Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Seating for Stadiums, Grandstands, and Sports Facilities

Whether you're renovating a large municipal stadium, furnishing the grandstands of a sports hall, equipping a multi-sports facility with new seats, or furnishing a school auditorium, managing spaces intended for spectators requires the utmost attention. Choosing the ideal seating for stadiums and sports facilities isn't just a simple furniture purchase; it means installing technical devices designed to ensure the safety of the public, resist wear and tear from vandalism and the elements, and strictly comply with current fire safety regulations. An orderly and stable positioning of plastic seats helps organize the flow of people, define fan sectors, and facilitate rapid evacuation maneuvers in the event of an emergency. From high-backed monocoques to compact backless models for steeply sloping stands, the range available in the Holity.co.uk catalogue offers certified solutions compliant with UNI EN 13200 standards. This purchasing guide analyses types, plastic polymers, fireproof certifications and fastening systems to guide you towards an informed choice.

1. Seat geometry: Models with a backrest vs. Models without a backrest

The shape of the monocoque must match the required level of comfort, the slope of the grandstand and the metrics of the steps:

Seats with a backrest (Medium or High Back)

The solution of choice for modern sports facilities, top-tier stadiums, sports halls, auditoriums and multipurpose rooms.

Features and benefits: They offer valid lumbar and back support that allows spectators to maintain a comfortable posture even during long events (matches with extra time, concerts, conferences). They guarantee a clear perimeter of the assigned seating.
Ideal for: Covered and uncovered stands, VIP areas, sports halls and school gyms.

Backless Seats (Flat / Low Profile Seats)

Ultra-compact systems designed to optimise passage space and reduce the weight of the structure.

Features and benefits: They have a horizontal profile without vertical protrusions. They facilitate the rapid passage of spectators along the step and do not obstruct the lateral or downward view, making them indispensable in stands with steeply sloping steps. They are extremely easy to clean, stack or replace.
Ideal for: Stadium curves, temporary stands, provincial sports fields and steps with reduced risers.

2. Plastic materials and resistance to atmospheric agents

The polymers used for the moulding of monocoques define the mechanical resistance against impacts and the response to climatic factors:

High Density Polypropylene (PP): The most widespread polymer for its quality/price ratio. It offers great structural flexibility in cold climates without becoming brittle, is resistant to chemical detergents and is added with anti-UV filters to prevent discolouration from solar radiation.
Polyamide (PA / Nylon): Top-of-the-range material characterised by significantly superior rigidity and mechanical resistance to impacts and vandalism. It has a matt finish with marked anti-slip properties and unbeatable dimensional stability under concentrated loads.
Water drainage and cleaning: The seat always integrates one or more central drainage holes which prevent the stagnation of rainwater inside the basin, facilitating rapid drying and eliminating the formation of mould or organic deposits.

3. Regulatory framework, Class 1 Fire Retardant Certification and UNI EN 13200 Standard

The installation of seats in facilities open to the public is subject to mandatory legislative constraints:

Fire Retardant Certification (Class 1 IM / Class 1 Fire Reaction): Pursuant to the Fire Prevention Code (Ministerial Decree 18/03/1996 and subsequent amendments), all seats installed in public premises or facilities with a capacity exceeding the legal limits must be made of self-extinguishing plastic certified as Class 1 fire reaction, ensuring that the plastic does not spread flames and does not drip in the event of a fire.
UNI EN 13200-4 Standard (Spectator Installations - Seating): Defines the technical specifications, test methods and mechanical resistance of stadium seating, testing the resistance to repeated static and dynamic loads (tipping, backrest impact and traction tests).
Removal of Architectural Barriers: In compliant facilities, it is necessary to provide reserved areas with seats and access suitable for people with reduced mobility.

4. Anchoring and fixing systems to the steps

The anti-tipping resistance depends on the correct selection of the metal assembly kit:

Direct fixing on steps (horizontal plane or vertical riser): The body has anchoring points designed for direct anchoring using steel expansion plugs or chemical anchors directly onto the stone or concrete of the steps.
Fixing to Metal Structure / Frame: The seats are anchored to hot-dip galvanized or painted steel bars or frames, which in turn are fixed to the steps. It is the ideal system in the presence of irregular steps or prefabricated metal stands.

5. Dimensional parameters and economic clamp

The Holity.co.uk navigation filters allow you to match the size of the seat to the available step pitch:

Height in millimeters: from 140.00 mm (flat models without backrest) to 365.00 mm (monocoque models with backrest).
Depth in millimetres: from 350.00 mm to 450.00 mm.

The assortment available on our store guarantees maximum convenience for small sports fields or large supplies for municipal stadiums, moving within a price range between €14.00 and €33.00 for a single seat:

Entry range (€14.00 - €20.00): Map of the flat seats without backrests in polypropylene, ideal for uncovered stands and economical steps.
Intermediate range (€20.00 - €27.00): Includes monocoque seats with medium backrest in polypropylene with anti-UV additives and Class 1 fireproof certification.
Top of the range range (€27.00 - €33.00): Identifies high-profile seats in polyamide (nylon) with high vandal resistance, certified Class 1 IM fireproof, with stainless steel anchoring kit for stadiums and contract arenas.

Request a personalized quote on Holity.co.uk

Bring the stands of your sports facility up to standard, ensure maximum comfort for your fans and guarantee compliance with fire regulations with the stadium seats available on Holity.co.uk. Explore the online catalogue to select the most suitable model: set the geometry (with or without backrest), choose the fireproof finish and identify the colour options (red, blue, green, black, grey, yellow) to compose the social colours of your club.

Request a personalised quote today: our sales team is at your complete disposal to provide you with technical data sheets, Class 1 fire approval certificates and reserved offers for batch orders.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What characteristics must the Class 1 fireproof certification have to be approved by the Fire Brigade?
The fireproof certification (Class 1 fire reaction or Class 1 IM for padded seats) certifies that the plastic resin used for moulding the shells has been treated with flame-retardant additives. During laboratory tests, the seat exposed to a direct heat source does not fuel combustion, does not produce flammable molten droplets and self-extinguishes when the flame is removed. The supplier must issue the certificate approved by the Ministry of the Interior to allow testing and the issuing of the Fire Prevention Certificate (CPI) for the system.

How do you calculate the number of seats to be installed along a staircase while maintaining safety distances?
To calculate the number of seats per row, measure the total length of the staircase expressed in centimetres (excluding escape routes and access steps) and divide it by the nominal width of the seat (usually between 40 and 45 cm per seat). To ensure easy passage, the depth of the step (step) must allow a clear passage width of at least 35-40 cm between the front of the seat and the riser of the next step.

How do anti-UV treatments protect polypropylene seats from premature aging?
Direct solar radiation transmits Ultraviolet Rays that break the polymer chains of traditional plastics, causing the pigments to fade and the material to yellow or crystallize (which becomes fragile and tends to crack on first impact). Stadium seats for outdoor use are molded with resins enriched with UV stabilizer masterbatches (HALS), which absorb radiation while maintaining the color brightness and flexible mechanical strength for over 10-15 years of exposure to atmospheric agents.

What are the installation differences between fixing on a horizontal surface and fixing on the step riser?
The horizontal fixing exploits the walkable surface of the step: the anchors are drilled vertically into the concrete. The (vertical) fixing on the riser requires the seat or frame to be anchored to the vertical wall of the step. The fixing on the riser is very popular in open-air stadiums because it leaves the underlying floor free, making cleaning and washing the steps incredibly easy and quick using a pressure washer or mechanical broom.

How does the price range in the category (€14.00 - €33.00) correlate with the type of polymer, the backrest and the fire safety certifications?
The price structure is determined by the mass of plastic resin used, the presence of the backrest and the quality of the polymer. The entry-level range (€14.00 - €20.00) includes standard polypropylene flat seats without backrests for covered stands or small fields. The mid-range price range (€20.00 - €27.00) includes mid-backed chairs in Class 1 fire-retardant certified polypropylene with UV treatments. The top-of-the-range prices (up to €33.00) include high-strength chairs in vandal-resistant polyamide (nylon), certified Class 1 IM fire resistance, with an AISI 304 stainless steel fixing kit for municipal stadiums and contract sports halls.