Due to COVID-19, many restaurants are finding themselves needing more outdoor restaurant furniture so they can utilize as much of their space as they can while adhering to social distancing restrictions. The dire need for outdoor furniture can lead to the repurposing of indoor furniture like wood table tops and traditional metal seating out to the patio.

But here’s the problem:

Using indoor furniture in an outdoor setting can be dangerous for customers and cost you much more in the long run than just buying new outdoor furniture.

But why is that the case? Here are the big three reasons why you should not use indoor furniture on your restaurant’s patio: 

1. You’re jeopardizing the durability of the product.

Commercial furniture is made to withstand the daily wear and tear of customers all day, every day. But some materials were just not made to be weather-resistant or outside at all. You’ll see a lot of outdoor furniture made with aluminum, e-coated steel, poly lumber, teak, or plastic material. This is because these materials fare better in outdoor situations than their indoor counterparts. For example, solid oak wood table tops are made to be in climate-controlled environments with low humidity. If used outdoors, these tops can warp, crack, and rot from the exposure to the elements, leading you to have to buy a whole new table. 

Outdoor and indoor furniture are not made to last in the same situations, and you’ll end up replacing the product sooner, putting a bigger dent in your budget.

2. You’re decreasing your restaurant’s curb appeal.

No one wants to be the restaurant with the unappealing outdoor space. Rusty chairs, chipping tables, corroded bases are not a good look when you are trying to draw customers in. So why encourage it to happen by using furniture you aren’t supposed to outdoors? 

Just because you have a few spare dining room chairs and tables lying around does not mean they should become a part of your patio’s new layout. These same chairs and tables on your patio will rust (and decrease in strength), rendering them looking poorly both on the patio and when you bring them back inside to use. The restaurant business is hard enough, you don’t want customers to shy away from your patio, especially if it’s the only way they can enjoy eating at your establishment at this time.

3. You’re voiding your warranty.

Warranties can be a great thing when you have them on your side. If something is wrong with your new furniture, your manufacturer can help make it right within the allotted time with the terms provided. 

Unfortunately, when you use an indoor furniture-specific item outdoors, you are not using the product for its original purpose, therefore, voiding your original warranty. By not adhering to these terms and product’s intended usage, you are very limited with options if anything was wrong with your furniture to begin with. As mentioned before, this can be quite the headache as indoor furniture will not fare well on your patio. 

Using indoor furniture outside on your restaurant’s patio is an expensive mistake that you should aim to avoid at all costs. As COVID-19 continues to force restaurants to be creative with their seating and spaces, we are here to help make sure you are using the most durable outdoor commercial furniture that you can rely on. 

If you have questions about a certain product, please contact our customer care team at 800-986-5352. They can help you find the right furniture for both your dining room and your outdoor patio.