Getting to know the materials III – METAL

Today we’re going to take a look at another material, used like a construction and also for furniture – metal. Everyone probably know which metal materials does exist. But do you know what their strengths and weaknesses are, what to look out for, and which metals to definitely not place outdoors?

What does this article contain?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using steel,
• what types of steel we use,
• types of steel, where a few weaknesses are eliminated,
• aluminium and its use,
• and whether there may be any precious metals in the furniture industry.

Let’s take a look at that.

The most used metal is… well, steel.

Steel is undoubtedly the most used metal, it is very strong, durable and can carry a lot of load. However, it is very sensitive to moisture and can corrode. In exterior needs to be coated with an anti-corrosion coating.

However, its long service life and easy maintenance can be an advantage.

Are you familiar with CRS and HRS steel types?

In the furniture industry we sometimes come across 2 types, depending on the method of production:

CRS – cold rolled steel

HRS – hot rolled steel

They are each a different colour. CRS is lighter, HRS is darker and also achieves higher strength.

Stainless steel or corten?

Wherever steel is exposed to moisture, we may encounter stainless steel,

or corten steel, which has a specific “rusted” appearance. Oxidation occurs on the surface of the steel to form a protective layer. Today it is increasingly used as a design element. We love it on the facade of a container house, for example. 😊

The lightest metal material in the furniture industry is…aluminium.

Another favorit metal material is aluminium. Its undeniable advantage is its light weight, durability and corrosion resistance. It is the ideal metal for larger surfaces, as you don’t need Popeye the sailor and a kilo of spinach to handling it.

And slightly more controversial metal materials such as copper and gold

Other lesser used metals are copper and gold. Copper is used to make various decorative elements such as handles, caps and decorative inserts. Copper is easy to work, corrosion resistant and allows the production of pieces with fine details.

Gold is more for exclusive furniture projects. It is an excellent metal for casting and machining and has excellent qualities of durability and longevity.

If you are interested in our realisations where metal elements have played a significant role, take a look at the wine corner from Formafatal designers.

This concludes the chapter on metal materials. Hopefully we have told you at least one interesting information that you will find useful.

Until next time, your HAST.

1. have you read our articles on wood?

Everything you want to know before FSC certification

When we said we had a new welding ISO in 2022, we also added that we were not stopping there.

Our New Year’s resolution included, among other things, certifying Hast FSC.

And because it was a bit of a Spanish village for us and we needed time to get to grips with the whole process, we want to write here everything we know that can help you if you’re also considering certification.

We will examine:

1. What is FSC
2. Why does not only the wood needs FSC certification but also the company that processes or resells the wood?
3. What requirements do you need to meet?
4. How does the control system work?

What is FSC

FSC or Forest Stewardship Council® is a non-profit organization that sets rules for forestry practices. The goal is to promote forest management that is responsible for both the environment and people.

In order for the final product to carry the green label, the entire flow of wood material from the forest to the consumer must be tracked. It is crucial that it is always possible to prove the origin of the wood.

This brings us to the FSC CoC (Chain of Custody) label.

Why does the chain of custody also need certification?

We admit without torture that this was our first thought. You will often come across FSC-certified wood. But as we wrote above, for the final product to be worthy of the FSC label, it must not stop with the wood.

If your company works with both certified and non-certified wood, you must always be able to demonstrate that the materials cannot be interchanged. This applies both when you process the wood further and when you just resell it.

An auditing company with the appropriate FSC authorization and license will then help you to establish and control the separation.

Requirements for audit

In an FSC audit, the focus is not only on production readiness but also on:

• The company’s OSH performance & fire protection
• Labour law background
• Compliance with standards on forced and child labour
• Barriers to discrimination in the workplace

Controlling the process

From our own experience, we recommend that you have an FSC-certified company. Having someone who will advise you on what to do is great. Please note that this must be a different company than the one that is carrying out the audit.

They will advise you on what to look out for, how best to avoid mixing materials, how to train your staff, and how to document administratively.

The acute audit will then check how prepared you are to use FSC. After the initial audit, you will be approved for 5 years. However, every year, there is a surveillance audit to check if you are doing something unfairly or have misunderstood something. The more frequent the audit, the better the chances of catching any problems right from the start.

What to look out for

What were the most important points we took away?

1. An FSC certificate is great, but the most important thing is to check if the company is ok in the register of certified companies in the official FSC database
2. Training of employees throughout the company so that everyone knows what the rules are
3. The FSC label and the FSC name itself are licensed and its use for all outdoor communication must be approved

Well, these are the main points. Did we help you to understand FSC more clearly? If yes, we are very happy!

We will now happily put a sticker on the furniture in your office, restaurant, shop, or living room. Wherever you want.

We offer used shipping containers for sale

We love working with shipping containers. Sometimes, it happens that we have more than we can use at the moment.

We have 10 of them and we are looking for their new home. Would you use them? Let us know!

You can text us via the inquiry form or directly to our email address info@hastgroup.cz.

Specification:

Container type: 20′ ISO CARGO WORTHY (6058 X 2438 X 2591) – used

quantity: 10 pcs

Price: 2 620 € / 1 pcs without VAT

If you´d like to check out the containers yourself, you are very welcomed to visit our factory in Ostrava.

Customized container

We can give you the container in its original condition, or we can modify it to your liking.

Could you see it covered in wood in your garden so you finally have somewhere to put the mower and tools?

Or would you prefer a sauna & jacuzzi, office unit, bistro, or coffee shop?

Together we can find a solution tailor-made to your ideas.