Tractor Seat Bar Stools
Buy the best tractor seat bar stools selected and recommended by interior designers. By Emily Hilton.
Who knew farmers would one day be a design inspiration? The classic butt-cupping seats, now known as tractor seats, were first used on horse-drawn equipment in the 1850s. At some point between then and now, a smart farmer attached an old seat to a stationary base and put it in the house or out on the porch. Fast forward to the 21st century, and this clever design has found its way into our hearts and homes. Ergonomic and sexy, these six tractor seat bar stools are sure to stand out from the crowd.
Tractor Seat Bar Stools
Buying Guide
Emily Hilton
Interior Design Expert
Emily is a young, talented designer, whose professional interests gravitate towards kitchen and dining spaces. She prides herself on her attention to detail, obsession with functionality, and appreciation for craftsmanship.
Tractor seats, even those that are made of metal, make the best bar stools as they’re molded to provide the ultimate comfort without needing any padding or cushion. Seats of farm machinery are added with slots to ensure air moves through them and cool perspiring workers. As they’re added to bar stools, you get to enjoy all the benefits they offer and further improve your home’s industrial or transitional look.
To ensure your new tractor seat bar stools are perfect for your space, calculate the ideal depth and height of the stools in relation to your bar or counter’s height. Also, you should consider the amount of space that you want to give for each stool as well as how the chairs will sit in your space.
If the legs of the chairs can pose a hazard in your home when they stick out from under your bar or counter, then take that into account. Taking measurements and analyzing your space will allow you to narrow your search on the best stools for your specific situation.
A breakfast bar’s standard height is 101 to 106 cm, so your bar stools should sit anywhere between 71 to 76 cm in order to give enough room for the legs of users to fit under the counter. Tractor seat bar stools in this height range are perfect for adults. Their legs can rest on the ground/floor when seated on the stools. Don't go any higher than the range as much higher will require people to climb to their seats!
Tractor seat bar stools may or may not come with cushioning. A bare bar stool with a tractor seat, as mentioned earlier, will still offer comfort to users. If you have kids, an upholstered seat isn’t recommended for your home especially if it’s fabric as it isn’t easy to clean and maintain.
It's possible that you can’t resist stools that are upholstered. If that is the case, then you can always coat a fabric-covered seat with a durable water repellent solution as it will help in protecting the material from stains. If what you want is leather upholstery as it’s all the rage right now in modern interiors, you may choose leather but it’s best if you apply the material with a leather conditioner to ensure it remains stain-free and supple.
A notorious sound tractor seat bar stools produce is scraping, especially when they’re moved on concrete or wooden floors. It may not be horrible but it can inflict damage to a surface. You may even find stools that come with protective rubber feet. People think they don’t make noise, but they actually cause chaos to floors, too.
Fortunately, not all bar stools have this negative effect on your home. What we always recommend is to purchase stools with good return policies. When they arrive on your doorstep, give each chair a test run. If it makes noise and it can damage your floors, don’t let it drive you crazy and return it so you can get better ones!