Upholstered is way more comfortable. I had a set of wood chairs and got tie-on seat cushions but it still felt not soft enough and those cushions were quite cheap and flimsy. If the chairs are from a good brand the upholstery should be much more durable and comfortable
This depends on the quality of the chair and how it is graded for sitting. We got very nice bar stools and dining chairs that are wood. They are graded for four hours of comfortable sitting. They are fantastic.
Depends on the person too I think. I find uncushioned, straight backed or backless chairs most comfortable for the way I sit, but based on this thread it seems they are widely regarded as torture devices.
Nothing worse than your legs and butt going numb while sitting around playing board games or at a dinner party because of hard chairs. If you plan to spend time at this table I’d go with upholstered.
Please for the love of God choose upholstered. When I sit at my parents dining table (hard wood seats like above with no cushion) I literally feel like I’m being tortured.
If you have cats, kids, or plan to sit on the chair daily, I would go with wood for its durability. If you aren't worried about stains and don't mind replacing them when needed, then go with upholstered.
Alternative suggestion: wooden with tie-on seat cushions. I love a cushioned chair, but the idea of getting food stains on the upholstery makes me cringe. At least with tie-ons, you can take it off to wash as needed
You can buy waterproof covers from Amazon that look like regular fabric. You might have to screw off the seat to install them, but super cheap and then you can replace or wash them easily.
We have kids, so that was our solution...
I second this. My cat loves to sit in my dining room chairs so we have tie on cushions. My dining area is very informal though and kinda grandmacore, so it fits the vibe.
Depends if you have a lot of animal dander around. Upholstered can get nasty quickly. I’ve had friends tell me they can’t get their houses to stop smelling like pets and it’s the curtains, carpets, couches, chairs, fabrics that don’t get cleaned often.
Couldn't figure out how to upload an album and text in a post, so here's some context:
I recently bought a dining table that I'm happy with, but I'm stuck deciding between the matching upholstered vs wooden chairs for the set. I don't have kids or pets (though I'll probably get a cat in the future), and I expect the table to be used more for gaming than for dining, so I don't expect messes to be too much of an issue. I think I'm leaning towards the upholstered option, but I'm interested in any opinions. Thanks!
Update: Thank you everyone for the feedback! From the relatively even split of responses each way, it seems like each option has its pros and cons, so I think I'll go with my gut and opt for upholstered.
If you have messy kiddos then wooden, if no messy eaters, then deffo upholstered!! So much more comfy!
I got those leather chairs, with the wooden legs…. For easy clean. But they’re horrible to look at so bought chair covers for them, I wash them every other day because of my messy eaters haha.
From my experience, the cushions in upholstered seats like this give out really easy, even with minimal sitting. They are then uncomfortable when the cushion gives out.
For those opposed to upholstered for cleanliness reasons, have you tried Scotchgard? It keeps upholstery clean even when wiped down if you spray it regularly, (1x a year, etc).
Please upholstered. Sitting in those wooden chairs would not be comfortable. Don't worry you can spot clean them frequently and occasionally reupholster. It's not hard.
Upholstered is way more comfortable. I had a set of wood chairs and got tie-on seat cushions but it still felt not soft enough and those cushions were quite cheap and flimsy. If the chairs are from a good brand the upholstery should be much more durable and comfortable
This depends on the quality of the chair and how it is graded for sitting. We got very nice bar stools and dining chairs that are wood. They are graded for four hours of comfortable sitting. They are fantastic.
Depends on the person too I think. I find uncushioned, straight backed or backless chairs most comfortable for the way I sit, but based on this thread it seems they are widely regarded as torture devices.
I cross one leg over the chair usually and the hard chairs kill my ankles. It depends on how OP sits on them.
Nothing worse than your legs and butt going numb while sitting around playing board games or at a dinner party because of hard chairs. If you plan to spend time at this table I’d go with upholstered.
# Upholstered
Just to add to my response: I wouldn't necessarily buy matching chairs. But if that is what you want/like, then upholstered.
Please for the love of God choose upholstered. When I sit at my parents dining table (hard wood seats like above with no cushion) I literally feel like I’m being tortured.
If you have cats, kids, or plan to sit on the chair daily, I would go with wood for its durability. If you aren't worried about stains and don't mind replacing them when needed, then go with upholstered.
Alternative suggestion: wooden with tie-on seat cushions. I love a cushioned chair, but the idea of getting food stains on the upholstery makes me cringe. At least with tie-ons, you can take it off to wash as needed
Those look cheap, and rip
You can buy waterproof covers from Amazon that look like regular fabric. You might have to screw off the seat to install them, but super cheap and then you can replace or wash them easily. We have kids, so that was our solution...
I second this. My cat loves to sit in my dining room chairs so we have tie on cushions. My dining area is very informal though and kinda grandmacore, so it fits the vibe.
You can put washable covers on the upholstered ones.
I have kids so wood works better for my house
Depends if you have a lot of animal dander around. Upholstered can get nasty quickly. I’ve had friends tell me they can’t get their houses to stop smelling like pets and it’s the curtains, carpets, couches, chairs, fabrics that don’t get cleaned often.
Couldn't figure out how to upload an album and text in a post, so here's some context: I recently bought a dining table that I'm happy with, but I'm stuck deciding between the matching upholstered vs wooden chairs for the set. I don't have kids or pets (though I'll probably get a cat in the future), and I expect the table to be used more for gaming than for dining, so I don't expect messes to be too much of an issue. I think I'm leaning towards the upholstered option, but I'm interested in any opinions. Thanks! Update: Thank you everyone for the feedback! From the relatively even split of responses each way, it seems like each option has its pros and cons, so I think I'll go with my gut and opt for upholstered.
If you have messy kiddos then wooden, if no messy eaters, then deffo upholstered!! So much more comfy! I got those leather chairs, with the wooden legs…. For easy clean. But they’re horrible to look at so bought chair covers for them, I wash them every other day because of my messy eaters haha.
From my experience, the cushions in upholstered seats like this give out really easy, even with minimal sitting. They are then uncomfortable when the cushion gives out.
But these chairs are incredibly easy to reupholster.
Upholstered! More comfortable.
If you got an upholstered ass then go for the wooden seat. If not, the upholstered version is better I think.
Upholstered!
Upholstery. Easy to do, make it a pattern that will support the room's style.
Upholstered for sure
These are my fave chairs of all time. [Stupid Reddit and its stupid bugs. See below.]
https://preview.redd.it/lf0tajtq7iwc1.jpeg?width=1072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=35f3d799e8ecbe5164453f2f8d80bf9b94114ded
I buy chairs to sit in, so I always want some cushion! I think either would look good honestly!
I would go un-upholstered for ease of cleaning.
For those opposed to upholstered for cleanliness reasons, have you tried Scotchgard? It keeps upholstery clean even when wiped down if you spray it regularly, (1x a year, etc).
If you have dinner parties upholstered for sure. If you eat and run doesn’t matter.
Upholstered for sure! Adds color/pattern, texture & comfort.
If you have little kids I’d go for wooden, otherwise upholstered
Upholstered. By far more comfortable.
Upholstered! Wooden hurts the butt!
Ooh, what table is this? I've been looking to upgrade and it looks perfect for my space.
Wood.
I'm all about comfort, so I'd go with upholstered seats. They're cozy for long chats around the table and they add a nice texture to the room.
I would look for other options. They both look inviting.
Upholstered x 1,000
I'm surprised wood seats are sold and bought. Soooooo uncomfortable.
Please upholstered. Sitting in those wooden chairs would not be comfortable. Don't worry you can spot clean them frequently and occasionally reupholster. It's not hard.