Running and owning your business can be rewarding but also requires hard work and commitment. Getting down to every last detail is paramount to the success and survival of your business. Finding quality commercial furniture is just one of the many puzzle pieces businesses need to put together. It might be more convenient and affordable for you to pick up a few chairs and tables from your local retail store but doing so might cost you in the long run.
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When shopping and purchasing furniture for your dining venue or office, it's important to differentiate between residential and commercial furniture. Commercial furniture, also known as contract furniture, is built to handle wear and tear of daily use in high traffic environments whereas residential furniture is not designed to the same stringent requirements because it typically does not experience traffic of a high magnitude. Below are a few parameters which better explain the differences and help you distinguish between the two.
In most parts of the United States for practically all interior woodwork, such as flooring, trim, furniture, etc. a moisture content below 12 percent is recommended. In contract furniture we use hard wood with 6-7% moisture content which adds to the wood's toughness and durability.
Residential furniture is typically made using softer wood types like rubberwood and pine which is one of the more popular woods for residential furniture. While softwood is easier to turn into furniture making it a cheaper material, it is also less scratch resistant. On the other hand, wood table tops and chairs for commercial use are made from resistant hardwoods such as maple, beechwood and oak.
While residential and commercial furniture may look the same there can be vast differences in the durability of the materials used. Commercial furniture manufacturers take into consideration the fact that the furniture, both seating and tables, will be in constant use by different people. This means that the wood is tougher and finished using Polyurethane coatings (also known as P.U. finishing) which help protect the wood from high levels of wear and tear and constant cleaning.
The metal frame is powder coated and baked making it more resistant to rust and flaking. Powder Coating also results in a thick, dense finish with a smoother surface which attracts less dust and allows less dirt to accumulate making it both easier to maintain and more hygienic.
For upholstered furniture the seat is first covered in foam padding which comes in a variety of densities, firmness and fire resistance. Unlike residential furniture contract furniture comes with more stringent safety codes and often, for an additional small fee the most stringent codes such as CAL 133 can be applied.
All foams include both density and firmness measurements and usually the firmer a foam is the higher it's density and weight. While firmer foam is more expensive it is also more comfortable and lasts longer. A density of 2.0-2.5 is the appropriate range for upholstered chairs and booths used in restaurants and other busy venues while the most commonly used foam density for residential furniture sold in the U.S. is 1.8.
Owning and operating a business is rewarding but it’s also a lot of work. Getting every last detail just right is paramount to your success, now and in the future. Finding quality commercial grade furniture is just one of the many puzzle pieces businesses need to figure out. It might be tempting to head to your local discount or retail store and pick up some benches and chairs on sale, but this isn’t recommended for a few important reasons.
Why Does Your Business Need Commercial Grade Furniture?
Commercial grade furniture is made to an entirely different standard than regular furniture sold at retail stores. Restaurants, bars, hospitals, city gardens and any other public place require places for people to sit. These options need to be safe and sturdy, the last thing you want is someone to fall through a chair because it wasn’t built to withstand enough weight. Instead of dealing with a lawsuit in the future, just invest in quality commercial grade furniture.
Testing Commercial Grade Furniture
Commercial grade furniture is only considered such once it successfully passes tests for durability, stability and weight bearing qualities. This fact alone helps secure the safety of your patrons.
Commercial grade furniture undergoes extensive testing that other furniture sold to consumers does not. Some of these tests include:
-Chair is restrained while 150 pounds of force is added to the back of the chair for one minute. The chair passes if it shows no signs of damage.
-A 300-pound weight free falls onto the chair from 6-inches above, the chair only passes if it sustains no damage. A similar test is repeated 100,000 times using a 125-pound weight.
These are only a few of the many tests applied to commercial grade furniture in order to ensure its stability no matter what comes its way. (More Tests)
The Benefits To Commercial Grade Furniture
-You won’t have to buy new furniture every few years.
-People of all weights and sizes can comfortably and safely use furniture every day of the week, 24/7 without drastic signs of wear and tear.
-Commercial grade furniture can stand up to weather and other exposures (inside and out).
-Commercial grade furniture is built to withstand usage that is rougher than usual.
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Furniture Weight Limits
Basic furniture sold to the public often includes ridiculously lightweight limits, allowing only tiny toddlers and teenagers to safely sit. People come in all shapes and sizes and your furniture needs to account for that. In order to make all of your guests feel comfortable and included, you need furniture built to withstand every weight. The only way you can guarantee this is with commercial grade furniture. (Read More)
Excessive Everyday Use
A family might use their outdoor patio bench a few times a week, or maybe not even that much. On the contrary, business furniture is used all of the time. This presents a unique 24/7, all day, every day strain on furniture. Commercial grade furniture is built to stand up to this challenge.
Long Lasting Furniture
Another core benefit to commercial grade furniture is its ability to outlast the competition. No business is cheap to run and the lower you can get your expenses the better. Constantly rebuying furniture, planters and other products for your business is going to eat into your overall budget, and take away precious time. Commercial grade furniture is built to withstand the test of time, allowing you to buy once and then not worry about it for a very long time.
Materials
The materials used to build commercial grade furniture also vary. For instance, the average bar stool for home use is built using 20-22 gauge steel frames, while the average commercial bar stool is built using 16-18 gauge steel. As a point of reference, the lower the gauge numbers the sturdier the product. Wood is another example, while many consumer products are built with cheaper forms of wood, such as rubberwood, commercial grade wooden furniture relies on higher quality wood, such as beechwood.
Plastic is another popular material used to construct consumer landscaping furniture, but this isn’t going to last very long at all. Our commercial grade furniture is made using a special type of resin that resists all forms of wear and tear, including weather, graffiti, and more. You won’t find this kind of quality at your local retail store, guaranteed!
Rough And Tough
People don’t treat public furniture the same as they do their furniture at home. People tend to be rougher on furniture that doesn’t belong to them or a friend, simply because they assume it can withstand the pressure. As a result, your business needs furniture that can stand up to all of this wear and tear. Thankfully, commercial grade furniture is built to resist scratches, stains, bangs and more.
Matching
If you need to replace or add an additional chair or planter bench you want to be able to replace it with a matching product. If you purchase furniture from retail stores this will be rather tricky to accomplish.
Retail locations frequently change out inventory, meaning chances are you won’t find that same group of chairs or benches again. On the other hand, by buying specially formulated commercial grade furniture you can purchase additional pieces or replacement pieces that match without encountering the same issues.
The Cost Of Commercial Grade Furniture
Commercial grade furniture typically costs more than buying consumer grade furniture, but the investment is well worth it. Most importantly, you want to keep the people that frequent your business safe and happy. If you purchase furniture that does not stand up to the same quality as commercial grade you risk a chair breaking, someone falling and then you may have a lawsuit on your hands. Consumer grade furniture greatly reduces the risk of this happening, so that you can focus on making your business number one.
TerraCast Products provides the latest in commercial grade furnishings, lighting, planters and more! Check out our indestructible products today.
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