What Should I Know About Banquet Chair Frames?

The type of chair frame can impact a lot of things when it comes to purchasing banquet chairs. MityLite manufactures banquet chairs with both steel and aluminum frames. There are differences and beneﬁts for each type of frame. Becoming an educated buyer can help you get the best chair for your needs.

Steel vs Aluminum

The ﬁrst difference you’ll ﬁnd between the two types of frames is weight. In general, steel banquet chairs are heavier than aluminum. For example, on our most popular chair, the Classic Banquet Chair, weighs 15.5 lbs and the equivalent aluminum chair, the Elite Banquet Chair, is 12 lbs. This can be very important for the personnel moving chairs.

The second notable difference is cost. Steel chairs typically cost between 5% and 10% less than aluminum chairs.

Both steel and aluminum chairs are incredibly durable, especially if they are ﬁnished with powder-coating. However, aluminum chairs are a bit softer and it’s possible the frames could dent, whereas steel frames are nearly indestructible. Steel frames have the potential to rust in humid climates, but this shouldn’t happen with aluminum.

Both types of frames are a good option for stacking chairs, however, steel-framed chairs can sometimes be stacked higher than aluminum. Both frames store compactly and have a small stack footprint.

When it comes to design elements, both steel and aluminum frames are fairly uniform and unlikely to have color variants. However, it’s a bit more difficult to achieve a metallic look with steel.

The Takeaway on Frames

Steel and aluminum stack and store more compact
Steel is less expensive than aluminum
Steel is more durable than aluminum
Steel and aluminum are uniform in color and design
Steel is slightly heavier than aluminum

Recommendations

Avoid cheap aluminum frames with wet paint (more likely to chip, fade, and dent)
Avoid steel chairs with cheap paint and ﬁnish (more likely to chip, fade, and rust)
Steel is the best option if you have limited storage
Steel is the cheapest option if budget is an issue

Steel vs. Aluminum vs. Faux Wood

Compare the benefits and features of MityLite’s banquet chair frames, or download this free guide.

Products	Steel Chairs	Aluminum Chairs	Faux Wood
Weight	Light	Lighter	Light
Durability	Excellent (won’t chip or dent, may rust)	Great (won’t rust, may dent)	Superb (won’t chip, dent, or rust)
Capacity	Holds 1,000 lbs	Holds 1,000 lbs	Holds 1,000 lbs
Stacking	Excellent (10 or more chairs high)	Great (6–10 chairs high)	Good (up to 5 chairs high)
Storage	Excellent (small stack footprint)	Excellent (small stack footprint)	Good (larger stack footprint)
Price	$	$$	$$$
Design	Uniform look, clean lines	Smooth finish, clean lines	Could have variants, imitation wood grain
Color	Uniform look (powder-coating unlikely to fade)	Metallic and uniform (powder-coating is unlikely to fade)	Imitation wood grain
Maintenance	Won’t chip or dent	Unlikely to chip, but might dent	Won’t chip or dent
Sustainability	Manufactured in the USA	Manufactured in the USA	Imported

Meet the Author

Blythe Bourgeous

Contributor

With over 10 years of experience in B2B furniture, and a BFA in Graphic Design, Blythe shares insights on design trends and helps with product selection for all kinds of spaces.