Ladder-back cafe chairs

Horizontal rails across the back, a plain seat, four straight legs: the ladder-back is a working chair. The 15 here come with wood, metal and aluminum frames, and almost every one takes an upholstered seat. Decide first how much daily wear the room gives a chair, because that points you to the frame.

A wide price range for one shape

From around $68 to $340, this group runs farther than most. The low end is the metal ladder-back chair, 17" W x 20" D x 32" H. The ladder-back wood chair is nearly the same size at 17" W x 20" D x 33" H. Higher up sits the ladder back aluminum dining chair.

The gap between them is in the frame. Eight are wood, six metal, two aluminum with a wood look and one metal with a wood look.

Frame by frame

A deli with a hard tile floor and a steady stream of trays is hard on chairs. Metal frames shrug off that kind of day. Wood frames bring the old bakery look and a softer feel, and they want a little more care at the joints. The wood-look aluminum and steel chairs give you the grain without the wood frame, which suits a shop that likes the look and hates the upkeep.

Most backs are true ladder backs, 13 of them. Two have an arc back and two an upholstered back. Three have arms, which is worth knowing if your tables sit tight: arms need to clear the tabletop when the chair is pushed in.

Seats you can change

Sixteen of the 15 list upholstery options, with vinyl, wood and fabric seats across the group. Vinyl is the easy one at the last sweep. Fabric is quieter and softer and asks for more cleaning.

Each seat choice is its own line on the order, so two seat colors of one chair are two lines. Before you reorder, ask for a fresh swatch. Color lists move, and the new chairs should match the ones the regulars already sit on.

None of these is listed for patio use, so keep them inside, where a wood frame or an upholstered seat will not swell or fade in the sun and rain.

Narrow it down

If you have settled on the frame, go straight to metal ladder-back chairs or wood ladder-back chairs. For a different back with the same plain spirit, see cross-back chairs, and every chair we carry is under chairs.