Yes, we absolutely test our outdoor benches for vandalism resistance, and that includes deliberate attacks with hammers and saws. We know that public seating in parks, transit shelters, schools, and streetscapes takes a beating. So instead of just hoping the bench survives, we run a series of focused destruction tests to see exactly how much abuse each model can handle before it fails.
For hammer impacts, we use a calibrated pendulum impact tester as well as manual strikes with a standard claw hammer and a heavier sledgehammer. The goal is not to make the bench indestructible—no outdoor furniture is truly hammer-proof—but to measure how the surface, joints, and anchoring system respond. We look for dent depth, crack propagation, and whether the impact creates sharp edges or loose parts that could injure someone. Our powder-coated steel frames and thick cast aluminum or high-density polyethylene slats are chosen because they absorb impact energy without shattering or splintering. The hardware is recessed or tamper-resistant so a hammer blow to a bolt head won’t easily strip the thread.
Saw resistance is a separate challenge. A determined person with a battery-powered reciprocating saw can cut through almost anything given enough time and blades. So our testing focuses on slowing that process down and making the damage obvious before the bench becomes unusable. For wood-look benches, we avoid soft woods and instead use Ipe or thermally modified ash with a dense grain that quickly dulls saw blades. For steel components, we use thick-wall tubing—not thin sheet metal—and we place welds in locations that are awkward to reach with a saw. Some models include internal steel cable or flat bar inside the seat slat so that even if the outer layer is cut, the structural core remains intact. We also test our anti-theft mounting brackets by attempting to cut through the base flanges and anchor bolts.
Beyond the hammer and saw tests, we conduct scratch tests with keys and knives, graffiti removal trials with common solvents, and thermal cycling to simulate decades of weather. But the vandalism-specific tests are the ones that really tell us if a bench belongs in a high-traffic public area. If a hammer blow leaves only a shallow cosmetic mark and a saw takes three times longer to cut through our material than standard pine, we know the design is working.
The bottom line: we don’t claim our benches are vandal-proof, because nothing is. We claim they are vandal-resistant—tested against real-world tools like hammers and saws, and built with materials and hidden reinforcements that make deliberate damage slower, noisier, and more obvious. That discourages casual vandals and gives maintenance teams time to respond before the bench becomes a safety hazard.