Opening a salon comes down to about 15 equipment decisions: chairs, stations, backwash, dryers, pedicure spas, sanitation, and reception. Get the quantities and the buy order right and the build-out is predictable; get them wrong and you either overspend on furniture or fail a plumbing inspection waiting on a backwash unit. We outfit salons every week, so this list uses our real 2026 prices — not vague estimates. Every category below shows what it costs per unit, how many you need per styling station, and two or three specific picks at each price point. At the end you'll find full line-item budgets for a 4-chair hair salon ($4,291–$6,336 in equipment) and a 6-station full-service build ($10,358–$15,059), plus the order to buy everything in.

The Quick Salon Equipment Checklist

Here is the entire list in one table. Per-unit prices are what these items actually sell for in our catalog today; quantities are the ratios we recommend when planning a floor.

Styling Stations & Chairs

Plan $288–$390 per styling station: a hydraulic styling chair ($168–$246 in our line) plus a station with mirror ($120–$144). This is the zone where quantity matters most, because every chair you add pulls a station, a stool, and eventually backwash capacity with it.

What to look for: a heavy round or square hydraulic base that won't drift on a busy floor, upholstery that wipes down with standard disinfectant, and stations with enough flat surface and outlets nearby for hot tools. Wall-mounted stations save floor space; rolling stations let you rearrange or take booth renters' turnover in stride.

• ARON Styling Chair (A12 Pump) — $168. Our entry price point for a hydraulic styling chair; buy four of these and you've furnished the seating for a whole floor for under $700.
• Raelynn Styling Chair — $180. A small step up in styling for $12 more per chair.
• RICHARDSON Styling Chair — $246. The pick when the chair itself is part of the interior design.

For the station side, the BELLA Rolling Styling Station at $120 is the flexible option, and the CHLOE Styling Station at $144 is the fixed wall-side workhorse we spec most often. Add wall mirrors to suit your layout. Browse the full range in salon furniture & stations and styling & barber chairs.

Barber Chairs (If You Offer Cuts and Shaves)

A barber chair runs $408–$741 and replaces a styling chair anywhere you'll do clipper work, fades, or shaves — the reclining back and headrest are the difference, and clients notice. If men's grooming is on your menu, budget for at least one true barber chair rather than making a styling chair do the job.

• KING Barber Chair — $408. The value entry into a real reclining barber chair.
• ROGERS Barber Chair — $700. Mid-premium build for shops that want heft.
• STRATFORD Barber Chair — $741. Top of our barber line; the statement chair for a flagship station.

Compare the whole lineup in barber & styling chairs. The chair is only half the station — you'll also stock clippers and trimmers per barber; our barber clipper guide covers tool buying in detail, and the complete barber kit guide lists everything else that belongs in each barber's drawer.

How Many Backwash Units Do You Need?

Plan one backwash unit for every 3–4 styling chairs, at $640–$770 per unit. This is the most consequential purchase on the list because backwash units are plumbed — their position is locked in during construction, and your plumber needs them on site (or their exact specs) before rough-in. Budget for the trench, not just the chair: running supply and drain lines to each bowl can cost as much as the unit itself, so get a plumber's quote on your floor plan before you finalize the backwash count and placement.

What to look for: a bowl that tilts or a chair that reclines to a genuinely comfortable neck angle, serviceable fixtures, and legroom for the stylist to stand at the bowl. Put a shampoo cabinet within arm's reach of every bowl so towels and backbar product aren't stored across the room.

• ARON II Shampoo Unit — $640. Our entry backwash; pairs naturally with the ARON chairs up front.
• KLYNE Shampoo Unit — $712. The mid-step with a more contemporary profile.
• BELGRADE Backwash Unit — $770. Top of the range for salons selling the wash as an experience.

Add the SANDEN Shampoo Cabinet at $102 for towel and product storage. See every configuration in shampoo & backwash units.

Drying & Processing

Budget about $90–$200 for the processing corner: a hooded dryer from $90 and, if color and treatments are on the menu, a conditioning steamer from $112. One or two hooded dryers cover most floors; color-heavy salons should scale up so processing clients never occupy a styling chair.

• ORIA II Hair Dryer On Stand — $90. Rolling stand, parks anywhere with an outlet — the cheapest way to free up chair time.
• ENVIRON Hair-Conditioning Steamer — $112. Earns its spot the first month you run deep-conditioning or color services.

Pedicure & Nail Equipment (If Full-Service)

Pedicure spas are the biggest single line item in any salon build: $1,988–$2,788 each, and like backwash units they're plumbed, so count them into your construction plan from day one. Manicure tables run $144–$165 and technician stools $54–$65 — one of each per nail tech.

• GEOM I Pedicure Spa (FX chair top) — $1,988. Our entry point into a full plumbed pedicure spa.
• TAYLOR Foldable Manicure Table — $144. Folds away — the right call for salons adding nails part-time.
• Glasglow II Manicure Table — $165. The fixed-station upgrade with a more finished look.

Seat your techs on the TOTO Technician Stool ($54) or DAYTON Rolling Stool ($65). The full category is in pedicure & nail salon furniture, and before you commit roughly $2,000 per spa chair, read our full pedicure chair buying guide — plumbing type and chair-top features change the math.

Facial & Spa Add-Ons

A treatment room adds $340–$855 in core furniture: a multi-position facial chair at $340 or a massage table at $855, plus a towel warmer from $128. These rooms typically carry the highest ticket prices per square foot in the building, so if you have a spare room, equip it.

• PARKER II Facial/Tattoo Chair — $340. One chair that covers facials, waxing, lashes, and brow work.
• DOMINUS Massage Table — $855. The buy when massage is a named service, not an afterthought.
• DERMALOGIC Single UV Towel Warmer 18L — $128. Warm towels for facials — and it doubles for hot-towel shaves on the barber side.

Head spa units and the rest of the treatment-room category live in spa equipment.

Sanitation Equipment (Non-Negotiable)

Sanitation is the cheapest category on this list — UV sterilizers start at $84 — and the only one your state board will inspect before you open. Every state licenses salons against its own sanitation code, so confirm your board's specific requirements, but a sterilizer for implements and a hygienic towel workflow are baseline everywhere.

• DERMALOGIC UV Sterilizer 209B — $84. The baseline unit; put one wherever implements are handled.
• DERMALOGIC UV Sterilizer 209A — $96. The step-up model for busier stations.

Towel warmers with UV, like the $128 DERMALOGIC 18L above, pull double duty here: sanitary towel storage during inspection, hot-towel service revenue every day after.

Reception & Retail

Reception costs $475–$1,116 depending on whether the desk doubles as retail display — and it should, because the front desk is where retail product actually sells. Add an all-purpose chair ($340–$400) for any flexible room you want to keep bookable for waxing, brows, or overflow services.

• Glasglow I Reception Table — $475. A clean, professional front desk at the entry price.
• SONOMA II Reception Table with Display — $1,116. Built-in display turns the checkout queue into shelf space.
• KENDALE All-Purpose Chair — $340, or the HERMAN All Purpose Chair — $400. Reclining multi-service chairs that let one room earn in three service categories.

How Much Does Salon Equipment Cost? Two Real Build-Outs

From the exact prices above: a 4-chair hair salon prices out at $4,291–$6,336 in equipment, and a 6-station full-service salon with two pedicure spas at $10,358–$15,059. Plan roughly $4,500–$7,000 and $12,000–$18,000 respectively once freight, tax, hand tools, and backbar stock are added. Here is the verifiable math — every item links to its live product page.

Build-out 1: 4-chair hair salon

Build-out 2: 6-station full-service salon with 2 pedicure spas

Every line above links to a live product except the top-of-range pedicure spas, which sit at the $2,788 ceiling of our pedicure spa range. The totals exclude freight, sales tax, hand tools (clippers, shears, hot tools), and backbar inventory — which is why we advise budgeting $4,500–$7,000 and $12,000–$18,000 for these two floor plans overall.

What Should You Order First?

Order plumbed equipment first, big freight second, stations third, and small equipment last. The logic is simple: the items your contractor needs are the items you can least afford to wait on.

• 1. Plumbed items — backwash units and pedicure spas. Your plumber sets drains and supply lines around these exact units. Order them as soon as the floor plan is final, before rough-in, so the equipment (or at minimum its specs) is on site when the trades need it.
• 2. Large freight furniture — barber chairs, reception desks, massage tables. Heavy items ship freight rather than parcel, which generally means the longest and least predictable transit on the list. Get them moving early and schedule delivery for after floors are finished.
• 3. Styling chairs and stations. These install in a day with basic tools. Time them to arrive once paint and flooring are done so they're not stored in a construction zone.
• 4. Sanitation and small equipment — sterilizers, towel warmers, dryers, stools. Fast to ship, quick to place. Just make sure they're installed and running before your state board inspection, not after.

Two budgeting mistakes we see on nearly every first build: the plumbing budget is almost always undersized — get the plumber's number before you fall in love with a floor plan — and freight on large items is real money that no equipment table shows. Leave headroom for both.

Salon Equipment FAQ

How much does salon equipment cost to open a salon?

Using current catalog prices, a 4-chair hair salon needs $4,291–$6,336 in furniture and equipment, and a 6-station full-service salon with two pedicure spas needs $10,358–$15,059. Budget roughly $4,500–$7,000 and $12,000–$18,000 respectively once freight, tax, hand tools, and backbar stock are included.

What equipment does every salon need?

Every salon needs a styling chair and station per stylist, at least one shampoo/backwash unit, a hooded dryer, a UV sterilizer, a towel warmer, and a reception desk. Pedicure spas, manicure tables, facial chairs, and massage tables are add-ons that depend on your service menu.

How many backwash units do I need per styling chair?

Plan one backwash unit for every 3–4 styling chairs. A 4-chair salon runs comfortably on two units; a 6-chair salon needs two at minimum. Since backwash units are plumbed, decide the count before construction — adding one later means opening walls and floors.

Do I need a pedicure spa to open a salon?

Only if pedicures are on your service menu. Because pedicure spas start at $1,988 and require plumbing, many hair-first salons open without one and add nail services later — just have your plumber confirm the future spa location during the initial build so the lines are ready.

What's the most common equipment mistake new owners make?

Underbudgeting the plumbing for backwash units and pedicure spas, followed closely by leaving sanitation equipment off the list entirely. Both are avoidable: quote the plumbing before finalizing the floor plan, and put an $84 sterilizer in your very first order.

Is financing available for salon equipment?

Many suppliers offer financing or installment options on equipment orders, especially on larger build-outs. Check the individual product pages for current options, or contact us with your full equipment list before you order.

How long does salon equipment take to ship?

Salon furniture and equipment is made to order by our supplier: plan on 5–7 business days for production plus 3–5 business days for delivery, about 10–12 business days total. That's why plumbed items and big freight furniture go first in the buy order above — order them as soon as the floor plan is final so the build window overlaps your fit-out instead of delaying it.

Ready to Outfit Your Salon?

Work the checklist top to bottom: plumbed pieces first, then the furniture your floor plan is built around. Start with salon furniture & stations, shampoo & backwash units, and pedicure & nail furniture, then round out treatment rooms from spa equipment. Down the road, replacement parts keep the chairs you buy today serving clients for years. If you're pricing a full build-out, send us your floor plan — quoting complete salons is what we do all day.