MATERIALS & FINISHES

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability has always been at the heart of our business. It is our mission to create furniture that makes a positive contribution to human health and the environment. We focus on quality of materials and craftsmanship to offer our customers beautiful furniture that will last for generations.

The main materials we use are steel and wood. Steel offers a terrific level of performance, reliability and strength, it is also favoured as a very ‘green’ option as it is widely recycled. Wood is a natural versatile raw material and the only renewable construction material with even lighter carbon footprint than steel. All our timber is sustainably sourced from predominantly, British and European forests.

Rather than removing imperfections, we try to preserve each piece’s true character, therefore we do not use highly toxic lacquer and preserve our wood with Osmo oil instead.  Osmo uses carefully harvested natural oils (sunflower, soya, linseed and thistle oils) and hard waxes (carnauba and candelilla waxes) for it’s finishes.  Osmo supports sustainable forestry and works diligently to ensure that the origin of timbers used can be proven.

We powder coat all the steelwork, it is more durable and it lasts significantly longer than wet paint.  This means that it rarely needs to be retouched or repainted. In addition to being the more durable and a more attractive choice, powder coating is also better for our environment. Powder coating is considered a “green” technology that doesn’t generate harmful solvents or airborne pollutant like conventional paint.

We carefully consider the materials we use, the way we manage our workshop, our employment practices, and our waste. We have invest heavily in efficient and well engineered modern equipment, which works more efficiently and include features which make them non toxic to the environment unlike some older equipment. We are always looking for new ways to use left-over materials.  We make a range of household items from the timber off-cuts. Each piece is crafted with the same care and precision as our main furniture range.

The longevity of our furniture means that it is a better choice for our environment. Our use of natural materials ensures that it is reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable.

WOOD FINISHES

We choose Osmo products to treat our furniture, wood treated with Osmo oil remains microporous and continues to absorb and release water without damage.

The surface can breathe and becomes anti-static, which attracts less dust and dirt. Oiled finishes do not crack, flake, peel or blister. The surface can be easily renovated – for re-application simply wipe clean and apply another coat after several years, no sanding is necessary.

We offer several different oil colour finishes, please see colour choices under individual item listings.

CLEAR STEEL FINISH

Applying a clear powder coat directly to steel, adds a layer of protection and your preferred level of gloss, just like an opaque powder coat would. However, unlike standard powder coats, a clear coat keeps steel’s natural color, all imperfections, weld and burn marks visible, which is great if you are after that raw industrial look. This means that steel with clear powder coated finish will not have that perfect stainless steel look.

To apply clear finish, we degrease the steel and then powder coat in clear gloss or clear matt to give a hard-wearing coating, protecting from rust and enhancing the industrial steel finish.

POWDER COATING IN NON-STANDARD COLOURS

The same process is followed as with applying a stock colour.

We can finish our products in any colour from our powder coating supplier – please view their website for colour choices – www.thermasetshop.co.uk

If you prefer a non-stock colour, please choose ‘Other Colour’ option from the drop down menu and state the required colour choice in ‘Order Notes’ box when placing the order.

ALUMINUM FRAMES

Aluminum has many valuable qualities. It is strong, lightweight, and can be used to create aesthetically pleasing products. The metal as a material for furniture design has a decades long history, and in recent years it has been utilized both for its visual appeal and for its sustainability.

There are countless benefits to using aluminuim for your outdoor space. The right aluminum outdoor furniture can set the mood while lasting forever, from a dining table where you spend an evening enjoying the perfect barbeque meal to a cozy outdoor sofa seating wrapped around a coffee table.

Aluminum outdoor furniture is well known for being rust-resistant. Aluminum is naturally coated in aluminum oxide, which renews itself and protects the aluminum surface from rusting.

Aluminum powder coating is baked onto the material surface rather than painted.Our outdoor powder coatings have a smooth, low-gloss, metallic appearance designed to simulate the colors of anodizing but with the added advantages of hiding surface imperfections and defects in the metal. Architectural grade powder coating offers a tough and hard wearing finish. It is designed for external use with very good colour and gloss retention in outdoor environments.

Powder coating for aluminum outdoor furniture can last for years as long as it’s properly maintained. When cleaning the frame, simply use a cloth and some warm, soapy water. It is better to use non-foaming soap where possible as this will not leave behind any soapy residue that could attract dirt going forward. Corrosive stains such as bird dropping and tree sap should be cleaned off as soon as possible.