When unwinding on sandy shores, a comfortable beach chair is a must! However, many people have wondered about how high beach chairs are from the ground. Given that the seat height of a beach chair correlates to its overall stability and comfortableness, seating height is an important consideration.
Standard beach chairs have a seat height between 9- and 12-inches off the ground. Low beach chairs are classified as those with a seat height lower than 8-inches, while high beach chairs are those taller than 13-inches. Beach chairs are generally low to the ground to promote stability and comfort.
If you’ve found yourself wondering about the seating heights of beach chairs, we’ll break down everything you need to know. Once we’ve looked at the average seat heights of beach chairs, we’ll look at why these chairs are designed with relatively low seat heights, how to choose a comfortable beach chair height, and more!
Understanding Beach Chair Seating Height
When it comes down to beach chairs, their purpose is clear: they allow you to unwind on the beach. However, you’ll need to decide just how high off the ground you want to be! After all, beach chairs are available in a wide variety of types with differing seating heights.
Most beach chairs will generally feature a seat height between 8- and 12-inches. This means most beach chairs allow people to sit between 8- and 12-inches off the ground. Of course, you’ll be able to find beach chairs with seating heights that are lower or higher than this average range.
Overall, beach chair seating heights can be broken down into three distinct categories: low, average, and high seating heights. It’s important to note that these seating height categories only apply to beach chairs. For other types of chairs, the seating heights will differ.
In fact, the standard seating height for most dining seats is around 18-inches. Before we explain why beach chairs have relatively low seating heights compared to other chairs, let’s look at each of these beach chair seating height categories!
Low Beach Chair Seat Height
Beach chairs with low seat heights are commonly classified as those with a seat height that’s 8-inches or less. There are many options, such as sling-back beach chairs, with seating heights just 4-inches off the ground. Low-profile beach chairs are ideal for beachgoers who want to stretch out on the sand.
Average Beach Chair Seat Height
For most beach chairs, the standard seat height will range between 9- and 12-inches. For most people, this is a comfortable seating height when visiting the beach. When shopping for beach chairs, most options you come across will fall into this average beach chair seating height category.
High Beach Chair Seat Height
Beach chairs with high seat heights are also known as tall beach chairs. Typically, tall beach chairs are classified as those with a seating height of at least 13-inches off the ground. Higher seat heights are recommended for beachgoers who don’t want to struggle to get in and out of their chair.
Why Are Most Beach Chairs Low To The Ground?
The previous section looked at the three seating height categories beach chairs fall into. The average seat height for most beach chairs is between 8- and 12-inches. In contrast to this, most indoor chairs generally have a seating height between 17- and 19-inches.
As we discussed earlier, tall beach chairs are classified as those with seats higher than 13-inches off the ground. There’s a noticeable difference between the seat height of tall beach chairs and the standard dining chair height of 18-inches.
However, there’s a reason most dining chairs have this seating height: dining tables are typically 30-inches tall. Of course, this allows you to comfortably sit at your dining table. However, at the beach, you don’t need to worry about your dining table.
Just like there are reasons for the average seat height of dining chairs, there are good reasons why beach chairs have relatively low seating heights in comparison. If you’re wondering why most beach chairs have low seat heights, this is what you need to know!
Low Beach Chairs Have Improved Stability
The lower the seating height of a chair is, the lower the center of gravity will be. For those unfamiliar with this concept, an object’s center of gravity affects its overall stability. To put it plainly, the lower the center of gravity is, the more stable it will be. This also applies to chairs!
Due to the lower seating height of beach chairs, they offer users more stability. This also allows chairs to be placed in any direction without affecting the comfort of the user. Another aspect to consider here is the nature of sand.
Of course, sand isn’t a stable material, which can make it difficult to use certain chairs on the beach. By designing beach chairs with low seat heights, manufacturers ensure that beach chairs can be properly used on sandy terrains.
Low Beach Chairs Have Improved Comfort
As we explained above, beach chairs have low seating heights to enhance stability, particularly on sandy beaches. However, your comfort is another reason for the relatively low seating heights of beach chairs. When you’re using a beach chair at the seaside, it means you’re likely trying to relax.
Beach chairs are designed to let you do just that! With most chairs you use on a day-to-day basis, you’re sitting upright to perform certain tasks. If you’re sitting in a dining chair, you’re likely eating a meal. If you’re sitting in a desk chair, you’re likely working on your computer.
Dining and desk chairs are optimized for these types of activities. Beach chairs, on the other hand, are designed for maximum relaxation. For instance, many beach chairs feature reclining backs, which allow you to sit comfortably and even nap in your beach chair.
Low Beach Chairs Allow You To Stretch Out
This aspect is closely linked to the improved comfort of beach chairs. In addition to providing you with more stability and comfort, low-profile beach chairs better allow you to stretch out on the beach. With beach chairs that recline, you can lie back and stretch out your muscles.
In fact, most beach chairs also feature wider seats, which are often padded. Once again, this is to promote comfort and allow you to stretch out on the beach comfortably. If you were to use a standard chair with a regular seating height, you’d likely experience some discomfort and cramps after sitting in them for extended periods.
Finding A Beach Chair With The Comfiest Seating Height
Even the tallest beach chairs have seating heights lower than that of regular indoor chairs. As we discussed above, this low-profile design promotes stability and comfort. Even though beach chairs have relatively low seat heights, there’s a major difference between low and high beach chairs.
When choosing the perfect beach chair for you, there are many aspects to consider. If you’re looking for maximum stability, lower beach chairs are better. However, if you want to easily get out of your beach chair, you might prefer a chair with a taller seat height. Ultimately, your choice of seat height comes down to your personal preference.
Luckily, there are numerous options for you to choose from. If you’re looking for a beach chair with a low seat height, you might like this low-profile beach chair from Nice C, which has a seat height of 7-inches. This reclining beach chair from Alpha Camp is another great option, with a seat height of 7.2-inches.
There are numerous options for those looking for average seat heights between 9- and 12-inches. This reclining beach chair from Life Is Good has a seat height of 10-inches. This chair also comes with many great features, such as a removable cooler bag, large drink holders, an adjustable headrest, and more!
However, if you’re looking for tall beach chairs, you’ll love this simple folding beach chair from Kamp-Rite, which has a seat height of 14.5-inches. If you’re looking for a beach chair with an even higher seat, you’ll love this reclining chair from Arlmont & Co, which has a seat height of 17-inches.
Whichever your preferred seating height, there will be a beach chair out there for you! There’s even a simple way you can effectively increase the seating height of any beach chair.
Can You Increase A Beach Chair’s Seat Height?
Compared to the standard seating height of 18-inches, beach chairs feature much lower seating heights. As we explained earlier, the low-profile design of these chairs increases stability and comfort. However, many people have wondered whether it’s possible to increase a beach chair’s seating height.
While some beach chairs feature padded seats, others simply use canvas material for the seat. With canvas-style beach seats, seating cushions can be used to effectively raise your seating height while using the chair. It’ll even add to the overall comfort of your beach chair!
When choosing a seat cushion that can elevate your seating height, you should look for those made with high-density foam cushions. These cushions offer more firmness, which allows people to sit higher. Due to the large backs of most beach chairs, sitting on a seating cushion won’t feel uncomfortable.
Furthermore, when shopping for high-density foam cushions, there are many thicknesses to choose from. Generally, the thicknesses will vary between 1- and 9-inches. Ultimately, this means a seat cushion can be used to increase the seat height of your beach chair by up to 9-inches!
If you’re looking for a high-density cushion for your beach chair, you should consider Foamma’s cushions (from Amazon below) In addition to high-density cushions, Foamma also offers gel memory foam cushions. You can also choose any thickness between 1- and 9-inches!
Can Lawn Chairs Be Used As Beach Chairs?
When comparing beach chairs to lawn chairs, the difference may seem obvious. Of course, one is meant to be used on a sandy beach, while the other is used on lawns. However, if you’ve ever compared beach and lawn chairs made by the same manufacturer, you might have noticed a striking resemblance between them.
For instance, let’s compare this Life Is Good beach chair to this lawn chair from the same manufacturer. In terms of features, these chairs are almost exactly alike. However, there’s one notable difference between them: they have different seat heights. While the beach chair has a seat height of 10-inches, the lawn chair has a seat height of 16-inches.
Ultimately, the reason these chairs have different seating heights comes down to functionality. Lower beach chairs allow you to stretch out a few inches above the sand, while lawn chairs have seating heights closer to that of a dining table. Of course, you can use both types of chairs at home, but can you use both at the beach?
The answer is yes; lawn chairs can also be used as beach chairs. If you’re looking for chairs to use at the beach with higher seat heights, you can consider lawn chairs. Despite the differing seat heights, beach and lawn chairs typically feature the same designs. As we expressed earlier, it all depends on your personal preference!
Conclusion
The seating height of standard beach chairs ranges between 9- and 12-inches. Low beach chairs have a seat height of 8-inches or less. High beach chairs, on the other hand, are classified as those with seating heights exceeding 13 inches.
Compared to other types of chairs, beach chairs are rather low to the ground. Ultimately, this is due to the purpose of beach chairs and the environments they’re used in. Beach chairs with low-profile designs offer increased stability and comfort to users.
The height of beach chairs can effectively be increased by using high-density foam seat cushions. Depending on the thickness of the cushion, the seat height can be raised by up to 9-inches. Lawn chairs, which feature the same designs as beach chairs, can also be used as tall beach chairs.
Sources
- https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/balance-baseics/
- https://homeguides.sfgate.com/increase-height-existing-chair-63479.html
- https://chairinstitute.com/different-types-of-beach-chairs/
- https://www.theinside.com/blog/how-to-pick-the-right-dining-chair-height/
- https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/nice-c-low-profile-folding-beach-chair-gbzh1008.html
- https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/life-is-good-reclining-beach-chair-lfgd1049.html
- https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/kamp-rite-event-folding-beach-chair-lppb1047.html
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