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HOW TO MEASURE AND MAXIMIZE THE SPACE NEEDED

FOR SEATS IN YOUR HOME THEATER?

Building your own HOME THEATER space can be one of the most exciting and rewarding home
improvement projects you ever undertake. We have compiled some FACTORS to take into
consideration when planning your space and deciding how many HOME THEATER seats you need.
This will ensure that you get the most out of your home theater space.

AUDIENCE SIZE
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The first thing to consider is how many people you want to fit in your home theater. Do you prefer small
intimate screenings, or a large roomful of people? Either way, the answer to this question will be largely
determined by the size of your home theater area.

Select a room that is large enough to fit your crowd comfortably, or if you are working with a large empty
space like an unfinished basement, allocate enough square footage to fit the number of seats that you
need.

Don't forget to include space for things like your home theater equipment and optional furniture like a
concession stand, bar or tables.

DISTANCE FROM THE SCREEN

Screen size is also going to be a factor in your design. According to the Society of Motion Pictures and
Television Engineers, or SMPTE, each theater seat should have a view of the entire screen that is within a
30 degree field of view. It is important to determine the maximum and minimum distances. Viewers sitting
too close may experience discomfort and eyestrain, while seats set too far away lose the benefits of HD
and widescreen resolution.

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NOTE: The suggestions below are designed to give you a basic idea of dimensions. If you want more
precise measurements, we recommend that you reference the Microsoft Excel-based calculator by
Carlton Bale.

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The easiest way to determine MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM

distances from the screen, follow this simple formula: Take
the horizontal length of your screen ( NOT the diagonal
length). Multiply the length by 2 to get the minimum distance,
and multiply by 5 to get the maximum distance.

FOR EXAMPLE:
If your Screen is 70 inches
across :

Your first row of seats needs to be at least 140 inches, or 11 feet, 8 inches away from
the screen.
Your last row of seats needs to be no further than 350 inches, or 29 feet , 2 inches away
from the screen.

Other factors like the lighting in the room, brightness of the screen and HD technology will also
affect these distances. For best results, be sure to test the view of each seat, especially if you plan
to attach them to the floor.

http://www.theaterseatstore.com/HowtoMeasure

NUMBER OF SEATS PER ROW

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NUMBER OF SEATS PER ROW

The next step is to determine the number of home theater seats you can fit in each row. You will
want to be sure that you leave enough space for people to get past. We recommend that you
leave at least 20 inches of space on either side of the row.

140 (70x 2)

20
Home theater seats are measured from "center-to-center", meaning from the center of one
armrest to the center of the other. Multiply that amount by the number of chairs you desire to see
if they fit. Here is a simple formula to help you:

If your home
theater seats
are 22 inches
wide apiece:

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And your Home theater space is 11 feet(132 inches) wide:

1. Subtract 40 from the room space (132-40=92 inches) This gives us enough space on either side of the
row.

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621

Shares

606

2. Divide this new number by the home theater chair width to get the number of seats (92 divided by 22 =
4.18, or 4 theater seats).

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3. You will also need to factor in the width of one armrest to the theater seat row. A good standard size is
about 8 inches, or check your seats manual for the right width.

SPACE BETWEEN ROWS

While maximizing the space in your home theater area, you will want to make sure that you leave
at least 20 inches between rows. This will give people plenty of space to get to their seat. Here are
some easy steps to help you determine spacing:

1. Determine the total length of each theater seat.

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2. Add 20 inches between each seat for the row space.

3. If your seats recline, determine the recline length of each set to make sure they do not overlap.

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4. If they do not overlap, increase the row space slightly until they no longer touch.

NOTE: If you need more room, you can decrease the space between rows. Just make sure that you
do not make it less than 14 inches. This is the minimum space for comfortable access.

RISERS

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If you have more than one row of theater seats, you may want to place risers under the back rows. This
gives every viewer a clear view of the screen and makes your home entertainment space more like a
commercial theater.
Risers are low platforms built under your home theater seats to raise them higher than the row in front. A
good basic height for risers is 12 inches (1 foot) per row, or if you need more precise measurements,
Carlton Bale's aforementioned calculator has a section to help you determine this height.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Place your home theater seats in an arc rather than a straight row. This ensures that
everyone gets a great view of the screen. Most home theater seating products have
optional wedge arms to create a curved row.

The lighting of your home theater space is very important, make sure that you install even lighting that is
not too bright or dim, and can be dimmed for the appropriate movie theater effect.

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The lighting of your home theater space is very important, make sure that you install even lighting that is
not too bright or dim, and can be dimmed for the appropriate movie theater effect.

THEATERSEATING
UpholsteryColor(/ShopTheaterBy
Upholstery/HomeTheaterSeatingBy
Upholstery)

THEATERSOFAS

PowerRecliningSofa(/ShopTheaterBy
Features/SofasSectionalsPowerRecline)
MotorizedRecline(/ShopTheaterBy

MOVIECHAIRS

HighSeatSofa(/ShopTheaterBy
Size/HighSeatBackTheaterSeating)

Features/HomeTheaterWithPower

CinemaHomeTheaterSeating(/Movie

MovieTheaterLayout(/5TipsToSelect

Recline)

Seats)

TheHomeTheaterSeating)

HeatedLeatherSofa(/ShopTheaterBy

MovieSeatChairs(/MovieSeats)

SlimSectionalSofas(/ShopTheaterBy

HistoryOfFilmCensorship(/Movie

Features/SofasSectionalsHeatMassage)

KnowGoodLeather(/SpotGreatLeather)

Size/SofasAndSectionalsBySize)

Censorship)

HowToBuyTheaterSeats(/5TipsTo

TurboBlackTopGrain(/OctaneXl700

SeatingForSpineHealth(/SpinalHealth)

GlobTheater(/HistoryGlobeTheater)

SelectTheHomeTheaterSeating)

TurboPowerLeather)

KlaussnerLeatherSofaReviews(/ShopBy BalletStyles(/BalletTheater)

HomeTheaterMistakes(/AmateurHome

BerklineTheaterSeating(/HomeTheater

Brand_2/KlaussnerBrand)

ReadersTheatreExample(/Readers

TheaterDesignMistakes)

Seating/Berkline)

LeatherMotionSectionalSofa(/Sofas

Theater)

LargestHomeTheater(/HomeTheater

MovieChairsBestBuy(/HomeTheater

Sectionals/LaneSectionalSofas)

GlobeTheatreSize(/HistoryGlobeTheater)

Seating)

Seating/BestbuyHomeTheaterSeating)

CostOfMovies(/TheCostOfGoingToThe TransmissionAudioSpeakers(/Most

VideoGameChairBestBuy(/Home

OctaneBoltXs400(/OctaneBoltPower

Movies)

ExpensiveHomeStereos)

TheaterSeating/BestbuyHomeTheater

Leather)

BestSofaForHomeTheater(/5TipsTo

TheaterRoomScreen(/HowToMeasure)

Seating)

FixedSeating(/MovieSeats)

SelectTheHomeTheaterSeating)

MoviesDecor(/Accessories)

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THEATERHISTORY

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