Wood vs Upholstered Dining Chairs: Which Is Right for You?

By Alexandra PetterssonReviewed by Alexander TjernströmUpdated

Short answer

Wood
durable, wipes clean
Upholstered
softer and quieter
Both
an oak frame with a soft seat

Choose wooden dining chairs for durability, easy cleaning and a look that ages well; choose upholstered chairs for softness through long meals and a quieter room. A wooden frame with an upholstered seat gives you both. For the frame itself, solid oak is warmer and welded steel slimmer; both carry our 10-year warranty.

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Part of the guide to Dining Chairs

Erik dining chairs in solid oak inside a hyper-modern Scandinavian villa in Saltsjöbaden, Stockholm, Sweden with warm wood paneling and minimalist Danish design details.
Erik chairs in solid oak in a Stockholm villa.Erik Dining Chair · from 8.295 kr

Wood or fabric is usually the first real decision in choosing dining chairs, and it shapes everything after it: how the chairs feel, how they clean, how they sound in the room and how they age. It is not a choice between practical and comfortable, because a well-shaped wooden seat can be comfortable and a good upholstery fabric can be practical. This guide compares the two point by point, looks at the in-between option of a wooden frame with a soft seat, compares oak and steel frames, and covers children, pets and lifespan. Every point is based on how our own chairs are built.

Are wooden or upholstered dining chairs better?

Wooden chairs are harder-wearing and easier to clean; upholstered chairs are softer and quieter; neither is better in every home.

A household with small children, or a dining table that doubles as a desk and a craft table, gets more from wood. A room where dinners run long, with a hard floor and bare walls, gets more from upholstery, which softens both the seat and the sound.

Many homes end up in between: a wooden frame with an upholstered seat, or upholstered chairs with a frame that wipes clean.

How do wooden and upholstered dining chairs compare?

Wood wins on durability and cleaning, upholstery on softness and sound; the chart below sets out the differences point by point.

The upholstery column assumes a modern performance fabric. Older or delicate fabrics mark more easily and need more care.

Solid wood and upholstered dining chairs compared
Solid woodUpholstered
ComfortFirm; depends on the shape of the seatSoft from the first minute
CleaningWipe with a damp clothVegan leather wipes clean; velvet and bouclé need spills blotted quickly
ChildrenNothing to stainChoose vegan leather or a water-repellent weave
PetsHard oak resists claws wellChoose a bouclé tested to BS 8479, grade 4-5
SoundAdds to the echo of a hard roomAbsorbs sound
AgeingThe wood develops a patinaThe fabric wears first; a replaceable seat renews it

Is a wooden chair with an upholstered seat the best of both?

For many homes, yes: a solid wood frame that wipes clean, with a soft seat where the body actually meets the chair.

Dining chair Karin in dark oak with ivory bouclé on a dining table setting, showcasing modern design.
Karin in dark oak with an ivory bouclé seat.

The frame takes the knocks and the seat takes the weight. Because the seat is the part that wears, it is also the part you want to be able to change.

Our Karin and Erik come with either a sculpted oak seat or a bouclé seat upholstered over a plywood core, and both seats share the same two-piece shape. Seats are sold separately, so a Karin with an oak seat can become a Karin with a bouclé seat later, or the other way round.

Should dining chairs be metal or wood?

Steel frames are slimmer, lighter-looking and very strong; oak frames are warmer and more substantial.

A welded steel frame can be thin without being weak, which is why steel chairs look light even when they carry the same load as oak ones. Oak brings grain, warmth and a more classic, Scandinavian look.

Our steel chairs, Sella, Bella and Isabell, are welded from raw Swedish steel and powder-coated in our factory in Malmö; RISE has assessed Sella as meeting EN 16139 Level 2, the level for heavy commercial use in the European strength and durability standard for non-domestic seating, and Isabell Level 1, based on RISE testing including stability tests on both chairs. Our oak chairs, Karin and Erik, are made from solid A-grade FSC-certified oak under a matte lacquer. Every one is rated for 200 kg per seat. Our bar stool guide to wood vs metal goes deeper into the two materials.

Person using a grinder with sparks flying, wearing protective gloves and a helmet.
Welding raw Swedish steel in our factory in Malmö.View Bella
Bella Dining ChairWelded steel · 6 kg · from 5.995 krView Bella

Which is better with children and pets?

For children, choose wood or vegan leather, which wipe clean; for pets, choose oak or a bouclé tested for claws.

Children spill, and a surface that wipes clean in a second is worth more than any stain treatment. Our Valencia vegan leather is rated at 300,000 Martindale and carries an easy-clean protective finish.

Pets scratch and shed. Solid oak under lacquer resists claws well, and our Dolly bouclé is tested to BS 8479, grade 4-5. Our guide to the best fabric for dining chairs compares every option.

Which lasts longer, wooden or upholstered dining chairs?

A solid wood or welded steel frame lasts longest; on an upholstered chair the fabric wears first, which is why a replaceable seat matters more than the fabric itself.

A chair whose fabric is fixed to the frame is only as durable as its fabric. A chair whose seat can be replaced lasts as long as its frame.

We do not offer a re-covering service, but seats and seat cushions for our dining chairs can be bought separately and changed at home. Our guide to reupholstering or replacing a dining chair seat explains how that works for each model.

Wood or upholstered in three points

Wood
for durability and easy cleaning.
Upholstery
for softness and a quieter room.
10 years
of warranty on every frame, oak or steel.

Choose wood for durability and easy cleaning, upholstery for softness and a quieter room, and a wooden frame with an upholstered seat for both. For children, pick wood or vegan leather; for pets, oak or claw-tested bouclé. Whatever you choose, make sure the seat can be replaced. Every by Crea dining chair is made in our own factory in Malmö, Sweden, delivered fully assembled and covered by a 10-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions

Are wooden dining chairs comfortable?

Yes, if the seat is shaped for the body. Karin's and Erik's sculpted two-piece oak seat inclines gently towards the centre to follow how you sit.

Are upholstered dining chairs a good idea with kids?

Yes, with the right fabric. Vegan leather wipes clean, and a water-repellent velvet gives you time to blot a spill before it sets.

Which is more durable, wood or fabric dining chairs?

The frame outlasts the fabric either way. A solid wood or steel frame lasts longest, and a replaceable seat renews an upholstered chair.

Can I get a wooden chair with a soft seat?

Yes. Karin and Erik come in solid oak with either an oak seat or a bouclé seat, and seats are sold separately so you can change later.

Are metal dining chairs sturdy?

A welded steel frame is very strong. Our steel chairs are rated for 200 kg per seat, and RISE has assessed Sella, based on its own testing, as meeting EN 16139 Level 2 for heavy commercial use.

Do upholstered dining chairs get dirty quickly?

Not with a performance fabric. Our vegan leather has an easy-clean finish, our velvet is water-repellent, and bouclé needs only spills blotted quickly.

Shop the chairs in this guide

All dining chairs
  • Made in Malmö, Sweden
  • Delivered fully assembled
  • 10-year warranty
  • Try a chair at home
Karin Dining ChairFrom 7.295 kr Shop