The weak point is rarely the part in the photo. It is the steel under the paint, the bolts at the joints and the dye in the cushion. Ask what each one is before you compare prices.
For an indoor bar, see our guide to commercial bar stools.
What should commercial outdoor furniture be made of?
A frame that does not rust where it is knocked, joints that do not loosen, seats and tops that shed water, and cushions dyed right through the fibre. On a busy terrace each of those is tested every day.
Stainless steel, powder-coated steel or teak?
Stainless steel for the frame, teak or stone for what guests touch. Powder coating is the finish, not the metal: on plain steel it is all that keeps the rain out, so rust starts at the first chip, usually at the feet and the joints.
Our outdoor frames are EN 10088 stainless steel, grade 1.4306 (AISI 304L), welded and powder-coated black. It is not the marine grade 316, so on a terrace by the sea, rinse salt off now and then. Two exceptions: the Arvid lounge chair and the outdoor Anton and Leo tables are powder-coated steel, not stainless. The full comparison is in steel or aluminium garden furniture.
| Material | After a knock or a chip | Care in daily use | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stainless steel, powder-coated | Does not rust through the chip | Damp cloth; rinse off salt near the sea | Chairs, bar stools, Diana garden, benches, Bazo |
| Plain steel, powder-coated | Rust starts at the chip | Touch up every chip before the wet months | Arvid, outdoor Anton and Leo |
| Teak slats | Natural oils keep water out; rain drains through | None, or oil once a year for the honey tone | Seats of Signe, Edith, Saga, Per, Otto, Hedvig, Bazo |
| Aluminium | Does not rust; thin tube dents | Light, so it moves in a gust | We make none |
Which table top survives a busy terrace?
Sintered stone. Dekton does not absorb water, so wine, oil and bird droppings wipe off even after a day, frost cannot crack it, sun does not fade it, and it is never sealed. A hot dish can go straight on it, though a trivet is still kind. What it does not like is a hard knock on an edge, which can chip it like any stone.
A teak top is warmer but weathers to silver-grey; keeping it honey-coloured means oiling every year. Our dining table for terraces is Diana garden, Dekton on a welded stainless frame, 90 cm deep and 76 cm high. It is rectangular and fixed: we make no round or extendable outdoor dining table. More in our stone garden table guide.
| Diana garden | Along the sides | With ends | Terrace, at least |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 cm | 4 | 6 | about 340 x 270 cm |
| 240 cm | 6 | 8 | about 420 x 270 cm |
| 280 cm | 8 | 10 | about 460 x 270 cm |
Quick-dry outdoor cushions: what to do with them at night?
Lift them in at closing when rain is forecast, and every night once the season turns wet. The fabric copes with a shower; the foam inside lasts longer dry.
Our cushions are Sunproof Fontelina olefin, solution-dyed, so the colour runs through the fibre: rated 7 to 8 for weathering fastness, 4 to 5 for pool and sea water, tested to 1,500 hours of weathering. Water beads off and it dries fast. The covers lift off for washing, and replacement bar stool cushions, 5 cm thick, are sold separately.
Store them standing on edge in a dry, aired place, never in a sealed plastic bag. If your authority requires a fire rating for outdoor seat cushions, ask us for the fabric documentation before you order.
The simplest answer is fewer cushions: teak seats on Signe, Edith, Saga, Per and Otto need nothing brought in at all. Cleaning is in how to clean outdoor cushions.
Heavy or light: wind, stacking and storage
Heavy, if the furniture stays out. A steel frame stays put in a gust that moves an aluminium chair across the terrace, which matters on a roof, a quay or a pool deck. The price is that it is not light to carry.
Our outdoor dining chairs do not stack. The range is made to stay out all season rather than be cleared away every night: stainless steel, teak and Dekton take rain and frost. If your terrace must be emptied at closing, a light stacking chair is the better buy, and we do not make one.
The Bazo lounger has two wheels at the head end, so staff can roll it aside to clean the pool deck. A welded frame is rigid and does not adjust to uneven paving: check that all four feet touch when you place each piece. For the off-season, see garden furniture in winter.
How much space per guest on a restaurant terrace?
About 70 cm of table edge per chair outdoors, and about 90 cm on every side of a table to pull a chair out. At a bar counter, about 60 cm per stool, centre to centre.
Where staff carry trays behind seated guests, give them 110 cm. The same space rules apply around a pool.
| Place | Per guest or piece | Around it |
|---|---|---|
| Dining table | About 70 cm of table edge per chair | About 90 cm on every side |
| Bar counter | About 60 cm per stool, centre to centre | 90 cm behind; 110 cm where staff carry trays |
| Pool deck | Bazo: 79 x 196 cm | About 90 cm clear walkway |
Pool loungers, bar stools and benches
For a hotel pool, Bazo: teak slats on welded stainless steel, 79 x 196 cm, backrest in four positions, full-length cushion included, two wheels. Rinse off chlorine and salt with fresh water now and then. Our pool lounge chair guide covers it in full.
For an outdoor bar, six bar stools: teak seats on Saga, Per and Otto, olefin cushions on Tora, Valter and Folke, at 66 or 76 cm seat height. Tora, Valter and Folke can also be made at a custom height for a counter outside the standard. All six are delivered assembled. See outdoor bar stools.
For benches, Hedvig in teak and Wilma garden with a Dekton seat, 65, 100 or 130 cm long. Both are backless; no cushions are made for them.
A cleaning routine your staff can follow
Short, and the same every week. The rules that matter most are the ones in the last row.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| After service | Wipe Dekton tops with any household cleaner; brush crumbs off teak; lift cushions in if rain is forecast |
| Weekly | Wipe frames with a damp cloth and mild soap, then dry; rinse pool furniture with fresh water |
| Each season | Wash teak with water, mild soap and a soft brush along the grain; wash cushion covers; check the bolts on bolted pieces |
| Never | Pressure washer on teak or cushions; bleach on teak; abrasive pads or solvents on the powder coat; plastic sheeting over furniture |
Warranty, quantities and lead times: what to ask us
Every piece is welded in our own factory in Sweden and carries our 10-year warranty. Read the terms for commercial use, or ask us what they cover on your project.
For quantities, lead times, delivery and frame colours other than black, contact us with your list. The questions worth sending:
- How many of each piece, and by which date?
- What does the warranty cover in commercial use?
- Which frame colours are possible?
- Which documents does your authority need, such as a fire rating for cushions?
- Assembled or flat-pack? The bar stools and Wilma garden arrive assembled; Hedvig is flat-pack with eight bolts.
Specify the parts the photo does not show
- Per chair
- about 70 cm
- Staff aisle
- 110 cm
- Warranty
- 10 years
