A Guide for Modern Metal Furniture

Metal furniture has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its sleek design, durability, and versatility. With a wide range of styles, materials, and finishes, metal furniture offers homeowners the opportunity to create stylish and functional spaces both indoors and outdoors. Metal furniture also is an important part of modern fashion living room furniture. It is not only an essential functional type of furniture, but also reflects the taste of the owner and the pursuit of quality of life. The dining table, dining chair, bar, bar chair, coffee table, wine cabinet, accessories cabinet, bookshelf are main metal furniture in the living room.

Artsome’s modern metal furniture has a unique design form and avant-garde style, showing a strong personalized style, highlighting the position of fashion design in the furniture industry, and also reflecting Artsome’s overall concept of supporting furniture service with a strong subdivided product line and one-stop home service.

1. History and Evolution of Metal Furniture

Metal furniture has a long history that can be traced back to ancient times. In ancient Egypt, for example, metal was used to create ornate and intricate furniture pieces for the pharaohs and the elite. Metals such as bronze and iron were valued for their strength and durability.

Over time, metal furniture became more accessible to the masses as advancements in metallurgy and manufacturing techniques made production more efficient. In the 20th century, with the rise of industrial design, metal furniture gained popularity for its sleek and minimalist aesthetic. Designers such as Marcel Breuer and Charles and Ray Eames pushed the boundaries of metal furniture design, creating iconic pieces that are still celebrated today.

2. Material Introduction of Metal Furniture

Metal furniture is mainly made of metal pipe, metal panel or metal stick, which are used as a bracket, with glass, stone, wood, FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastics), which are used as a panel. There is another metal furniture, which made entirely of metal materials through artistic processing, called wrought iron furniture. Following is a detailed introduction to the brackets, which is an important part of metal furniture.

2.1 Ordinary Steel

Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, which is stronger and more ductile than iron, so it is the most suitable for the main structure of furniture. There are many different varieties and grades of steel. High quality carbon structural steel and alloy structural steel are commonly used in furniture. Carbon steel is the basic material used the earliest and the largest amount in modern industry. Carbon steel for industrial use generally contains carbon content of less than 1.35%. The more carbon the steel contains, the harder it becomes, but the lower the ductility, toughness and weldability it is. Compared with other types of steel, carbon steel is used in lower cost, wider performance range and larger market demand. The content of sulfur and phosphorus of high quality carbon structural steel is stipulated to be lower than that of ordinary carbon steel, so the comprehensive mechanical property is better than that of ordinary carbon steel.

In order to improve the performance of steel, alloy steel is refined on the basis of smelting carbon steel by adding some alloy elements in it. Alloy steel, also called special steel, has some special properties, such as high hardness, high wear resistance, high toughness, corrosion resistance. Si, W, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo, V and Ti are alloy elements often added to steel.

2.2 Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a kind of alloy steel. Stainless steel is resistant to slightly corrosive medium, such as air, steam, water, and chemically etched medium, such as acid, alkali, salt. The corrosion resistance of stainless steel depends on the alloying elements content. Chromium is the basic element to make stainless steel corrosion resistant. When the chromium content is about 12%, there are chemical reaction between chromium and the oxygen in the corrosive medium, forming a very thin oxide film on the surface of the steel, which can prevent the further corrosion of the steel. There are many kind of stainless steel. High quality stainless steel used in furniture is lightweight and its price is 3-4 times that of steel. It is an environmentally friendly material. Stainless steel isn’t rustless, so the maintenance is also very important.

2.3 Aluminum

Aluminum belongs to the light metal of non-ferrous metals, which is silver white and has relatively low density. The corrosion resistance of aluminum is relatively strong, so it is good for cast processing. It also can be dyed. When adding magnesium, copper, manganese, zinc, silicon into aluminum, its chemical property has changed and its mechanical property has improved obviously. Aluminum alloy can be made into flat plate, corrugated plate or pressed plate, also can be rolled into a variety of shapes. Aluminum alloy used in furniture is relatively low cost. It is rarely used as the load-bearing structural components, due to the strength and toughness are not high. 

2.4 Copper

The application of copper in furniture has a long history and is widely used. The surface of copper is smooth with medium luster, and it can be made into a mirror with high brightness after polishing treatment. Copper is often used as accessories and ornaments of the furniture. The furniture with copper ornaments looks luxurious because of its golden appearance. The copper furniture will be full of verdigris for a long time, so it should pay attention to maintenance and wipe regular.

Steel pipe surface material effects usually include electroplating, plastic spraying, and spray paint. The surface of stainless steel and aluminum alloy materials has good chemical corrosion resistance. It is not necessary to add other protective materials on the surface, but there are different process effects. There are a number of selections for our stainless steel products. The color of stainless steel products includes gold, black, and silver with a surface treatment of shiny or brushed.

3. Production Process of Metal Furniture

The production of metal furniture is mainly the production of metal parts or metal bracket, and its production process mainly includes the following steps.

3.1 Cutting

There are a large number of various specifications of round pipe, square pipe, shaped pipe used in metal furniture, which are about 6meters in length. The first step is to cut them to a required length to facilitate the next steps of production. The materials are cut according to the design requirements. This can be accomplished using mechanical cutting tools or laser cutting machines.

3.2 Bending

The pipe bending process refers to the process of bending the metal pipe into an arc shape with the help of a model on a special machine tool. Pipe bending can be divided into hot-bending and cold-bending processing methods. Hot-bending is used for steel with thick tube walls or solid steel and is less used in metal furniture. Cold-bending is formed under pressure at normal temperature. Pressure methods include mechanical pressure, hydraulic pressure and manual pressure bending. When metal parts are joined by screws or rivets, the parts must be drilled or punched.

3.3 Initial Polishing

Initial polishing should be done after bending, for the raw materials have a thin layer of oxide and very slight sand holes.

3.4 Welding

Metal components are joined together using welding techniques. Common welding methods include arc welding, gas shielded welding, and spot welding.

3.5 Assembly

Various metal components are assembled together, using bolts, nuts, or welding, among other methods.

3.6 Surface Treatment

After assembly, metal furniture undergoes surface treatment to enhance its appearance and protection. Common surface treatment methods include:

Sanding: The metal surface is sanded using sandpaper or grinding wheels to remove rough and uneven sections.

Coating: Protective coatings such as paint or powder coating are applied to the metal surface to improve corrosion resistance and scratch resistance.

Chrome or Zinc Plating: A layer of chrome or zinc is plated on the metal surface to enhance corrosion resistance and provide a shiny appearance.

3.7 Assembly and Finishing

After surface treatment, the metal furniture goes through final assembly and finishing. This involves connecting different metal components and may include adding cushions, handles, or other accessories.

Finally, the manufactured metal furniture undergoes quality inspections, including checks for structural stability, surface flatness, and assembly quality. Furniture that meets quality standards is packed and prepared for shipment to retailers or customers.

4. Characteristic and Advantages of Metal Furniture

One of the key characteristics of metal furniture is its strength and durability. Metal, whether it’s steel, aluminum, or wrought iron, is inherently strong and can withstand regular use and heavy loads without compromising its structural integrity. This makes metal furniture ideal for high-traffic areas such as dining rooms, living rooms, and outdoor spaces.

In addition to its durability, metal furniture is also known for its versatility. Metal can be shaped and molded into various forms, allowing for a wide range of design possibilities. From sleek and contemporary to ornate and traditional, metal furniture can cater to different design preferences and interior styles.

4.1 Advantages of metal furniture

4.2 Disadvantages of metal furniture

5. General Maintenance

• Try to avoid collision during transportation to prevent surface damage resulting in rust.
• Be lightly and keep in level when placed, and keep a certain distance from the wall.
• The ground should be kept dry to prevent moisture and alkalinity.
• Wipe up spills immediately using a clean dry cloth.
• Clean regularly using a soft cloth dampened and a diluted solution of mild detergent and warm water. Dry with a soft cloth.
• Do not use bleach or use any detergent containing sulphuric or hydrochloric acid.
• Avoid the use of steel wool or scouring pads as these may scratch and damage the metal surface.
• Protect metal table tops by using coasters and placemats to prevent marks, stains and scratches.
• Aluminum will naturally oxidize, forming a thin oxide layer on its surface, which gives this material its excellent anti-corrosion properties. The natural reaction of oxidization will cause a slight black residue on the cloth when you clean your furniture. This is perfectly normal and not a sign of defect.
• When electroplating products appear tan mesh spot, neutral oil can be used to wipe often. Rust should be removed in time when it has appeared. Emery cloth or sandpaper cannot be used, but a soft brush with some neutral oil to wipe back and forth.