If you want to learn about hardware for the next outdoor furniture project, you will want to read this article. Specifically, I will tell you which type of hardware is performing best, why metal types used for fasteners and the surface treatment used are important considerations, and how to properly protect or limit furniture exposure to moisture and winter conditions. It can extend the life. After completing this article, you will learn that the best hardware choice for outdoor furniture projects depends on the style of the furniture, the building materials, the location and budget of the furniture.
Choosing the right hardware for your furniture will help ensure a long service life and improve the overall look of the furniture. Part of the problem is knowing what hardware to choose when there are so many options in the hardware store. Typical Lowes or Home Depot offers a wide range of stainless steel, hot dip galvanized, bright galvanized, plain steel, coated steel and brass bolts, nuts, washers and screws. Each type of fastener is suitable for some applications, but not all fasteners are suitable for outdoor furniture applications.
In fact, choosing the wrong fasteners will greatly shorten the life of the furniture, causing the wooden furniture to rot, causing unsightly pollution and even making your furniture unsafe.
One thing to note beforehand is not to use unprotected steel fasteners for outdoor furniture, they will rust quickly, and the steel will react with the tannins in the wood, causing streaks and stains. Tannic acid actually accelerates the corrosion of fasteners. Have you ever seen a wooden fence with black stripes running down from the nails? This fence is fitted with the wrong type of fasteners. The same thing happens in your furniture. Worse, as the fasteners rust, they will accelerate the decay of the wood around the rusted fasteners, destroying your furniture and making it unsafe.
Hot dip galvanizing
Screws and bolts that are hot dip galvanized are specifically designed for outdoor use. Galvanized or bright galvanized fasteners are not as good as hot dip galvanized hardware. Zinc is used as a coating in both processes and as a barrier against elements in wood and tannins.
However, I strongly recommend using only screws or bolts in the construction of outdoor furniture. The galvanized finish on the plated or hot-impregnated nails is easily damaged during tapping, exposing the nail heads to the components and causing them to quickly begin to rust.
Care must be taken when installing galvanized screws. Drill the pilot holes in the hardwood and make sure to use some unscrewed and intolerable screw heads. For whatever reason, galvanized screws do not appear to be tempered as well as other steel fasteners and are more likely to break or cause the head to fall off during installation. Due to the permissible permits of hot dip coatings, galvanized bolts have less stringent tolerances on the threads and are more likely to peel if over tightened.
Hot dip galvanized fasteners are ideal for many outdoor furniture applications, including Adirondack chairs, but not the best choice for wood such as teak.
stainless steel
Stainless steel is the best choice for wood with a high content of tannins, such as teak. Stainless steel is an alloy or mixture of steel, nickel and chromium. The ratio of other metals to steel determines the weatherability and corrosion resistance of stainless steel. Because steel is mixed with other softer metals, stainless steel is not as strong, so pre-drilling of spiral holes is highly recommended in all applications and is essential in hardwoods such as teak and mahogany. Increased corrosion resistance exceeds any possible disadvantages of metals, especially in outdoor furniture applications.
Although stainless steel fasteners are the most rust-resistant, they are also the most expensive option we discuss. However, the use of stainless steel fasteners can extend the life of the furniture. In this regard, they are an investment that will be paid in the coming years.
Brass
I have seen some commercial use of brass for outdoor furniture, but it is not recommended. Although brass does not form red rust and is well suited for many wet applications such as toilets and sinks, it does lose its luster and corrosion. It is also very susceptible to tannins in wood, which can make it fail more quickly. In particular, brass screws do not have sufficient strength for outdoor furniture applications.
Outdoor or deck screw
In the past few years, many manufacturers have introduced outdoor fastening products specifically for deck construction. These are usually green, gray, tan or brown. These screws are ceramic or plastic coatings to retard the reaction of metals with wood acids. The specific coating method is proprietary to each manufacturer and can be a combination of electrogalvanized and plastic, or ceramic baking.
I have used these fasteners in furniture applications and they perform very well. Unfortunately, I have not encountered such surface treated bolts. The screw brand I use is Deck Mate, which is available in tan and brown, so you can choose the color to better match the wood used. These screws are ceramic-covered and the manufacturer offers a coated drill bit for installation that does not damage the ceramic coating on the screw head. If you choose this type of fastener, be sure to compare the cost to stainless steel as the price will vary. If the cost of stainless steel is comparable, then it is the recommended fastener.
Be sure to read the manufacturer's specifications on the box to make sure the screws are right for your application.
Other considerations
If the furniture you are building will be located on a covered porch or terrace to protect it from the elements, then the concern is the interaction between the wood and the fasteners, far exceeding the weather. Furniture that will be exposed to elements throughout the year, such as garden benches or adirondack chairs in garden corners, must be more careful and focused to ensure that they not only accommodate one or more pieces of furniture. Two winters.
In addition to choosing which type of fastener to use, other factors must be considered, although this is very important. For example, fasteners should not be located where water is collected and seated on fasteners for extended periods of time. A good example of a screw that attaches a seat slat to an Adirondack chair - usually these screws will be buried under the surface of the wood. This will allow water to collect in the screw holes, shortening all life except stainless steel fasteners and extending the exposure of the wood to water, which will increase the rate of decay. In applications where the furniture is exposed to components throughout the year, the screw head should be flush with the surface of the surrounding wood.
The structure and design of the furniture is also an important consideration. Are the horizontal surfaces of the furniture constructed in such a way that they can flow water instead of collecting water? Think of a picnic table with a slat or a top. The gap between the boards allows water to flow from the top rather than pooling.
in conclusion
Stainless steel is often the best choice for outdoor furniture applications, although for some people the cost may be too high. There are other cheaper quick options that can achieve acceptable performance. Under no circumstances should unprotected steel fasteners be used in outdoor furniture applications. Find out where you plan to use your furniture and how to design it according to its conditions.
Orignal From: Determining the best fastener type for outdoor furniture construction
No comments:
Post a Comment