Outdoor steel bench - best coating to protect from weather ?

legs will be subject to vandalism and abuse and any finish will soon be scratched through/off in accessible areas.

FWIW -- consider using stainless. While it costs more you can use a flap wheel or abrasive pad on a angle die grinder to apply a matte finish. A matte finish will not highlight imperfections as a polished or gloss finish would. A regular wire brush [non-stainless] will leave particles of regular steel in the stainless which will rust. Glass bead also works well. You might check with the building sand blasters in your area for a price if you drive it over in an open truck so they don't have to unload/load. More than likely they will soon be blasting it to clear off the graffiti anyhow.

Also figure some way to bolt it down with security type bolts as people will attempt to steal it for the metal, or just to steal it.

Unka' George [George McDuffee] ============ Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), U.S. president. Letter, 17 March 1814.

Get thee to a chandler's. Boat maintenance posits a similar challenge for high stakes, and they'll have the best products on the shelf. Perhaps polyurethane, or epoxy.

I would consider getting the steel galvanized and leaving it that way, or if you wanted a color for a finish consider Hammer-tone paint. That stuff is highly resistant to wear, and when it does chip it can be recoated.

Hot dipped galvanized will last up to 100 years. Painting over the zinc is usually not a good choice. The cost is comparable to a full sand blast and epoxy coat. Concrete retains moisture so the interface between the steel and concrete is always a problem unless the steel is galvanized.

Randy

Plastisol is the only way to go - you can find more information at

I'd get them hot dip galvanized, *then* plastic dipped. And they usually use heavy expanded metal for the seating surface instead of concrete slabs - the vandals all know that concrete breaks fairly easily under tension and they can etch and deface it easily.

The plastic can be damaged by a really persistent vandal through burning or repeated attacks with a cutting tool, and you don't want the structure to start rusting before it gets discovered and repaired.

"Vandal Proof" is an oxymoron and is usually unattainable - aim for 'highly vandal resistant' and easy to repair when it gets damaged. Been there, Armor Plated that...

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