Park Maintenance Tips: Benches & Tables
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All outdoor park equipment requires periodic maintenance and repairs as the exposure to weather conditions and the human element takes a toll. We have compiled a list of maintenance tips for various pieces of park equipment. These tips are provided to advise you about what needs to be done, when and how to do it. These tips may not cover all situations under all conditions, but are general best-practice tips.
In this series of four maintenance posts, we now review tips for picnic table and park bench frames.
Damage from Moving
If you move or relocate any picnic tables or park benches, look for any frame components that may get damaged during this handling. If diagonal braces that support the frame structure get damaged, they should be replaced to keep the structure sound.
Be sure to check all fasteners. They can work loose over time, especially if the tables or benches are moved around.
Rust
The most durable frame finish for outdoor furniture is galvanized. A galvanized finish is more durable and resistant to scratching and exposure over time than a painted finish. The best galvanized finish is called hot dip galvanized after fabrication. This process involves submersing the fully assembled frame component into molten zinc to completely coat all surfaces – including the inside and outside of all pipe components and all welds. These dipped components have a shiny finish that will weather to a dull gray over time. This will require almost no maintenance under normal use.
There are also frame components made of pre-galvanized steel. These parts are usually lightweight and perform quite well in many applications. However, any areas that have been cut or drilled will expose the underlying steel and may develop rust over time. Be most concerned about any points on pre-galvanized steel that have been welded. The welding heat can burn off the pre-galvanized finish exposing the steel. These weld points must be cold galvanized, which could be equated to a sprayed on painted finish.
Painted frame finishes are also very popular because many color options are available. Most manufacturers now use a dry powder coat paint application process vs. liquid paint. In most common installations, the painted finish will serve well for many years. However, if the paint is chipped or scratched, the exposed metal can begin to rust.
For example, if picnic tables are dragged across a concrete surface, the paint can be scratched off the underside of the frame pipe. It won’t be visible on the bottom, but the steel will be exposed. These areas must be sanded and repainted before the rust expands too far. Use any spray paint that closely matches the color of the frame component. You should expect to do more touch up maintenance on painted steel components for park furniture used by the public.
There are, however, environments where painted steel frame components do not hold up as well as galvanized finishes. We do not recommend painted finishes for steel in coastal and island environments, where there is a lot of humidity from the lake or ocean and a lot of salt exposure from that moisture.
The combination of moisture and salt air will cause any steel exposed by a scratch in the paint to quickly rust and the rust will only grow bigger. This can require frequent repair and repainting. The hot dip galvanized finish is less susceptible to this corrosive environment.
Questions?
If you have any questions about park maintenance, please contact our team.