Guides | Commercial Outdoor Furniture

Cleaning and maintaining outdoor furniture, by material

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The care instructions that outdoor furniture manufacturers publish agree on a starting point: mild soap, lukewarm water, a soft brush or cloth, a thorough rinse and air drying. They differ on bleach, pressure washing and waxing, and on how often a coastal or pool property should clean. Following the maker’s own instructions matters for more than appearance, because the commercial warranties compared in the warranty guide tie coverage to required care. This page summarizes the instructions by material, checked October 3, 2026, and attributes each to the company that published it.

Quick reference

Material	Routine cleaning	Periodic care	Avoid	Source
Powder-coated aluminum	1/4 cup mild liquid soap per gallon of lukewarm water, soft brush, rinse	Automotive paste wax on gloss finishes; Brown Jordan says 2 to 3 times a year	Abrasive cleaners	Tropitone, Brown Jordan
Powder-coated steel	Hose or power wash with mild soap	Inspect coating and fasteners; touch up scratches	Harsh solvents	Victor Stanley
Stainless steel	Soap solution with a soft cloth, rubbing with the grain; rinse and dry	Non-abrasive stainless cleaner for stains	Bleach, chloride cleaners, abrasive pads	Tropitone
HDPE lumber	Dish soap and warm water, soft brush, rinse	Pressure washer up to 1,500 psi with a 40-degree tip	Abrasive scrubbers such as eraser pads	POLYWOOD
Teak	Mild soap and water, scrubbing with the grain, rinse, air dry	Teak cleaner and sealer to keep the original tone		POLYWOOD (wood in general), Brown Jordan
Resin wicker	Mild soap and water, soft brush, rinse, dry	Commercial outdoor furniture cleaner for mildew	Harsh chemicals, abrasive tools	Brown Jordan, POLYWOOD
Vinyl straps	Soap solution, frequent cleaning, lift and clean under strap crossings	Monthly water and ammonia mix, 3 to 1, in areas with acid rain, fog or smog	Abrasive cleaners, sunscreen contact	Tropitone
Cushion fabric	1/4 cup mild soap per gallon of water no warmer than 100°F, sponge, rinse, air dry on edge	Add bleach for mildew only where the fabric maker allows it	Dryers, hot water, harsh detergents	Tropitone, Brown Jordan

Aluminum

Tropitone says its extruded aluminum frames are welded all-aluminum construction, and its care page calls for periodic cleaning with a solution of 1/4 cup of mild liquid soap in a gallon of lukewarm water, a sponge or soft-bristle brush, and a thorough rinse. For gloss finishes it recommends periodic waxing with a high-grade automotive paste wax. Brown Jordan describes powder-coated aluminum as lightweight and corrosion-resistant and recommends a coat of clear automotive wax 2 to 3 times a year, more often in coastal or humid climates.

Both makers single out salt and pool chemicals. Tropitone says salt in seaside use and chlorides at indoor pools build up on the finish through repeated condensation and evaporation and can lead to finish failure. Its commercial warranty recommends cleaning weekly or every two weeks in those settings and waxing quarterly, and it says neglect that causes blistering or oxidation voids the warranty. Woodard’s warranty lists powder blistering and oxidation from salt air and salt water among its exclusions.

Tropitone also says to tighten all hardware regularly, including the headrest bolts on chaise lounges, because loose hardware can lead to bolt failure and breakage, and to take a piece out of service until missing hardware is replaced.

Steel and iron

Victor Stanley, whose warranty says its products are designed and constructed for commercial applications, says its powder coating can be cleaned by power washing or hosing with mild soap, and that harsh solvents can break the coating down. Where the coating is scratched or scuffed, it says to sand off debris or rust with steel wool, apply a rust-inhibiting primer, then apply matching touch-up paint. Its warranty makes the purchaser responsible for inspecting for loose fasteners, vandalism, wear, coating damage and weathering.

Woodard says that because iron is made from steel, small amounts of rust seepage may appear at joints and crevices outdoors, and that this is normal and not covered.

For stainless steel, Tropitone says to wash with the soap solution using a soft cloth, rub with the grain, rinse and dry fully. It warns against bleach, hydrochloric acid or chloride cleaners and abrasive pads, and says salt and acidic spills such as coffee, wine and citrus juice can discolor stainless steel if not cleaned up promptly.

HDPE lumber

POLYWOOD, which makes furniture from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lumber, says to vacuum off loose dirt, wash with dish soap and warm water, scrub with a soft-bristle brush, rinse and air dry. To sanitize, it adds bleach at 1 part to 2 parts water and advises chemical-resistant gloves. For a deeper clean it allows a pressure washer rated no higher than 1,500 psi with a 40-degree fan tip, held about 8 inches from the surface and kept moving to avoid gouges. It says to avoid abrasive scrubbers on the lumber.

POLYWOOD says its hardware is marine-grade 18-8 stainless steel, and for salt-air locations it suggests touch-up paint or clear car wax on the hardware and a fresh-water rinse after any contact with salt water.

Teak and other woods

Brown Jordan says teak weathers to a silver-gray patina and that this is expected. To keep or restore the original warm tone, it recommends a teak cleaner and sealer. It says new teak can show oil spots that look like water marks, that oil may transfer to cushions, and that in humid climates the grain may rise and hairline cracks may appear as the wood acclimates, which it calls normal.

POLYWOOD’s general instructions for wood furniture are to vacuum off debris, scrub with mild soap and water along the grain, rinse and let it dry completely. Victor Stanley’s warranty says routine checking, graying, fading and wear of wood slats are not preventable and are not grounds for replacement.

Resin wicker

Brown Jordan says to clean woven polyethylene fiber with mild soap and water and a soft cloth or brush, rinse and dry, and to use a commercial outdoor furniture cleaner for mildew or heavy stains while avoiding harsh chemicals and abrasive tools. POLYWOOD adds a toothbrush for tight spots and says to remove cushions first.

Straps and slings

Tropitone says vinyl straps, lacing and its EZ Span segments must be cleaned frequently with the soap solution, lifting and cleaning beneath strap intersections. In areas with high levels of acid rain, fog or smog, it says to clean vinyl monthly with three parts water to one part ammonia. Brown Jordan recommends a vinyl protectant against salt air, UV and mildew, and rubbing alcohol for stubborn stains. Both say sunscreen and suntan products can stain straps and slings permanently, and Brown Jordan says such stains are not covered by its warranty.

Cushions and fabric

Tropitone’s fabric instructions use the same 1/4 cup of soap per gallon, with water no warmer than 100°F, a sponge or soft brush, a rinse and air drying. It says standing a cushion on its side helps it drain, and lists what not to do: no bleach unless the fabric is listed as bleach-cleanable, no soaking or standing water, no dryer, no harsh detergents or stiff brushes, no heat or hot water. For mildew it adds 1 cup of bleach to the solution where the fabric allows it. Brown Jordan says not to dry clean, machine wash or tumble dry its cushions or use steam above 100°F.

Storage and freezing

Brown Jordan says to clean all furniture before storing it, store cushions in a cool, dry place, bring stone, Dekton and glass tops indoors in freezing climates, and inspect frames, joints and hardware at the start of each season. Its warranty says to store furniture upright so water drains, because water that freezes inside a frame can cause structural damage the warranty does not cover. Tropitone’s commercial warranty excludes bursting or cracking of tubing from water and freezing temperatures.

How commercial outdoor furniture warranties are written

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A commercial or contract warranty on outdoor furniture is usually shorter than the residential warranty the same maker offers, and it is written component by component. The frame, the finish, the straps or slings, the fabric and the cushions each carry their own term, and the published documents set conditions on care, freight, labor and proof of purchase that decide whether a claim is paid. The terms below come from warranty documents the manufacturers publish, checked October 3, 2026. They are listed to show how warranties are structured, and this site does not recommend or rank any maker.

Published commercial terms, by component

Component	Tropitone	Brown Jordan	Woodard	POLYWOOD	Victor Stanley
Frame structure	Aluminum frames, 5 years	Extruded and cast aluminum, upholstered and woven-resin frames, 5 years; wood frames, 2 years	Aluminum and iron, 5 years; woven, 3 years	Against splintering, cracking, chipping, peeling, rot and insect damage, 5 years; metal-frame welds, 3 years	Steel weldments and frames and ductile iron castings, 10 years
Finish	Peeling, cracking or blistering, 5 years	Not listed separately in the contract summary	5 years	Powder coat against peeling, 2 years	Powder coating, 1 year
Straps, slings, rope	Vinyl strap breakage, 5 years; discoloration, 3 years; rope, 1 year	Strap life, 3 years; strap color, 1 year	Strap breakage, 3 years; sling, 1 year	Sling fabric, 2 years	Not applicable
Fabric and cushions	Fabric on cushions, umbrellas and slings, 1 year	Fabrics, slings, covers, umbrellas, 1 year	Cushions, 1 year	Cushion workmanship, 30 days; cushion fabric, 1 year	Not applicable
Other	Woven products and polymer frames, 3 years	Stone, marble and resinwood tops, 1 year		Hardware, 3 years; woven inserts, 3 years	Ipe and Jatoba slats, 10 years; Kebony, 5 years; plastic slats, 10 years

Fabric makers publish their own terms. Sunbrella’s contract page lists a 5-year limited warranty for its upholstery, specialty and decorative shade fabrics and a 10-year limited warranty for its shade fabrics, with claims handled through the dealer or fabricator that made the end product.

What counts as commercial use

The definition decides which warranty applies, and the published documents define it broadly. Tropitone defines commercial use as use in any public area, including both the common areas and the individual units of properties such as hotels and apartment complexes. POLYWOOD’s 2026 warranty lists hospitality settings, multifamily common areas, workplaces, restaurants, resorts and short-term rental properties, and says furniture in a rental property counts as commercial when people outside the owner’s household use it. Brown Jordan’s residential warranty does not apply to commercial use, and its residential weave and fabric terms also exclude deterioration due to use in commercial settings. Woodard’s warranty is void for commercial use except for products approved for commercial applications, which get its contract terms.

Care rules that can void coverage

Each of the five documents ties coverage to maintenance.

Tropitone says failure or neglect to perform required product care voids its warranty. For seaside, cruise ship and indoor pool use, it recommends cleaning surface buildup weekly or every two weeks and waxing frames quarterly, and says neglect that leads to blistering or oxidation voids the warranty.
Woodard’s exclusions include powder blistering and oxidation from salt air and salt water, and marring, scratching or rust from stacking frames.
Victor Stanley requires the purchaser to inspect for loose fasteners, vandalism, wear and coating damage, and to touch up scratched coating to keep rust from spreading. It excludes vandalism, improper installation and unattended routine maintenance.
POLYWOOD excludes fading, rust or corrosion of steel frames and hardware, and damage from heat sources such as grills. It says the warranty stays valid when a bench is properly anchored to the ground.

Freight, labor and replacement terms

The documents differ on who pays to get a part to the site and install it.

Tropitone pays freight in the continental U.S. for the first year and includes parts and labor under the 5-year frame warranty. It does not include labor on strap replacement or on the 1-year items.
Woodard pays freight on warranty claims for two years from purchase.
Victor Stanley repairs or replaces defective parts after inspection and does not cover dismantling, reinstallation or other consequential costs. Its coverage starts on the invoice date for each shipment.
POLYWOOD excludes post-delivery labor, transportation and assembly costs.
Brown Jordan’s page says some repairs may carry a pro-rated charge for the time the product was in use, and that it may substitute a similar color or model when the original is discontinued. Tropitone, Woodard and POLYWOOD reserve the same right to substitute.

Making a claim

All five documents require proof of purchase, and most limit coverage to the original purchaser. Tropitone asks for the original sales receipt and may require photos or inspection. Woodard asks for the original sales receipt and the original order, routed through the dealer. POLYWOOD asks for a written description, a serial number or proof of purchase, and photographs, and requires a return authorization before anything is shipped back. Victor Stanley holds its warranty valid only if it has the project name and installation address in writing, and wants claims sent to the factory with the invoice number.

How to compare two quotes

Ask each vendor for the commercial or contract warranty document and confirm the product is approved for commercial use.
Put the terms side by side by component: frame, finish, straps or slings, fabric, cushions, tops and hardware.
Ask who pays freight and labor in each year of the frame term.
Read the care requirements and decide whether your staff or contractor can meet them, especially at a coastal property or an indoor pool.
Register the project name and install address where the maker asks for it, and keep the invoice, the order and photos at delivery with the facility records.

Flammability rules for outdoor cushions, fabrics and cabanas

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The federal flammability standard for upholstered furniture, 16 CFR Part 1640, applies to seating furniture intended for indoor use, and it adopts California’s Technical Bulletin 117-2013 as its test. Furniture made for outdoor use falls outside that definition. For commercial buyers, the other rules come from fire codes adopted by states and cities: the International Fire Code (IFC) sets cigarette-ignition and heat-release limits for new upholstered furniture in certain institutional buildings and in college dormitories, including their decks, porches and balconies, and it requires fabric tests for tents and membrane structures.

This page describes what the standards and codes say, checked October 3, 2026. Which edition a jurisdiction has adopted, and how it applies to a particular patio or pool deck, is a question for the local fire code official.

The federal standard and TB 117-2013

Part 1640 took effect on June 25, 2021, under authority Congress gave the Consumer Product Safety Commission in Public Law 116-260. It requires all upholstered furniture, as the rule defines it, to meet California’s TB 117-2013.

The definition sets the reach. Upholstered furniture under Part 1640 is an article of seating furniture that is intended for indoor use, has an upholstered seat, back or arm, is made or sold with a cushion or pillow or is stuffed or filled, and supports a person sitting upright or reclining. It excludes mattresses, foundations, bedding products and fitness furniture. Covered products carry a permanent label with the statement “Complies with U.S. CPSC requirements for upholstered furniture flammability.”

TB 117-2013 is a smolder test. It exposes small mock-ups of cover fabric, barrier, filling and decking materials to a lighted cigarette. A cover fabric fails if the mock-up keeps smoldering after the 45-minute test, chars more than 1.8 inches vertically or begins to burn with an open flame. The bulletin says its methods do not measure performance under open-flame exposure.

Part 1640 also preempts state flammability requirements for upholstered furniture, with exceptions for certain California rules. The text preserves state rules on health risks of upholstered furniture that are not designed to protect against fire.

California’s TB 133

California’s TB 133 was a fire test for seating furniture in public occupancies such as jails, nursing homes, health care facilities, public auditoriums, hotels and motels, according to the bureau that wrote it. In a 2018 environmental study for the change, the bureau called TB 133 outdated and proposed requiring furniture of any intended use to meet TB 117-2013 instead. The bureau said added flame-retardant chemicals were a common way to meet TB 133. SGS, a testing company, reported that the repeal took effect on January 22, 2019.

Fire code rules for furniture in certain buildings

Section 805 of the 2024 IFC applies to newly introduced upholstered furniture in four settings: Group I-1, Condition 2 facilities, Group I-2 occupancies and ambulatory care facilities, Group I-3 detention facilities, and college and university dormitories in Group R-2, including decks, porches and balconies. In each, the code requires the following:

Test	What the 2024 IFC requires
Cigarette ignition	Mock-ups with a char length of no more than 1.5 inches under NFPA 261, or components that meet Class I under NFPA 260
Heat release	A peak of no more than 80 kW and no more than 25 megajoules in the first 10 minutes under ASTM E1537 or California TB 133; detention facilities use ASTM E1537 only
Label	The label of an approved agency confirming both results

In most of these settings the heat-release limits do not apply in rooms or spaces protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system installed under Section 903.3.1.1. Detention facilities have no such exception. Because the dormitory section names decks, porches and balconies, newly introduced upholstered seating in those places is covered wherever a jurisdiction has adopted that section.

NFPA describes NFPA 260 as a test method that measures how resistant upholstered furniture components are to cigarette ignition. The current edition is 2024.

Curtains and decorative fabric

The IFC regulates curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar decorative materials hung from walls or ceilings in assembly, business, educational, institutional, mercantile and hotel occupancies and in dormitories, and it limits them to 10 percent of the wall or ceiling area they hang on, with exceptions. Where the code requires better fire performance, those materials must pass Test Method 1 or Test Method 2 of NFPA 701, or show a heat release of no more than 100 kW under NFPA 289. NFPA describes NFPA 701 as test methods for the propagation of flame of textiles and films; the current edition is 2023.

Tents, cabanas and membrane structures

Chapter 31 of the 2024 IFC covers temporary and permanent tents and membrane structures. Before a permit is granted, the owner or agent files a certificate from the product manufacturer showing that the tent, its sidewalls, drops and tarpaulins, and its floor coverings meet Test Method 2 of NFPA 701, or have been treated with an approved flame retardant and meet it. Bunting and combustible decorations must meet Test Method 1 or 2 as applicable. The structure must carry a permanent label naming its size and fabric, the manufacturer and the treatment, if any.

Chapter 31 also bars open flames and heat-producing devices inside a tent or membrane structure, or within 10 feet of it while it is open to the public, unless the fire code official approves them, and it bars smoking in tents and membrane structures. Whether a poolside cabana or a fabric shade structure counts as a tent or membrane structure under the adopted code is for the fire code official to decide.

What to ask a supplier

For any cushioned seating, whether the product carries the Part 1640 label, and whether the maker treats it as indoor or outdoor furniture.
For dormitory decks and porches and for health care or senior living projects, test reports under NFPA 260 or NFPA 261 and ASTM E1537, and the approved agency’s label.
For cabanas, tent-style shade structures and umbrellas used as part of them, the NFPA 701 certificate and the label information Chapter 31 asks for.
For decorative fabrics hung in a covered dining area, the NFPA 701 or NFPA 289 test report.

Duties on imported outdoor seating and tables in October 2026

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Most outdoor seats and tables enter the United States at a general duty rate of free under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), the list of codes and rates that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) applies at entry. What an importer pays in October 2026 depends on the duties added on top of that rate: the 2018 Section 301 duties on products of China, the Section 301 duties on products of 60 economies that took effect on July 24, 2026, and the Section 232 duty on certain upholstered wooden seats. Metal-frame seats and metal tables were removed from the Section 232 steel and aluminum duties in April 2026.

This page was checked against the HTS, the Federal Register and CBP rulings on October 3, 2026. Tariff actions changed often in 2025 and 2026. It is general information, and a licensed customs broker or a binding ruling from CBP should confirm the classification and the duties for a specific product before you price an order.

Where outdoor furniture sits in the tariff schedule

Seats fall under heading 9401 and are sorted first by frame material. Tables and other furniture fall under heading 9403 and are sorted by material too. The schedule gives some seat lines their own statistical suffixes for outdoor seating, split between household and other use. Heading 9403 has no outdoor suffix, so an outdoor table goes in the line for its material. Every line in this table carries a general rate of Free.

HTS number	What the line covers, abridged
9401.79.00.15	Seats with metal frames, not upholstered; outdoor; with textile-covered cushions or textile seating or backing; other than household
9401.79.00.35	Seats with metal frames, not upholstered; outdoor; other; other than household
9401.80.40.15	Seats of rubber or plastics, not reinforced or laminated; outdoor; with textile cushions or seating; other than household
9401.80.40.35	Seats of rubber or plastics, not reinforced or laminated; outdoor; other; other than household
9401.69.40.31 and .35	Chairs of teak with wooden frames, not upholstered, other than household; plantation-harvested teak and other teak
9401.61.40.31	Upholstered chairs with wooden frames, other than teak, other than household
9401.53.00.00	Seats of rattan
9403.20.00.90	Other metal furniture, other than household
9403.60.80.40	Other wooden furniture, dining tables
9403.60.80.89 and .93	Other wooden furniture, other: of teak, and other
9403.70.80.31	Furniture of plastics, not reinforced or laminated, other
9403.89.60.20	Furniture of other materials, other

The household lines sit beside each of these, such as 9401.79.00.11 and 9401.79.00.25 for household outdoor seats with metal frames. A product’s use and construction decide the line, and CBP’s rulings show how it reasons. In February 2026, ruling NY N358240 classified a round picnic table with three attached benches, built for parks, campuses and plazas, in 9403.20.00.90. CBP treated the set as one composite good and found that the metal table, 80 percent of the weight, gave it its essential character.

Section 301 duties on products of China

The HTS as checked still carries the 2018 Section 301 headings for products of China, including 9903.88.03 and 9903.88.04, each at the duty in the applicable subheading plus 25 percent. In ruling NY N343273 of October 2024, CBP held that products of China classified in 9401.79.00.15 and 9401.79.00.35 were subject to the additional 25 percent, reported under 9903.88.04. CBP’s ruling database lists heading 9903.88.03 alongside 9403.20.00.50 in rulings on fire-pit tables from China, such as NY N340149 of May 2024 and NY N355861 of November 2025. Rulings issued in 2026, such as NY N358240, do not address additional duties and refer importers to CBP’s Cargo Systems Messaging Service.

Section 301 duties on 60 economies

The Trade Representative’s notice of July 28, 2026 imposes additional duties on all products of 60 economies, with exemptions, for goods entered on or after July 24, 2026. The notice sets these rates:

Rate	Economies, as listed in the notice
10 percent	Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom
10 percent including the general duty	The European Union and Taiwan
12.5 percent including the general duty	Japan, South Korea and Switzerland
12.5 percent	Every other investigated economy, including China, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines

Because the general rate on the lines above is free, the “including the general duty” rates work out to the full 10 or 12.5 percent on outdoor seating and tables. The new U.S. note 52 to chapter 99 says these goods remain subject to any other additional duty in the subchapter, so a product of China in a 9903.88 line owes both. The note exempts wood products covered by the Section 232 headings 9903.76.01 to 9903.76.03 and 9903.76.20 to 9903.76.24, goods of Canada and Mexico entered duty-free under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and a list of HTS provisions in note 52(b). That list contains no chapter 94 lines. The notice also exempts certain goods of 13 economies in its Annex I, which could not be checked line by line for this guide.

The notice ties the 10 percent rate to an economy’s own ban on importing forced-labor goods, or to a commitment to one in an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States. India received the 10 percent rate after it adopted a ban following USTR’s proposal of June 5, 2026, so a rate can move when an economy adopts a ban or signs an agreement.

Section 232 duty on upholstered wooden seats

Proclamation 10976 of September 29, 2025 imposed a 25 percent duty on certain upholstered wooden products from October 14, 2025. Its annex lists four statistical lines: 9401.61.40.11, 9401.61.40.31, 9401.61.60.11 and 9401.61.60.31. The non-household lines, .31, cover upholstered wooden-frame chairs and seats of the kind a restaurant or hotel buys. Products of the United Kingdom pay no more than 10 percent, and products of the European Union and Japan pay no more than 15 percent including the general duty. Reed Smith’s tariff tracker reports that later notices extended the 15 percent treatment to South Korea from November 14, 2025 and to Taiwan from May 1, 2026.

The proclamation scheduled an increase to 30 percent on January 1, 2026. A proclamation of December 31, 2025 moved that increase to January 1, 2027, except for countries that reach an agreement with the United States on wood products.

The same annex covers kitchen cabinets and vanities in three lines, one of which, 9403.60.80.93, is also the catch-all line for other wooden furniture. The annex provides heading 9903.76.04 for products in those lines that are not wooden kitchen cabinets or vanities, at the duty in the applicable subheading. A wooden outdoor table in 9403.60.80.93 is reported under 9903.76.04 and does not pay the Section 232 rate.

Steel and aluminum duties no longer reach metal furniture frames

Proclamation 11021 of April 2, 2026 rebuilt the Section 232 steel and aluminum duties so that they apply to the full value of covered goods. Its Annex II, effective April 6, 2026, removed 9401.71.00, 9401.79.00, 9403.10.00 and 9403.20.00 from the steel and aluminum derivative lists. A later proclamation, scheduled for publication on June 4, 2026, added two steel shelving and rack lines in 9403.20 to the duties and kept the furniture lines on the removed list.

What ended in 2026

The Supreme Court held on February 20, 2026, in Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. CBP now refunds the “reciprocal” and fentanyl-related duties collected under that law. It takes refund requests through a CAPE Declaration filed in its ACE portal by the importer of record or the customs broker that filed the entries. CBP says valid refunds are generally issued within 60 to 90 days after a declaration is accepted.

How to use this on a purchase

Ask the supplier for the HTS number it will declare for each item, and check it against the line descriptions above.
Ask for the country of origin of each item. The forced-labor duty and the 2018 China duty attach to origin, not to the port of shipment.
For upholstered pieces with wooden frames, confirm whether the item falls in 9401.61.40.31 or 9401.61.60.31. Those lines carry the Section 232 duty.
Put the duty assumption in the purchase order or quote, with the date it was priced, so both sides know what changes if a rate moves before entry.

What the ADA Standards require for outdoor dining tables and benches

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The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design require that where dining surfaces are provided for eating or drinking, at least 5 percent of the seating and standing spaces at them comply with section 902. That section sets the table height at 28 to 34 inches and requires a clear floor space and knee and toe clearance under the table. The bench requirements in section 903 apply where the standards call for a bench, such as a locker room, and the Access Board says they do not apply to benches used for sitting in an outdoor developed area such as a picnic ground or trail.

This page summarizes the standards as published by the U.S. Access Board and the Department of Justice, checked October 3, 2026. State and local codes can add to them. For a specific project, the architect of record, the local building official or an accessibility consultant should confirm what applies.

How many seats

Section 226.1 counts seats and standing spaces, not tables. Where dining surfaces are provided for the consumption of food or drink, at least 5 percent of the seating spaces and standing spaces at the dining surfaces must comply with 902. The same 5 percent applies to work surfaces used by people other than employees. Sales counters and service counters are exempt from 902 and have their own rules.

Section 226.2 adds dispersion: the accessible dining surfaces must be dispersed throughout the space or facility that contains dining surfaces.

The Department of Justice explains the change from the 1991 standards in its guidance. Commenters asked it to return to counting fixed tables. The Department kept the count of seats and standing spaces, because tables vary in size and counting tables could limit the choices open to people with disabilities.

As a worked example in round numbers, a restaurant patio with 120 seats would need at least 6 seating spaces that meet 902, located in different parts of the patio.

What a compliant table position needs

Section 902 sets two requirements, and both refer to other sections.

Requirement	What the standard says	Section
Height	Top of the dining surface 28 inches minimum and 34 inches maximum above the finish floor or ground	902.3
Clear floor space	30 by 48 inches minimum, positioned for a forward approach	902.2, 305.3
Ground surface	No changes in level; slopes up to 1:48 allowed	305.2
Approach	One full unobstructed side of the space adjoins an accessible route or another clear space	305.6
Knee clearance	30 inches wide minimum; 27 inches high for at least 8 inches of depth, and 11 inches deep minimum at 9 inches above the ground	306.3
Toe clearance	30 inches wide minimum; at least 17 inches deep under the element, measured in the space up to 9 inches above the ground	306.2
Maximum depth	Knee and toe clearance count up to 25 inches under the element	306.2.2, 306.3.2

For children’s dining surfaces, 902.4 allows tops 26 to 30 inches high and knee clearance of 24 inches. Surfaces used mostly by children 5 and younger can use a parallel approach instead.

The base of an outdoor table decides most of this. A pedestal or trestle base, a center umbrella pole with a wide foot, or a crossbar between legs can sit inside the 30-inch width or the 17-inch toe depth. When you compare tables, ask the manufacturer for a drawing that shows the clear width between legs and the knee height under the apron, and check them against the table above.

Benches

Section 903 sets the details for a bench: a seat at least 42 inches long and 20 to 24 inches deep, a seat height of 17 to 19 inches, back support at least 42 inches long reaching from 2 inches or less above the seat to at least 18 inches above it, a clear floor space at the end of the bench, resistance to a 250-pound force, and a slip-resistant seat that does not hold water in wet locations.

The 2010 standards call for a 903 bench in specific rooms: accessible dressing, fitting and locker rooms (803.4), saunas and steam rooms (612.2), and holding and housing cells with mobility features (807.2.2). They do not set a general count of accessible benches for a plaza, a pool deck or a park path.

The Access Board’s guide to outdoor developed areas says the section 903 requirements apply only to benches used for dressing and undressing in fitting and locker rooms, and not to benches used for sitting in an outdoor developed area.

Federal outdoor recreation areas

The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Standards, which cover facilities built or altered by federal agencies, have rules for picnic tables and benches in picnic and camping areas, at viewing areas and along trails. The Access Board added them in 2013, and the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration and the Postal Service have adopted them. The Access Board says they are not part of the Department of Justice’s 2010 ADA Standards and have no legal effect on state and local governments or private entities. Those entities may use them as guidance.

What the ABA Standards and the Access Board’s guide say:

Picnic tables need at least one wheelchair space for each 24 linear feet of usable table perimeter. Each space is at least 30 by 48 inches, positioned for a forward approach, with knee and toe clearance under the table as in section 306. The guide says this usually means one space at a table up to 9 feet long and two at a table 10 to 20 feet long.
Picnic table tops follow the same 28 to 34 inch height as other dining surfaces.
A clear ground space 36 inches wide is required on all usable sides of a picnic table, measured from the back edge of the seats.
When more than two picnic units are provided, at least 20 percent of them, and no fewer than two, must have mobility features.
A bench needs a clear ground space of at least 36 by 48 inches beside it, with one side adjoining the outdoor recreation access route or trail. The ABA Standards set no technical requirements for the bench itself. The guide suggests back support along the full length and one armrest, placed in the middle or at the end away from the clear space, so a person can transfer from a wheelchair.
Where benches, picnic tables or similar features are provided along a trail, at least 20 percent of each type at each location, and no fewer than one, must comply.

Furniture and the standards

The Department of Justice’s guidance on the 2010 standards says they prescribe requirements for fixed or built-in elements in new or altered facilities. Once construction is finished, the operation of the facility falls under the ADA regulations’ other requirements, and the Department says it may use the standards as a guide when it decides how equipment and furnishings should be made accessible.

Whether a given table or bench counts as fixed can change which rules apply to it, and that is a question for the project’s architect or counsel. Naming sections 902 and 306 in the purchase specification for each dining table model gives the vendor a requirement it can measure against.

What to ask before you order

The table height, measured to the top of the surface, for each table model.
A dimensioned drawing of the base showing clear width, knee height and toe depth.
For benches in a locker room, pool changing room or sauna, a drawing showing the 903 seat size, height and back support.
For a park or campus project on federal land or for a federal agency, which picnic tables and benches will count toward the ABA scoping.

Outdoor furniture materials compared: aluminum, steel, HDPE, teak and resin wicker

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Commercial outdoor furniture is built mostly from five materials: aluminum, steel and iron, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) lumber, teak and other hardwoods, and resin wicker woven over a frame. The makers’ own commercial warranties give one comparison of how they expect each to hold up in hotel, restaurant and campus use, and the frame terms range from 2 years on Brown Jordan’s wood frames to 10 years on Victor Stanley’s steel site furniture. Each material also carries its own care demands, its own tariff lines and its own exposure to raw-material prices. This page sets out what manufacturers, ASTM International and federal data say about each, checked October 3, 2026. It names manufacturers only to attribute what their published documents say.

The five materials side by side

Material	What the makers’ documents say	Commercial frame warranty, as published	HTS line for non-household seats
Aluminum, extruded or cast	Tropitone: welded all-aluminum frames; Brown Jordan: lightweight and corrosion-resistant	Tropitone, Brown Jordan and Woodard: 5 years	9401.79.00.15 or .35 (outdoor, metal frame)
Steel and iron	Woodard: small amounts of rust seepage at joints are normal outdoors	Victor Stanley: 10 years on steel frames; Woodard: 5 years on iron	9401.79.00.15 or .35
HDPE lumber	POLYWOOD: will not splinter, crack, chip, peel or rot, and all colors fade to some degree	POLYWOOD: 5 years	9401.80.40.15 or .35 (outdoor, plastics)
Teak and other hardwoods	Brown Jordan: teak weathers to silver-gray; Victor Stanley: checking and graying are not preventable	Brown Jordan: 2 years on wood frames	9401.69.40.31 or .35 (chairs of teak)
Resin wicker over a frame	Brown Jordan: woven polyethylene fiber over an extruded aluminum frame	Brown Jordan: 5 years on woven-resin frames; Tropitone and Woodard: 3 years on woven product	Depends on the frame

The tariff lines come from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule and decide which duties apply; the tariff guide covers them. The warranty terms are covered component by component in the warranty guide.

Aluminum

Tropitone says its extruded aluminum frames are welded all-aluminum construction and that it welds the full circumference of every load-bearing joint. Its cast collection uses solid cast aluminum or cast and extruded aluminum together. Its warranty notes that cast frames can show surface imperfections from casting and finishing, that smooth, higher-gloss finishes can make them more visible, and that such imperfections are not covered. Brown Jordan describes powder-coated aluminum as lightweight and corrosion-resistant.

The finish is where aluminum furniture needs attention. Tropitone says salt at the seaside and chlorides at indoor pools build up on the finish and can cause it to fail, and its commercial warranty sets more frequent cleaning and quarterly waxing in those settings. Water left inside hollow tubing can freeze and split it; Tropitone’s warranty excludes that damage, and Brown Jordan says to store frames upright so they drain.

Steel and iron

Victor Stanley, whose warranty says its products are designed and constructed for commercial applications, warrants steel weldments, frames and legs and its ductile iron castings for 10 years against structural failure, and its powder coating for 1 year. It makes the purchaser responsible for touching up nicks and abrasions so they do not spread. Woodard warrants iron frames for 5 years in contract use and says small amounts of rust seepage at joints and crevices are normal and not covered. POLYWOOD’s commercial warranty excludes rust or corrosion of steel frames.

HDPE lumber

POLYWOOD’s 2026 commercial warranty covers its HDPE furniture for 5 years against material defects, splintering, cracking, chipping, peeling, rot and insect damage. It also says the lumber is made with UV stabilizers to limit fading, that all colors will fade to some degree in the sun, and that fading is excluded. Its care page allows pressure washing at up to 1,500 psi.

ASTM International publishes performance requirements for outdoor plastic furniture. ASTM F1838-19(2025) covers adult and children’s plastic chairs for outdoor use in two classes, Class A (residential) and Class B (nonresidential), and tests outdoor weathering, impact, static load and rear-leg strength. It does not apply to chaises, multi-positional chairs or upholstered chairs, which have their own standards: F1858 for multi-positional plastic chairs and F1988 for plastic chaise lounges. ASTM lists the older F1561 for plastic chairs as withdrawn in 2019.

Teak and other hardwoods

Brown Jordan calls teak among the most naturally durable hardwoods and says it weathers to a silver-gray patina over time, that its grain may rise and hairline cracks may appear in humid climates as the wood acclimates, and that a teak cleaner and sealer keeps the original tone. Its contract warranty on wood frames is 2 years, against 5 years on its aluminum frames, and its warranty text excludes fading and color change in wood frames.

Site furniture uses other hardwoods. Victor Stanley warrants Ipe and Jatoba slats for 10 years and Kebony slats for 5 years against structural failure or bacterial rot, and says weather checking, graying and fading are not grounds for replacement. The tariff schedule separates teak from other woods, with its own lines for chairs and furniture of teak and separate statistical lines for plantation-harvested teak.

Resin wicker

In the warranty documents cited on this page, resin wicker is a woven synthetic fiber on a frame, and the frame and the weave carry separate terms. Brown Jordan’s warranty covers the extruded aluminum frame of its woven furniture and, in its residential terms, the hand-woven resin for 3 years against breaking, structural deterioration and excessive fading. Its contract summary lists woven-resin furniture frames at 5 years. Tropitone covers woven products for 3 years against manufacturer’s defects and 1 year against discoloration or fading. Woodard’s contract term for woven product is 3 years. Brown Jordan’s care page describes its woven polyethylene fiber as durable and weatherproof and says to clean it with mild soap and water.

Umbrellas

ASTM F3512-21(2026) is a wind-tunnel test method for market umbrellas, rated on the Beaufort scale, and ASTM says it applies to umbrellas for business settings including resort pools, hotels, restaurants and cafes. ASTM says results for one umbrella design are not comparable with results for another and that each buyer should set its own criteria.

Raw-material prices

Producer price indexes, which track the prices that U.S. producers receive, show how the inputs for each material moved over the year to August 2026. The values for May through August 2026 can still be revised; the Bureau of Labor Statistics revises producer price data for up to four months after first publication.

Producer price index, not seasonally adjusted	August 2025	August 2026	Change
Aluminum mill shapes (WPU102501), 1982=100	291.259	370.902	+27.3%
Steel mill products (WPU1017), 1982=100	308.772	381.162	+23.4%
Thermoplastic resins and plastics materials (WPU0662), 1982=100	263.885	283.105	+7.3%
Lumber (WPU081), 1982=100	266.293	286.633	+7.6%

They track raw and semi-finished materials. Finished institutional furniture has its own producer price index, PCU337127337127.

What to ask before you choose

The commercial warranty for the exact product line, by component, and whether the line is approved for commercial use.
The finish system on metal frames and the maker’s care schedule for coastal or pool settings.
For wicker, what the frame is made of and how the weave is warranted separately.
For plastic chairs, whether the maker tests to ASTM F1838 Class B, the nonresidential class.
The HTS number and country of origin, which decide the duties.