FAQ on Commercial Resin Outdoor Furniture

FAQ on Commercial Resin Outdoor Furniture

February 22, 2010 by Deron

Is National Outdoor Furniture, Inc. resin furniture safe to use in a commercial environment?
Yes, our commercial resin furniture is ASTM tested to 400 pounds for indoor/outdoor seating areas. Certificates of compliance for ASTM F 1561-96 class B (chairs) and ASTM F 1988-99 class B (chaises) standards are available. These standards set a certain quality level for US manufactured plastic chairs and ensure safety.


Why should resin furniture not be bought at retail for commercial use?
The products sold at retail are for residential use only. Resin retail furniture is not recommended for commercial use. Resin furniture sold at retail is labeled “for residential use only” and carries a one year consumer product warranty.

What makes National Outdoor Furniture, Inc. commercial resin furniture different than the resin furniture sold at retail?
Commercial furniture comes in different styles and colors specifically designed for food service and hospitality use. It is available only from authorized food service equipment and/or hospitality dealers. It generally carries a three-year manufacturer’s commercial warranty (depending on the furniture category) compared to a one-year warranty for products sold at retail.

What makes National Outdoor Furniture, Inc. resin different from other plastic furniture?
Some manufacturers use one “recipe” to manufacture all their resin products. Our manufacturer however, uses special blend of raw materials for each product, depending on the product’s flexibility, durability and safety requirements. Also we do not use recycled plastic material to manufacture their furniture.

Is this furniture made in the USA?
Yes.

What is resin?
Resin is a blend of several ingredients including polypropylene, calcium, pigments and chemical additives. Polypropylene, a by-product of the oil refining process, gives the product its resistance to most common food stains, moisture, salt air and chlorine. It will not trap nor harbor germs, fungi or bacteria. Calcium carbonate or talc give the product its rigidity. Pigments give the product its color. Chemical additives provide resistance to static build-up, fading, heat and ultra-violet light. We may also include polyproplene copolymer in the formulation of furniture where resilience and resistance to repeated use is needed.

Is this furniture made of recycled plastic material?
Our resin furniture is made of 100% first quality prime materials.
Other manufacturers may use recycled plastic materials and/or excesive amounts of calcium carbonate to reduce their costs and/or make the product feel heavier. This practice always results in an inferior products with no guarantee of consistency or performance for any type of use. It also makes the product unsafe, more brittle, and more prone to breakage.

Will the furniture fade in the sun?
We use the most advanced ultra-violet light stabilizers to resist discoloration by the sunlight, twice as long as retail-grade plastic furniture.

Is this furniture packaged for LTL and drop shipments?
Yes. Our manufacturer packages its tables and chairs specifically to minimize the risk of freight damages. Low stacks of resin chairs on wide pallets increase the stability of the stack and facilitate handling with fork trucks. Most retail plastic chairs are packaged on small skids, the size of the chair footprint, only suitable for transportation in full trucks of that one product.
Our manufacturer is the only resin furniture manufacturer who also packages all chairs in 4 per carton. This packaging greatly facilitates handling and storage.

Are your molded melamine tabletops suitable for food service use?
Yes. Melamine is the chemical polymer used to make ashtrays and dinnerware. It resists scratches, cigarette burns, food stains, hot plates, repeated cleaning and fading from the sun.

Are molded melanine tabletops suitable for outdoor use?
Yes. Ice, rain, snow, or sunlight will not damage the tabletops. Of course, storing your furniture in a protected area during the off-season will keep your furniture looking new that much longer.

Are melamine tabletops made of particle board?
No, Melamine tabletops are not high-pressure laminates of particle board glued with Formica. They are molded from a material made of melamine impregnated wood chips and melamine impregnated surface paper, fusion-bonded to resist delaminating and water penetration.

What makes National Outdoor Furniture, Inc. different from other resin furniture distributers?
National Outdoor Furniture, Inc. is commited to selling brand name, safe and innovative resin furniture specifically made for the food service and hospitality customer. Our manufacturer is the only resin furniture manufacturer in North America to have dedicated an entire division to this market, with sales professionals, factory warehouses and specific products over 17 years.

Is this furniture available to ship immediately?
Yes, our resin line carries stock in full masterpacks at two warehouses in PA. Our quick-ship program allows an average delivery time of seven to ten business days from receipt of the order, plus transit time.

How can I clean commercial resin furniture?
Resin furniture is easy to maintain by following these simple cleaning tips. Use a mild detergent such as dish soap, mixed with water and applied with a soft cloth for most common dirt and stains. Murphy’s Oil Soap® is highly recommended because it is chemically neutral. NEVER use any cleaner with an abrasive scouring pad. It will scratch the finish which will make the product more prone to staining. A patch test should be conducted prior to cleaning stubborn stains or scuff marks on an inconspicuous area of the furniture. Other cleaning procedures include products such as general, non-abrasive, household cleaners such as Windex®, Fantastik®, or 409® is often helpful in removing various stains. Star brite®, WD-40®, Goo Gone® will often remove stubborn stains. A 10% solution of vinegar or bleach is also recommended. Careful application of mineral spirits or rubbing alcohol followed by immediate rinsing is also recommended. While solvents are not generally recommended, careful application on sticky, sap-like, or carbon-based stains immediately rinsed off with clean water will work as a last resort.