Sheet metal is a great material for fabrication of outdoor furniture. The correct combination of durable, corrosion-resistant sheet metal materials with attractive designs offers the possibility of unique and visually outstanding results that are both ergonomic and aesthetically appealing.
Why is sheet metal fabrication a good way to make outdoor furniture?
Outdoor furniture can be made of many different materials, including sheet metal, plastics, stone, wood and composites like fiberglass. The material you choose for outdoor furniture will always have fabrication methods that are compatible with using it, and types of fabrication that are either impossible or impractical due to cost or complexity.
What are common issues with plastic outdoor furniture?
Plastic can be easily moulded to make outdoor furniture, and is immune to rot and biological decay. This makes it a popular choice for outdoor furniture, but plastic also has significant limitations for outdoor use. Many plastics are damaged by high intensity UV light and can soften at high temperatures, as well as becoming brittle at low temperatures. This reduces the range of outdoor environments that are well suited to plastics.
How well do composite materials work for outdoor furniture?
Composite materials, including fiberglass and carbon fiber, can make very durable outdoor furniture, but the epoxy resins used for the strongest laminations break down under UV light and require additional surface protection. Polyester resins used for fiberglass need to be protected from water penetration, and the surface coatings of fiberglass tend to also break down with UV light, losing their glossy finish and requiring regular polishing and maintenance, especially in tropical environments.
What needs to be considered when building outdoor furniture out of wood?
Traditional wooden outdoor furniture is usually made from cutting and joining pieces of wood together, although some furniture is made of laminated wood as well. Both of these methods can be highly labor intensive, and you are relying on a natural resource that needs protection against natural processes of decay that can break down wooden furniture very rapidly, especially in tropical and wet climates.
Are sheet metals a good choice for outdoor furniture fabrication?
Metals are a good choice for fabrication of outdoor furniture because they have high strength and durability, but the choice of metals is important as well as making the correct decisions on finishes and coatings for the final product. Standard and carbon steels are very strong, but susceptible to corrosion through oxidation, so they need to be protected by paint, powder coating or electroplating. Sheet metals score highly on Design for Manufacturability (DFM) because they can be readily cut, formed and joined into an almost infinite variety of shapes.
Why is stainless steel the optimum material for sheet metal fabrication of outdoor furniture?
Stainless steel is the optimum material for sheet metal fabrication of outdoor furniture for several reasons. Both 304 and 316 stainless steel are popular choices for corrosion and weather resistance, with 316 being better for salty, marine environments. For street and garden furniture 304 stainless steel gives you a good balance of strength, corrosion resistance and affordability. Modern equipment and tooling makes precision cutting, bending and joining of stainless steel sheet readily achievable to high standards of precision.
The corrosion resistance of stainless steels allows you to use lighter gauges for stainless steel sheet metal fabrication of outdoor furniture. This comes with several advantages, not just the increased durability. When you rely on metals that corrode over time, you have to use thicker gauges that are harder to bend and heavier than the engineering requirement. Stainless steel structures can be made thinner and lighter without compromising on durability and corrosion resistance.
What does well designed sheet metal outdoor furniture look like?
Furniture needs to look attractive and be fit for purpose, and sheet metal outdoor furniture is no exception. Well designed outdoor furniture needs to be weather resistant and more durable than indoor furniture, which is a reason to make it out of stainless sheet metal. We also have to think about comfort and convenience – in the example above, made by Taiwa, you can see a robust, durable, stainless steel structure with a plastic wood bench top for comfort, easy maintenance and cleaning.
Taiwa offers many advantages for precision sheet metal fabrication of outdoor furniture, starting with our integrated design, manufacturing and finishing services that guarantee high quality results. When you work with Taiwa you discover the benefits of in-house production and assembly, which ensures attention to detail and getting the best results for our customers through every step of the process. Contact our design team to find out how we can help you create better outdoor and public furniture for your project.
