Before spending any of your hard-earned cash on a folding
chair, it may
pay you in the long run to learn the different types of folding chairs that
are for sale, in order to discover which of them will best suit your
situation.
Collapsible chairs have been around for many centuries now. As far as the
archaeologist can determine, the first examples were to be found in ancient
Egypt. But who knows, maybe the Egyptians copied the idea from another
civilization that pre-dated theirs?
We do know, however, that the humble fold up chair has evolved with the
passing years into the lightweight and extremely versatile seating of today.
Nowadays, manufacturing of these chairs is divided into three basic
categories; the first of these being completely man-made. The folding
framework on this type of seat is made out of blow-molded polymer resin,
which is extremely robust. The seat and backrest are usually made from
blow-molded polypropylene and may either be screwed or clipped into
position. Certain models come with cushions built into the seat and back
panels, to make them just a little more comfortable. The real beauty of this
type of chair is its cost. They are remarkably cheap to manufacture and,
thus, inexpensive for the end user to purchase.
The second in the series is the metal-framed folding chair. The framework
for these is made by bending metal tubing (most often steel or
aluminum alloy) to form the various pieces of the frame. These are then
bolted or, more frequently, riveted together at the chair’s pivot points.
Some years ago, you could find examples where plywood was then screwed or,
again, riveted to the framework to form the seat and backrest. These days,
however, the hard seat and back-panel will more than likely be manufactured
from plastic.
The other way to dress these chairs is by suspending some form of soft
material from the metal frame to form the seat and backrest. This type of
chair has been around for donkey’s years. Again, this type of chair tends to
be quite reasonably priced and is extremely durable.
Camping/backpacking chairs also fall into this category. These are very
lightweight due to their frame being manufactured from aluminum alloy and
are designed in such a manner that, when folded, they are extremely compact.
The seat and backrest on this type of chair are usually combined and made
from a polyester type material.
The last style of chair in the metal-framed category is the reclining
folding chair, also known as the zero gravity chair. These are great when
employed as summerhouse seating and are fabulous for lounging around in the
garden or by the swimming pool. And a testament to how comfortable they
really are, is how highly they are regarded by reflexologists the world
over.
Which brings us to the wooden folding chair. These are by far the more
expensive of the folding chairs when comparing like for like. However, they
are the most attractive too. No matter where you wish to use them, they’ll
never look out of place. They’re great for sitting out in the garden or on
the patio and they can even be used as extra seating for a house party or
get-together.
Regardless of which kind of folding chair you eventually buy, the really
great thing about them is that, when you don’t have a use for them, you can
fold them up and store them away in the smallest of cupboards or closets.
