Commercial Outdoor Furniture for Hotel Terraces: Configuration and Loading Guide
Commercial outdoor furniture is not domestic garden furniture in a bigger size. It gets cleaned every day, left outside through a whole season, moved by staff rather than by its owner, and it still has to look like a hotel terrace in year three. This guide sets out what that changes, what each set in our range actually contains, and how the pieces load into a container.
What commercial outdoor furniture has to do differently
Four things separate contract outdoor furniture from domestic garden furniture: the frame has to survive daily cleaning and constant sun, the cushion core has to drain after rain, the covers have to come off for washing, and every piece has to be packed so that a container holds enough of it to make the freight worthwhile.
A residential set is judged on the day it is delivered. A contract set is judged on the third season, when the terrace has been hosed down a few hundred times, the cushions have been rained on, and the chairs have been dragged across paving by waiting staff. Those are the conditions the specification below is written for, and they are also why the loading figures in the third section matter as much as the prices.
Frame
Welded metal rather than folded light tube, because a terrace frame is leaned on, pushed and dragged.
Cushion core
Open-cell foam that drains, so a cushion left out in rain dries instead of holding water.
Removable covers
Covers come off for washing separately from the core, which is how a contract terrace is actually maintained.
Packing
Sets packed one to a carton and chairs stacked by nine, so the freight cost per seat lands where the project needs it.
In practice a contract set fails in one of five places, and each one is a specification decision rather than a maintenance problem:
- The frame joint. A welded joint that is ground and finished holds its shape; a bolted one works loose once staff start dragging the piece across paving.
- The cushion core. Closed-cell foam holds water after rain. The result is a seat that is damp for two days and smells by the end of the season.
- The cover. A cover that cannot come off cannot be washed, so it gets spot-cleaned until the fabric is grey in the middle and clean at the edges.
- The floor contact. Metal meeting stone without a glide is what scratches paving and starts surface rust at the foot of a leg.
- The packing. A set that arrives with a scuffed frame or a compressed cushion starts its life as a complaint, whatever the specification said.
Every product described below is specified against those five points, and each product page carries the frame material, the cushion fabric and the loading figures so the same list can be checked line by line before an order is placed.
The sets in this range, and what each one contains
Every set below shares the same specification policy: welded frame, outdoor cushions, removable covers, OEM and ODM on size, colour and branding. What differs is the configuration, the frame detail and the price per set.
| Model | Configuration | Frame and finish | Cushions | FOB per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FHSF079 | Five-piece: sofa 1, armchair 2, round coffee table 2 | Rope woven over powder-coated aluminium, cream-and-olive or charcoal-and-grey | Cream, with a mid-grey option | $819.00 per set |
| FHSF079 (three-piece) | Armchair 2, round coffee table 1 | Rope woven over powder-coated aluminium | Cream or mid grey | $347.65 per set |
| FHSF075 | Four-piece: two-seat sofa 1, single chair 2, slatted coffee table 1 | Matt charcoal aluminium, wide flat arms, slatted side panels | Ivory white with charcoal and patterned scatter cushions | $704.76 per set |
| FHSF109 | Four-piece: three-seat sofa 1, armchair 2, coffee table 1 | Matt charcoal aluminium with light wood-look armrest caps and woven strap rails | Mid grey | $674.62 per set |
| FHSF049 | Four-piece: three-seat sofa 1, armchair 2, coffee table 1 | Matt dark charcoal aluminium, slats filling the arm and chair-back panels | Dark charcoal grey | $583.03 per set (B1) $527.09 per set (A1) |
| FHCH057 | Single dining armchair, 56.5 x 69.5 x 105 cm, adjustable back | Rectangular-section steel in matt dark charcoal, rectangular armrest loop | Light grey woven fabric, seat and full back | $58.30 per chair |
| FHTB068 | Extendable dining table, 220 cm extending to 280 cm, 122 cm wide, 74 cm high | Aluminium slats, X-frame legs with a longitudinal beam | - | $466.42 per table |
All of the seating and the chair share HS code 9401719000; the extendable table is declared under 9403899000. Prices are FOB, and every line is quoted per unit rather than per container.
How many sets fit in a 40HQ
This is the table most buyers ask for second, after the price, because it decides whether a container programme works at all.
| Model | Volume per unit | Carton | Units per 40HQ |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHSF049 four-piece | 1.006 CBM | L189 x D71 x H75 cm, one set per carton, 71 kg gross / 66 kg net | 66 sets |
| FHSF109 four-piece | 1.165 CBM | 200 x 91 x 64 cm | 52 sets |
| FHSF075 four-piece | 1.764 CBM | One set per carton | 38 sets |
| FHSF079 five-piece | 2.655 CBM | One set per carton | 23 sets |
| FHSF079 three-piece | - | One set per carton | 67 sets |
| FHCH057 chair | - | Nine chairs stacked per carton | 360 chairs |
| FHTB068 table | 0.421 CBM | 228.5 x 131.5 x 14 cm, one table per carton, 45.5 kg gross / 39.5 kg net | 160 tables |
The loading figures are worth reading against the volume column, because they show that the packing itself is not what limits a container. Multiply them out: 66 sets at 1.006 CBM is 66.4 cubic metres, 52 sets at 1.165 is 60.6, 38 sets at 1.764 is 67.0, and 160 tables at 0.421 is 67.4. A 40HQ holds roughly 67 cubic metres, so each of these loads between about 90% and 100% of the container. The difference between 66 sets and 38 sets is therefore the bulk of the set you choose, not the way it is packed.
For a first order the practical answer is usually a mixed container: a run of the four-piece sets that load at 66, plus a stack of the armchairs at 360 to the container, so the seating and the dining side of a terrace arrive together.
What a mixed container looks like in practice
Most first orders are not one set repeated. A terrace usually needs a seating side and a dining side, and both have to travel in one container to be worth the freight. The loading figures above are enough to plan it, because each set is packed one to a carton and the volumes simply add up.
| Line | Quantity | Volume each | Line volume |
|---|---|---|---|
| FHSF049 four-piece set (three-seat sofa, armchair 2, coffee table 1) | 42 sets | 1.006 CBM | 42.3 CBM |
| FHSF109 four-piece set (three-seat sofa, armchair 2, coffee table 1) | 20 sets | 1.165 CBM | 23.3 CBM |
| Container total | 62 sets | - | 65.6 CBM |
That load comes to 65.6 cubic metres against roughly 67 in a 40HQ, which leaves headroom for the cartons to be stacked rather than forced. Two points are worth noticing. First, mixing the two four-piece sets lands almost exactly where a single-set load lands: 42 plus 20 sets is the same weight of cargo as 66 of the lighter set, but it covers two different frame and cushion specifications. Second, the mix is what lets a project furnish an entire terrace from one shipment instead of paying for two.
Where a project also needs the dining side, the FHCH057 armchair is the cheap volume in the container at nine chairs to a carton and 360 chairs to a 40HQ, and the FHTB068 table packs one to a carton at 0.421 CBM with 160 to a container. Send us the terrace and we will work the split rather than leaving it to the last carton.
Volumes and loading figures are the production figures for each model. A mixed loading plan is confirmed per order, because the exact carton count depends on the mix you settle on rather than on any single model.
Aluminium or steel: choosing the frame for the terrace
Both metals appear in this range, and the choice is about where the piece sits rather than which one is better.
| Point | Aluminium | Rectangular-section steel |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is used in this range | All four sofa sets: FHSF079, FHSF075, FHSF109, FHSF049 | The FHCH057 dining armchair, which carries a pneumatic cylinder in the back |
| Rust | Does not rust, so a chip in the coating does not spread | Needs its coating intact; a steel frame is the wrong choice for a wet, salty site |
| Weight | Light enough for two staff to move a sofa without help | Heavier and stiffer, which is the point on a chair that gets moved twice a day |
| Why it suits the piece | A sofa frame is loaded by people sitting and leaning, and by wind across a terrace | A chair with a mechanism needs a frame that does not flex around the pivot |
| Declared as | Aluminium frame | Iron frame |
Aluminium carries the sofa sets. It does not rust, it is light enough for two staff to move a sofa without help, and it takes a matt powder coat that does not need repainting each season. FHSF075 and FHSF109 use it with wood-look detail on the arms or slats; FHSF049 uses slats filling the arm and chair-back panels; FHSF079 wraps rope over a powder-coated aluminium frame.
Steel carries the FHCH057 dining armchair, which is a different problem: the chair has a pneumatic cylinder in the back and a rectangular armrest loop on each side, so the frame has to stay rigid where a lighter section would flex. Rectangular-section steel is the honest answer for a chair with a mechanism in it.
One practical note for importers: the declared frame material is not identical across the range - the sofa sets are declared with an aluminium frame, the armchair with an iron one. That has to match your customs paperwork, so check the declaration line on each product page rather than assuming the whole range is one material.
Cushions and fabric on a terrace that is cleaned every day
The cushion is the part of a contract set that fails first, and it fails in a predictable way: the foam holds water, the cover stays damp against the core, and by the second season the seat smells. Three specification points prevent it.
- Open-cell foam. The core drains instead of holding water, so a cushion caught in rain dries out in the air rather than staying wet inside.
- Removable covers. Covers come off the core for washing, which is how a hotel terrace is actually maintained rather than spot-cleaned.
- Outdoor fabric. The sets ship with polyester outdoor cushions - cream on the FHSF079 rope-weave set with a mid-grey option, ivory with patterned scatter cushions on FHSF075, mid grey on FHSF109, dark charcoal grey on FHSF049, and a light grey woven fabric on the FHCH057 armchair.
A cover that comes off is also a cover that can be replaced. On a contract terrace the fabric is the first thing to look tired and the last thing a client wants to replace furniture over, so a set with removable covers can be re-covered without re-buying the frames.
Even with all three, cushions should be stored dry and under cover out of season. That is not a limitation of the specification; it is how outdoor upholstery lasts more than three years anywhere.
A maintenance routine that keeps a terrace presentable
The specification buys you the first three seasons. What happens between them is a routine, and a contract terrace usually needs less of it than people expect if it is done on a schedule rather than when a guest complains.
| When | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Daily | Wipe the frames and table tops with a damp cloth; stack nothing wet on upholstery | Most damage starts as something left damp against a cushion |
| Weekly | Brush or vacuum the cushion covers; rinse the paving under the sets | Grit under a frame foot is what scratches a terrace |
| Monthly | Wash the covers off the core with mild soap and water, then dry them fully before refitting | Covers washed on the core never dry, and the core is what smells |
| Before winter | Store cushions dry and indoors or under cover; stack chairs; leave frames uncovered and ventilated | A cover over a damp frame traps moisture, which is worse than leaving it open |
| Start of season | Check the frame joints, the glides and the mechanism travel; replace glides before they fail | Glides and mechanism parts are the only consumables on the piece |
This is a recommended routine for an outdoor upholstered terrace, not a warranty condition. Tell us how the terrace is used - year-round, seasonal, or under daily covers - and we will confirm what the specification needs to be for that pattern.
Sizing a terrace: tables, chairs and circulation
Two dimensions in this range do most of the planning work. The FHCH057 armchair is 56.5 cm wide, 69.5 cm deep and 105 cm high. The FHTB068 table is 122 cm wide and 74 cm high, and it runs 220 cm closed or 280 cm extended.
| Planning question | Working allowance |
|---|---|
| Covers along one side of a 220 cm table | 3 chairs |
| Covers along one side of a 280 cm table | 4 chairs |
| Total covers, 220 cm table, both sides plus ends | 8 to 10 |
| Total covers, 280 cm table, both sides plus ends | 10 to 12 |
| Clearance behind a pulled-out chair | 90 to 110 cm |
These are planning rules of thumb based on the chair and table dimensions above, at a working allowance of about 60 to 70 cm per cover. They are for laying out a terrace, not product specifications - tell us the terrace footprint and we will work the layout from the real dimensions.
By venue
A pool deck, a restaurant terrace and a rooftop are three different layout problems on the same furniture. A pool deck wants low seating in groups that can be moved back at night, so the four-piece sets do the work and the dining chairs are left to the restaurant side. A restaurant terrace is a covers-per-table problem, and the extendable table is what makes it work: the same footprint seats 8 at lunch and 12 in the evening. A rooftop is a wind problem before it is a seating problem, which is why the armchairs in this range carry a full upholstered tall back rather than a low one.
How to read an outdoor furniture quotation
Most confusion in this trade comes from comparing two prices that are not the same price. Our quotations are per unit, on FOB Ningbo terms, and it helps to know what sits on each side of that line before comparing suppliers.
| On our side of the price | On yours |
|---|---|
| The furniture as specified, in the frame finish and fabric quoted | Freight from Ningbo to your port |
| Export packing, cartons and the loading plan for your container | Marine insurance |
| Delivery to the port of loading and the export documentation | Import duty, taxes and destination port charges |
| The pre-production sample in your scheme | Inland delivery, unloading and installation |
What changes the price. Four things move a quotation, and all four are visible in the tables above rather than hidden in a margin: the configuration (a five-piece set is not a four-piece set), the frame and cushion specification, the quantity and how it loads, and the finishing you ask for on top of the standard range. Everything else - the HS code, the carton, the volume and the loading figure - stays the same whatever the scheme.
What stays fixed whatever you order. Every line is quoted per unit, every carton is quoted with its volume and gross weight, and each model carries its own declaration line. That is what makes it possible to compare two suppliers on the same basis instead of on a headline number.
How to specify and order
Send the space
The terrace footprint, how many covers you need to seat, and whether the seating and the dining side are the same space or two areas.
Choose the configuration
Which sets from the table above, in which colour scheme, and how the container is split between them.
Sample
A finished sample in your frame finish and fabric before bulk production starts, so the scheme is confirmed on the real thing.
Production, packing and export
Frames welded and finished, cushions upholstered, cartons packed to the loading plan, with the HS code and declaration documents issued for each line.
Inspection before loading
The finished goods are checked against the sample and the packing list before the container is loaded, so a problem is caught in the workshop rather than at destination.
Documents and dispatch
The packing list, the commercial invoice and the declaration details go with the shipment, so your broker is not reconstructing the load from photographs.
Packing, delivery and what to check on arrival
Furniture that travels well is furniture that arrives unmarked, and the packing rules in this range are there to make the unloading predictable rather than to save cubic metres.
- One set to a carton. Sofa sets ship one set per carton, so a set is never split across two boxes and a missing piece is never discovered on site.
- Nine chairs to a carton. The FHCH057 armchair stacks nine to a carton, which is what makes the per-chair freight land where the price assumes it will.
- One table to a carton. The FHTB068 ships flat at 228.5 x 131.5 x 14 cm and 45.5 kg gross, so it can be handled by two people without a forklift.
- Structured loading. Cartons are stacked to a loading plan rather than filled to the door, so the last cartons in are the ones you need first.
On arrival. Unload into a dry covered area before opening anything, count cartons against the packing list before you sign, and photograph any damage to the outer carton before it is opened. Damage that is only recorded after the carton is opened is difficult to attribute, whether the fault was in the packing or in the handling. Any shortage or transit damage should be raised with the carrier at the time of delivery and with us at the same time, so both sides are working from the same photographs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for commercial outdoor furniture?
It depends on the piece. Sofa sets are quoted per set, while the FHCH057 dining armchair starts at one 40HQ, which is 360 chairs. Mixed containers and project quantities are quoted on request.
How many sets fit in a 40HQ?
66 four-piece FHSF049 sets, 52 four-piece FHSF109 sets, 38 four-piece FHSF075 sets, or 23 five-piece FHSF079 sets. Every one of those loads fills between about 90% and 100% of the container's 67 cubic metres.
Can the frames and cushions be made in our colours?
Yes. Frame finish, weave colour and cushion fabric are specified to a project brief under OEM and ODM, and a finished sample is produced before bulk production.
Do the cushions come off for cleaning?
Yes. The covers come off the core so they can be washed separately, which is the maintenance routine a hotel or restaurant terrace actually uses.
Is the same furniture suitable for a restaurant rather than a villa?
The sofa sets are specified for both, and the FHCH057 armchair is the contract piece: an upholstered dining chair with a steel frame and an adjustable back that stands up to being moved twice a day.
What should I send for a quotation?
The terrace footprint, the number of covers, the sets you are considering, your colour scheme, and whether you are working to a container plan or a mixed loading.
Do you supply a sample before bulk production?
Yes. A finished sample is produced in your frame finish and fabric before bulk production starts, so the scheme is confirmed on the real piece rather than on a colour swatch.
Can different sets be mixed in one container?
Yes, and it is usually the right first order. Because every set is packed one to a carton, the volumes add up directly: 42 of the four-piece FHSF049 plus 20 of the FHSF109 comes to 65.6 cubic metres, which is a full 40HQ.
How are the pieces packed?
Sofa sets and the extendable table ship one to a carton; the FHCH057 armchair stacks nine to a carton. Each carton is quoted with its volume and gross weight so the loading can be planned before production.
Which HS code applies to each piece?
The seating carries 9401719000 - the sofa sets and the FHCH057 armchair - and the FHTB068 extendable table is declared under 9403899000. Each product page states its own declaration line, which is what your broker should work from.
Where this leaves your specification
Send us the terrace footprint, the number of covers and the scheme you are working to, and we will come back with the sets that fit, the loading plan for your container and a delivered price. Start an enquiry.
