A drafting chair is a great piece of office furniture for many types including architects, retail applications and server rooms among others. These chairs can be adjustable to maximize comfort and have an ergonomic design to keep back posture correct and/or give you lumbar support. There are many designs from which to choose, so you have to decide upon many factors such as fabric type, how much adjustable height the chair has and even whether or not it includes grey loop arms. You can find a mesh drafting stool with a deluxe air grid that keeps you cool and comfortable. Fortunately, these chairs are very common so not only can you find these chairs at most major outlets, but you can also probably find good deals on overstock products from many other kinds of outlets. However, it may help to look at some of the more popular designs to help you figure out what you need.
For instance, if you are on a budget, you can still find a quality drafting chair from a brand such as Boss. One of its designs is the black drafting stool with a foot ring and arms. Not only does it adjust the height to your liking, but it also swivels allowing you to access your materials within arm’s reach of your work station. The frame material of nylon and metal combine with the plastic leg material and chrome finish for a stylish look. The twill and Dacron foam fill also keep you comfortable. This particular design can hold up to 250 pounds but does not appear to come with casters. Furthermore, this design is easy to maintain as it can be wiped down with a damp cloth. The Boss drafting stool falls into the medium price range of about $120.
You can also look for a higher end drafting chair, you can look to one of the models available from Safco. This brand
Photo Credit: Flickr By *Art Dummy! (Gala Charron)
If you really have the ability to splurge, you can also customize a drafting chair to include any features you like including a deluxe shadow. However, for this kind of chair, you have to go to the right manufacturer such as Humanscale. One of the benefits of customizing your own chair is that you not only get the style and design you like, but you also get a chair that is ergonomically designed to protect your back and posture. You can choose arms as well as the kind of arms in addition to the frame and base colors. You also have options such as a standard foam or gel seat to fill your chosen upholstery. You also get to consider whether or not you get casters, cylinders and fireproofing. Of course, customizing a chair will definitely cost more than it would if you found an already manufactured chair. In fact, you could pay more than $1000 for your chair.
Even if you do not have a drafting chair customized, you can still look at the features at your disposal to find out what you need to look for in an ergonomically designed chair. For instance, for the arm options alone, you will find choices such as:
- Armless
- Standard Duron arms
- Standard Duron arms with matching textile color
- Standard gel with Xanium color
- Standard gel with matching textile color
- Advanced options for all of the above
Of course, getting an armless chair does not cost you extra, but other options can cost between $20 and $200. Furthermore, in addition to this you need to consider how other features will contribute to the ergonomic qualities including the seat, casters and cylinder. Once you have looked at these options, you should then consider the aesthetic features including the base color, frame color, upholstery and even fireproofing qualities.
These are all important features to consider in your desired drafting chair, especially considering you will probably be spending much of your day in the chair working on your projects. You not only want a chair that will keep you comfortable but also looks good in your surrounding décor. You can look at some of the popular brands including Alvin, Boss International, Boss Office Products, FLASH, Global, Office Star, OFM and Safco among others. If you shop according to price, be sure to look at all features you will want and need to be sure you are getting a quality product. You especially want to make sure you get a good chair if you will use it for multiple purposes including drafting and drawing and/or for multiple users. You need to get a product sturdy and durable enough to last you through your current project and many more to come.