Aluminum Chiavari Chairs vs. Resin Chiavari Chairs

A while back we wrote a post discussing the differences that existed between wood Chiavari chairs vs. resin Chiavari chairs. We did this to shed light on the pros and cons of each product so buyer’s interested in purchasing Chiavari chairs could have an understanding of what they’re purchasing. This blog post discusses the difference between aluminum Chiavari chairs versus resin Chiavari chairs in a list format.

Aluminum Chiavari Chairs:

• Lightweight chairs – generally less than 10lbs per chair
• Seams may be spot welded instead of fully welded
• 1.5mm thickness and hollow
• Because of the softness of the metal, seats tend to feature permanent cushions with fixed plywood base to avoid seat damage
• Metal material shows scratches with bare metal
• Water can cause damage to finish
• Often, only 1 horizontal chair rail instead of the traditional 2 horizontal chair rails
• 1 horizontal chair rail instead of 2 allows aluminum chair to stack easier
• Aluminum is a softer metal which can subject the chair to more give
• Aluminum can be (not in all cases) a more expensive metal

Resin Chiavari Chairs:

• Chairs weigh 13lbs each
• 4mm thick resin and 1mm thick hollow steel frame support
• Seams are virtually invisible
• Resin is a similar colour to the chair coating colour and as such does not show scratches as easily as wood or aluminum (i.e. gold high gloss finish when scratched would show a gold toned core)
• Solid resin seat allowing for easy change out of cushions
• Resin material less likely to succumb to water damage
• 2 horizontal chair rails similar to the traditional Chiavari chair look
• Resin Chiavari chairs can hold over 1000lbs making them an extremely strong chair

There is obviously a business case that can be made for buying each type of Chiavari chair – aluminum Chiavari chairs can take up less space if storage space is an issue and they’re lighter to move and stack. Resin Chiavari chairs hold up better to scratches, water and have a more traditional look to the classic wood chiavari chair with better stability and durability. Until we find a supplier we are happy with, we don’t plan on selling aluminum Chiavari chairs. The manufacturers we’ve investigated were too shoddy with their quality control or the look of the chair was too far gone from the traditional wood Chiavari chair and we just couldn’t stand behind the product.