What Style of Restaurant Bar Stool is Right for You?

Some restaurant styles that come immediately to mind are taverns, cocktail lounges and sports bars. Diner style restaurants with long counters need short, swivel style bar stools. Many restaurants with a large dining area also feature a separate bar area where bar stools are used.

The types of restaurants using barstool seating are limitless. This article covers some basic information about commercial bar stools. Restaurant bar stools are often sorted into three categories: metal frame bar stools, wood frame bar stools, and backless bar  stools

Commercial bar stools are manufactured from a variety of materials, but two of the main materials they are consistently manufactured from are metal and wood. Both wood frame and metal frame bar stools come in a wide price range so there are options in either category for the budget of any business. Bar stools are available in various heights such as table or dining, and bar height. Restaurant bar stools are available with or without swivels and with backs or backless.

1. Metal Frame Bar stools

Metal bar stools feature a variety of metal frame color options, and usually feature either a wood or padded vinyl seat. Because of the wide variety of metal frame colors, and the limitless designs and colors of the seats and backs, there is a barstool option that will work in almost any seating area.

Metal frame bar stools for indoor use are usually manufactured from powder coated steel, or they can also be manufactured form chrome, which is plated steel. Outdoor restaurant bar stools are often manufactured from lightweight aluminum which makes them easy to move and perfect for use on an outdoor patio.

2. Wood Frame Bar stools

Commercial wooden bar stools can be manufactured from many types of wood, with beech wood being one of the most popular and durable frame options. Wood frame bar stools usually feature seats that are either wood, padded vinyl or upholstered. The warm tones of wood bar stools enhance any restaurant or business setting in which they are used.

The choices of many wood stain options such as mahogany, walnut, natural and oak, just to name a few accentuate the colors of the space they inhabit. Just as with the metal bar stools, the seat and back vinyl, upholstery and wood options are available in a limitless color palette making them easy to match to the décor of any business.

3. Backless Bar stools

Backless bar stools are very useful in a variety of settings. Backless bar stools can come with a variety of accents, such as wood with wood seats, wood with padded seats, or metal with vinyl padded seats. Backless bar stools are available in heights anywhere from 18 inches to 31 inches, with the most common heights being 18 inches, 24 inches or 30 inches.

Backless bar stools are normally placed at a long bar or counter top style dining areas. They are easy to group into different configurations as the barstool backs don’t get in the way. There are many contemporary design options in backless bar stools.