Things You'll Need:
- Internet connection
- Tape measure
- Budget
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Step 1
Determine your seating needs. How many people do you need chairs for? How large is the space in which you'll be using your chairs? Figure that each chair, allowing for leg room between rows, requires at least two square feet each. Also consider where your chairs will be used. In an office environment, folding chairs --regardless of quality -- are not generally to be used in a lobby or front desk area. It's better to purchase a small amount of upholstered furniture with which to make a first impression on your customers. Bulk folding chairs are more appropriate for meeting or performance areas, such as a training room.
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Step 2
Estimate time spent sitting. Padded folding chairs have a variety of types of padding. There are chairsthat are padded only on the seat, or on the seat and back.The thickness of padding varies from very minimal to 2" thick or more. How long will people be seated? If you need folding chairs that will only be used for a short time -- such as 10- to 20-minute meetings -- a thin padded chair will probably suit your needs. If people will be seated for an hour or more at a time, or if your chairs will be used to seat customers, you're better off with a chair that has padding on the seat and back, with the seat pad being at least 2" thick. This will be a slightly more expensive chair, but your guests' comfort is worth the investment.
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Step 3
Determine the storage area. Will your chairs remain in place, or will they need to be moved frequently? Be sure you know in advance where you chairs will be stored when not in use. One advantage of folding chairs over stacking or "banquet" chairs is that folding chairs take up much less room when collapsed. Also, they can be laid flat and stacked vertically if necessary (although you may need a strong pole or other guide to prevent them from tipping if they are stacked too high). Having a separate storage area for your chairs will help your floorspace look clean and professional. Having multiple stacks of chairs leaning against the walls can make your environment look cluttered, both to customers and employees.
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Step 4
Shop around. A pair of brand-new, high-quality padded folding chairs will cost between $40 and $50. (Many retailers only sell chairs in sets of two.) Search the internet for deals by entering "folding padded chair" into a search engine. You'll find a wide assortment of companies selling folding chairs and other office furniture. You may find deals on large lots of used furniture on auction sites such as eBay or classified ad sites such as craigslist. But be sure you can also afford the shipping, as auction sellers sometimes inflate shipping costs on what at first appears to be a low-cost purchase. You can also visit office stores to get quotes on bulk folding chair orders.
