Dining chair with arm rests – wider or the same
hotdogman
| Posted in General Discussion on
I have made several dining chairs but all without armrests. I want to make two more dining chairs but this time with armrests. My question is: do I increase the front and back seat width a bit, perhaps 2 inches more, to accommodate the armrests?
Replies
Armchairs are generally a little wider than side chairs. I'd make them wider, but not deeper. But really, there is no rule.
It depends on how bit a butt you need to accommodate.
Carver chairs are often a little larger as standard chairs are fairly narrow and sitting in a slot is unpleasant.
I occasionally have an issue with the larger patient getting stuck in a chair with arms (intended to allow oldies to rise with dignity) so would suggest that if your client is over 120Kg (about 260lbs) then a wider seat might be appropriate.
If unsure, then a mockup to ensure the proportions look right is never a bad idea.
Thanks for the suggestions. I am going for 2 to 3 inches wider to avoid the feeling of being pinned in the chair.
Well! If you making those for yourself or your home, you better know who will be using them. Though there are no such rules, chairs with armrests are usually wider. When going to the DIY mode, you can consider who will be using the chair and keep the dimensions for comfortable and convenient use.
I ran into this and built the two arm chairs the same as the side chairs, but with armrests. I designed rests that left plenty of room for the human occupier. I avoided new templates for the curved back rails and back splat. I sit in one of these chairs everyday and haven't felt it was too narrow.
I found the answer to my question in Jeff Miller's book "Chairmaking and Design" He writes about arm chairs in the last chapter and suggests an arm chair be at least 20 inches across the front. There are several ways to attach the arms. A really helpful book with a lot of great suggestions.
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