Protecting Your Church Furniture from Winter Wear and Tear

December is a special and joyful season for churches, but the winter weather can be tough on your seating. Snow and rain often mean wet boots, salt, and slush being tracked indoors, while warm beverages can leave drips and stains along chair edges in the fellowship hall.

Below are a few tips to help you prepare your space for the busy holiday season and protect your furniture from the wear and tear of colder months.

Holiday Seating Playbook

Holidays bring an influx of crowds to your church, so having a plan in place during this joyful season will help ensure comfortable seating for every guest. Before Advent starts, review and finalize your seating layout for each service, add mats at entrances, and set up seat covers, if you use them.

Take time to educate your staff on best practices for stacking and moving chairs, as well as promptly addressing any damage during cleanup. Finally, check all chairs to ensure they are sturdy and properly positioned so that everyone who visits your space can feel both comfortable and safe.

Where to Check for Winter Wear and Quick Fixes

Sometimes a hidden stain or damp spot can end up damaging your chairs if not identified. Build a weekly walk-through plan that focuses on high-risk zones for chair damage.

• Aisle seats: These are notorious for catching damage from snow, salt, and spills, since they’re the most exposed in a walking area.
• Frames and chair feet: Look for nicks, bent frames, or missing floor glides that could damage floors or carpets. Keep spare glides handy in storage for quick replacements. Additionally, moving stacked chairs with the right cart or dolly reduces frame stress and prevents scuffs.
• Foam under seat covers: Cold temperatures can stiffen foam and weaken the support over time. Rotate your chairs weekly around high-traffic sitting areas to prevent overuse. If you have extra chair stacks for seasonal events, tag them (e.g., “Christmas stack”) to ensure all chairs are rotated throughout the year and wear is balanced.
• Entry ways and kitchen areas: Place extra mats near doors and beverage stations. Assign ushers or volunteers to spot-wipe drips between services.

Cleaning Techniques for Fabrics

Winter messes are made up of moisture, salt, and beverages — all of which can take a toll on your seating. To learn more about proper cleaning methods and fabric care, check out our guide on how to care for upholstered church chairs.

Winter’s Dry Air and Wooden Furniture

The biggest threat to wooden furniture in winter is dry indoor air from central heating, which causes wood to lose moisture and shrink. This can lead to cracking, splitting, and loose joints in pews, altars, and pulpits, as well as damage to wooden instruments, like pianos and pipe organs.

To help protect wood from shrinking and warping, use a humidification system to maintain stable indoor humidity, ideally between 40 and 60%.

By taking these steps to manage your indoor environment and monitor your worship space, you practice good stewardship over the physical assets entrusted to your care.

If you’re planning for overflow services this winter, learn more about our multipurpose stacking chairs.