Street Furniture Maintenance Manual: Metal Surfaces
Care and maintenance of urban furniture depends on a combination of factors: what materials are used in the product, what kind of protective coating is applied, and what environmental conditions impact the furniture.
Commonly used materials and finishes:
- Carbon steel galvanised – the most robust kind of coating, resistant to all kinds of outdoor impacts.
- Carbon steel galvanised and painted – ensuring long-lasting outdoor durability and esthetic appearance.
- Stainless steel, grade AISI304 sanded G320 – has a semi-shiny look and is suited for extensively used spaces. Not recommended in polluted and coastal areas
- Stainless steel, grade AISI304 bead-blasted – has a semi-matt look, can hardly be damaged or scratched, and is robust in aggressive environments.
- Cast iron for some benches, bike racks and posts – the anti-corrosion coating includes sandblasting, applying zinc primer and a final color coat ensuring long-lasting protection in moderate aggressive environments.
- Coniferous softwood (spruce, pine) varnished – attains a natural look and feel and needs refurbishing
- IROKO hardwood, oiled – in reddish brown color, dense and long-lasting.
Influence of environmental conditions on urban furniture:
- UV rays from the Sun diminish the surface protective layer, especially for coatings containing lesser colour pigment.
- Humidity and temperature fluctuations may result in swelling and shrinking of softwood and cracks may appear. Under lasting conditions of humidity, mould may develop.
- Hail and snow may act as an abrasion to the coating.
- Sand–salt (NaCl) mixture and other chemicals used for road maintenance may act as a corrosive agent damaging material and a protective layer.
- Polluted air with sulphur dioxide or nitrogen oxides turns into acid in water or humid environments.
- Ocean and sea coastal areas are influenced by ‘flying’ salt particles, making the environment particularly aggressive.
Care and maintenance:
- Once a year after winter a visual inspection of the surface should be carried out. In case a protective layer is damaged restoration of the protective layer should be performed,
- Sand-salt mixture and other aggressive chemicals close to street furniture should be spread with care avoiding direct contact. Salt crystals should be cleaned off by spraying and wiping with a cloth and a neutral or slightly alkaline water solution (pH 8-10).
- Stainless steel generally has a low-maintenance surface but for sanded surfaces exposed to contaminated urban, industrial or coastal areas it is recommended to apply a protective solution to achieve a shiny appearance and avoid stains. The surface forms a protective coat by spraying, rubbing and polishing the solution with a dry microfibre cloth.
The expected lifecycle
The life cycle of street furniture depends on environmental conditions and the maintenance carried out.
Effecting proper maintenance usually exceeds the lifetime of street furniture by more than ten years.
For more information contact us: info@metalfabrik.eu