Buying Guide
When it comes to buying timber street furniture, there are lots of choices to make. We’ve created this page to help you work out what’s right for you:
Fixing Options | Timber | FAQs | Technical Support | Made in Britain
Of course, there’s still nothing quite like talking with an expert, so if after reading through this page you still have questions, please do get in touch.
Fixing Options
The vast majority of products in our street furniture range are designed to be fixed to the ground in one of two ways:
Pedestal Fixing
Furniture sits on top of the ground and is generally bolted to the ground for safety and security. Fixing kits/bolts can be supplied as an optional extra (please ask for details); recommended rawl bolt sizes are here.
Ground Fixing (also known as Root Fixing)
Furniture for ground fixing is made to taller dimensions than pedestal-fixed furniture, to allow it to be sunk into the ground and then secured with concrete. For example, in our Coxes range, the legs are longer to facilitate “planting” into the ground.
Timber
We supply all our timber street furniture in carefully selected and graded hardwood or softwood. Hardwood is generally more dense (it comes from deciduous, slower growing trees) and therefore heavier and more expensive than softwood. Softwood on the other hand comes from evergreen trees that grow more quickly, and so is lighter and less expensive.
If budget will allow, hardwood is a no-brainer – it’s extremely durable and requires treating less often. Street furniture made with softwood requires treating annually with Sadolin wood stain and would normally have a shorter lifespan than hardwood furniture.
We supply all our street furniture in three standard timbers – Iroko (hardwood), Oak (hardwood) and Cedar (softwood):
Iroko is a hardwood with a distinctive yellow colour when freshly cut, quickly changing to golden-brown on exposure to light; the colour tends to darken over time.
Oak is a renowned hardwood, with an attractive light brown colour; again the colour tends to darken over time.
Cedar is a naturally durable softwood, with a pleasant aroma and a distinctive reddish-brown colour. After long exposure to weather, the colour is lost and the wood becomes silver-grey – this weathered appearance is sometimes sought by architects. The wood is also unusual in its ability take and hold stain of the finest tint without discolouration.
As one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of street furniture, we have a duty to care for our environment; we follow environmentally sound practices at all times. All our timber is sourced from commercially managed recognised and sustainable resources. FSC® timber can be supplied, upon request.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do your products come with a guarantee?
All our products all carry a comprehensive 12 month standard manufactures defect guarantee.
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What maintenance do you recommend for your products?
Orchard Street Furniture products are designed and manufactured for all weather exposure requiring minimal maintenance. An annual coat of varnish or stain is recommended to maintain the quality and durability of timber items.
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What tops can you offer on bollards?
We can finish your bollards to any specification. The most popular tops are four way weathered, flat and domed.
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Do you offer reflectors on bollards?
Yes, we can supply reflectors in red, white and yellow. Other colours can be supplied upon request.
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What steel do you use in your products?
All steel has a minimum gauge of 3mm. In areas, subject to extreme conditions, steel components may be galvanised for added protection against corrosion. If this is required it must be requested prior to the application of plastic coating and therefore needs to be stated at the time of order.
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I have a bespoke design, can you manufacture it?
The team at Orchard Street are highly experienced, well versed and fully competent in undertaking small and large scale bespoke product designs and commissions in most areas of street furniture design and manufacture. You can read more about our bespoke street furniture service here.
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Can you store my products until we are ready for them on site?
We can manufacture standard and bespoke products and store at our premises to an agreed limited timescale ready for installation on site by prior agreement. Products kept for over a certain period of time may occur a charge.
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I sent you a request for quotation, how long before I can get a price back?
We usually return quotations within 24 hours of being received, dependent upon current enquiry levels. Bespoke enquiries may take longer depending upon the nature of the enquiry.
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Do you offer credit accounts?
We can set up accounts upon receipt of a completed application – please ask for details. First orders are always paid upfront. This allows us time to set up the account and avoid delays in manufacture. Our payment terms for subsequent orders are typically 30 days from the date of invoice.
Technical Support
At Orchard Street Furniture we believe that consistent availability of practical advice and expert assistance is a vital part of a client’s ultimate confidence in our products. We have built an enviable reputation for the highest standards of service at all stages of a project – from conception to completion and beyond. General and specific technical guidance concerning our full range of furniture is always available, covering:
- Product selection
- Design and specification
- Installation
- Maintenance
Made in Britain
All our street furniture is designed and manufactured in Britain – at our Oxfordshire workshops. This means we can keep a sharp eye on quality control and other aspects of production – whilst keeping our transportation impact and costs to a minimum. We’re proud to support the local economy and workforce too!
