videos. Once they confirm they can do the job, you can ask them to assemble one chair as a trial. If that goes smoothly, they can then proceed with the bulk installation.

6.2  We Send a Technician from China to Your Country

We have experienced installers who are willing to travel abroad for projects. However, you will be responsible for all their expenses, including visa fees, airfare, transportation, meals, accommodation, and a separate installation fee. We will calculate all these costs, and once you pay the total amount, we will send the technician. It is essential to ensure the site is ready for installation as soon as they arrive, as any delays could result in additional charges.

By now, you should have a more comprehensive understanding of our auditorium seating products, ordering process, and installation services.